WTT > Travel Calendar

Holland & Belgium #2

At Tulip Time - Keukenhof Gardens

April 16 - 25, 2020

Itinerary &
Daily Schedule
Tour Pricing &
Important Details
Destination
Information
Frequently Asked
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Holland at tulip time is a sight everyone should see, but that's just barely scratching the surface of what The Netherlands and its neighbor Belgium have to offer. This trip will take you to places whose names are familiar: Amsterdam, Antwerp, the Tulip Festival at Keukenhof Gardens. But there's more in store. You are in for a real treat as we visit true gems such as Bruges, considered one of the best preserved medieval towns in all of Europe. Its nickname is "The Venice of the North" and it earns it! This is of course the best time of the year to visit Holland; the flowers are in bloom and the addition of Belgium makes this a 2-for-1 treat.

Print Itinerary & Details

WTT is actively trying to reschedule this tour
to a new start date of 1 September 2020 or later.

PLEASE give us the time to do this. It took us 18 months to put all the arrangements for the 2020 tours in place. We can’t possibly reschedule every impacted tour overnight. This will take weeks. We are prioritizing our work based on each trip’s original departure date. As soon as we have more information to share, we will. For travelers who cancelled on or after 11 March 2020, WTT will invite them to re-join the tour and will reinstate any forfeited monies for those who do.

We anticipate having more information the week of April 13th.

Itinerary

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Thursday, 16 Apr 2020: Arrive Amsterdam; Welcome Dinner (D)
Schedule your arrival into Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport no later than 2:00pm. Group transfers provided to the hotel based on arrival times. Upon arrival at the hotel, relax or go exploring until our Welcome Meeting at 5:30pm in the lobby of the hotel. After introductions we will depart for dinner to get better acquainted. Overnight Amsterdam - 3 nights

Friday, 17 Apr 2020: Flower Auction and Keukenhof Gardens; Group Dinner (B,D)
With boxed breakfast in hand, we get an early start today to travel to Aalsmeer to see the world's largest flower auction, Floraholland. Flowers are auctioned and then packaged for distribution to all corners of the world. Some of the flowers that you see this morning could be at your local florist the very next day! Later we learn how flowers are cultivated and then we head to Keukenhof, the world-renowned display garden spanning 70 acres where six million bulbs are planted annually. Keukenhof is the world's largest exhibition of blooming tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. Stroll through the gardens, view the plantings in the three exhibition halls and walk up the windmill for a magnificent view of the brilliant colors in the accompanying bulb fields. We'll share our experiences over group dinner this evening.

Saturday, 18 Apr 2020: Canal Excursion; Free Afternoon (B)
Founded in the Middle Ages, Amsterdam is comprised of 760 islands separated by nearly 50 miles of canals and connected by more than one thousand bridges. It's truly a marvel! Therefore we begin the day with a narrated canal cruise to better get our bearings. This afternoon is then free to wander the streets or visit one of the world-class museums. If you're interested in visiting the Anne Frank House, this afternoon is the time to do so. Note that you must purchase tickets for Anne Frank House online, 60 days in advance. This is an extremely popular activity and sells out quickly.

Sunday, 19 Apr 2020: Walking Tour of The Hague; Delft Blue Pottery Tour (B)
After breakfast and check out, we travel to The Hague, which has gained a reputation as the "legal capital of the world." The Hague grew from a residence to a palace in the 13th century when various Dutch counts began using it as an administrative center. Today, it's where the Dutch government and parliament, the Dutch Supreme Court, and the Dutch Council of State are all located. After an informative walking tour we head to Delft, Vermeer’s birthplace and a long-time center for fine hand-painted porcelain. We'll take in a Delft Blue Pottery exhibition and a tour before checking into our hotel. Overnight Delft - 2 nights

Monday, 20 Apr 2020: Kinderdijk Windmills; Group Lunch: Delft City Tour (B,L)
This morning we're off to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring a unique collection of 19 authentic windmills, long considered a Dutch icon throughout the world. After returning to Delft, we'll enjoy lunch together, followed by a guided walking tour of compact Delft. The city’s name comes from the Dutch word for digging, appropriate since canals are a highlight here. We'll meander through the historic area of one of the most beautiful squares in all of Holland, flanked by the town hall (1618) and the "New Church" (1381) where members of the royal family are buried.

Tuesday, 21 Apr 2020: Ghent City Tour; Travel to Bruges; Group Dinner (B,D)
After breakfast we travel to Ghent for a guided city tour. Ghent is considered by many to be Belgium's most beautiful city. It is like a museum of early Flemish architecture and a testament to the city's medieval might. We then continue on to Bruges, Belgium, a charming town reminiscent of a fairy-tale medieval village. Here, you'll feel transported to another era. Tonight, we'll enjoy a group dinner. Overnight Bruges - 3 nights

Wednesday, 22 Apr 2020: Canal Cruise; Afternoon Free Time; Cooking Class & Dinner (B,D)
After breakfast we head out for a narrated canal cruise of Bruges, because as a city built upon canals, it really is the best way to gain perspective. Afterwards, enjoy free time to explore Bruges and enjoy the pace of life. Your Tour Leader will have a sightseeing itinerary if you'd like to join her. Late this afternoon, we'll try our hand at cooking a few Belgian specialties and make dinner of the results of our labor.

Thursday, 23 Apr 2020: Frites Museum; Group Lunch; Brewery Tour; Afternoon Free (B,L)
Today, we're in for some quirky fun. We'll enjoy a brief walking tour on the way from our hotel to the "Frites Musee" (the French Fry Museum), which is the first and only museum in the world dedicated to fries, a Belgian specialty. From here, we walk to the De Halve Maan Brewery, where we'll have lunch together followed by a tour and beer tasting. After all, it is Belgium! The rest of the day is yours to explore or relax.

Friday, 24 Apr 2020: Chocolate Museum; Return to Amsterdam; Farewell Dinner (B,D)
Today we return to Amsterdam with a stop in Antwerp, Belgium's second largest city. Though heavily bombed in WWII, Antwerp retains a medieval core with cobblestone streets and an impressive Gothic cathedral. We'll visit Chocolate Nation, a relatively new experience museum devoted entirely to Belgian chocolate. There will be time for lunch (on own) here before continuing on to Amsterdam where we'll stay at a hotel located near the airport for convenience sake. This evening, we'll gather for our Farewell Dinner. Overnight Amsterdam Airport Area - 1 night

Saturday, 25 Apr 2020: Return home from Amsterdam (B)
Sadly, our time together has come to an end. Make your return flight at your convenience, remembering you will need to be at the airport 2.5 hours before your flight departs. The WTT Tour Leader will assist in grouping travelers to ride-share to the airport based on your flight departure time.

To View Tour Pricing & Important Details: Return to Top of Page

Room Share	Single Room	Non-Members	Status of This Tour
$4,184.00	$5,323.00	ADD $100.00	Trip Full and Closed

Full Payment due at time of Reservation

Your Tour Includes...

HIGHLIGHTS and EXPERIENCES:

Ply the canals of Amsterdam
Visit world-renowned Keukenhof Gardens
See how Delft Blue Pottery is made
Explore Kinderdijk, a UNESCO site
Enjoy a Belgian cooking class
Small group no larger than 20
WTT Tour Leader to enhance the individual & group experience
Time to explore personal interests & suggestions for things to do
And More...See itinerary for additional highlights and experiences

PLUS...

All tipping of local guides
Airport Transfers
Arranged room sharing with another solo traveler
Travel Dollar credits (a benefit of WTT membership) toward future travel with WTT

Lodging

Amsterdam: Radisson Blu - Amsterdam City Centre
Delft: Hampshire Hotel Delft Center
Bruges: Hotel Portinari
Amsterdam: Radisson Blu - Amsterdam Airport

In the unlikely event WTT is unable to provide the hotel accommodation(s) listed, for whatever reason, WTT will substitute similar quality accommodation(s) at no additional cost to the traveler.

Meals

Breakfast daily
2 Lunches
5 Dinners

Selections for the included lunches and dinners will highlight the local cuisine. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dietary requests can be accommodated on this tour with limited selections.

Activity Rating

As a solo traveler you are responsible for yourself, your possessions, your physical fitness, and all other aspects related to participation in the WTT tour you have chosen.

Because of this requirement, WTT tours are not suitable for anyone who is physically challenged, walking impaired, or is a slow walker that cannot keep up with the pace of the group.

The activities on this tour are rated as follows:

70% Easy
30% Moderate (Multiple walking tours, distances traveled.)

Activity levels are subjective and based on the reader's interpretation. Almost everyone overestimates their abilities. Therefore, it is your responsibility to read the itinerary and understand what you are doing throughout the tour.

If you are in doubt as to your ability to meet the physical activity requirements, you should not sign up for this trip.

Read more about Activity Levels

Want a Roommate...or not?

Traveling Solo? Most of the women on your tour are traveling solo!

If you wish to share with another solo traveler, select this option on the Reservation Form and your tour price will automatically be based on the room share price.
Or, you may select a single room, when available, on the Reservation Form and your tour price will be automatically based on the single room price.
These choices are clearly stated on the Reservation Form.

A few facts about sharing a room:

All shared rooms have 2 beds
All shared rooms are non-smoking
No special requests about your roommate can be accommodated
Most solo travelers elect to share a room
See "Frequently Asked Questions" TAB for more details

Arrival and Departure Information

Travelers will make their own air arrangements as follows:

Arrival Airport: AMS - Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol)
Arrival Date: Thursday, April 16th. Arrive no later than 2:00pm.
Arrival Transfer: Included, based on arrival times. Details will be provided in Final Travel Instructions.

Depart Airport: AMS - Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol)
Departure Date: Saturday, April 25th. Depart at your convenience.
Departure Transfer: Hotel provides a courtesy airport shuttle. Arrange your transfer with the hotel front desk.

Want to Arrive a Day Early?

Worried about possible flight delays? Consider arriving one day before the official tour state date. Many of our travelers choose this optional service. Your pre-tour package includes:

The room (standard check-in times apply)
Breakfast the following morning
Transfer from airport to hotel
Optional activity suggestions prior to tour
$260.00 Roomshare $448.00 Single

The pre-tour package is an optional service. Rates are established at time of tour posting. Early check-in is solely at the discretion of the hotel and cannot be arranged in advance.

Important Reminders About This Trip

Travelers are required to have a valid passport
Passport cannot expire less than 6 months after your tour concludes

Payment Dates and Cancellation Policies

At Space Reservation: Initial Deposit is due.
Saturday, 19 Oct 2019: Initial deposit cannot be parked and is forfeited if traveler cancels after this date.
Tuesday, 7 Jan 2020: Payment in full. 50% cancellation penalty after this date.
Sunday, 16 Feb 2020: 100% forfeited if traveler cancels after this date.

Please review our travel and cancellation policies before making your reservation. You will be asked to confirm you have read and understood WTT's travel polices before we will accept your reservation.

Travel Insurance: We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect you in the event you need to cancel your tour. WTT will mail you information from 2 reliable travel insurance providers at the time we confirm your reservation.

You can review the insurance information from TravelGuard to get an idea of rates.

Not Included in the Price

Airfare or other transportation to and from the tour
Meals and activities not specified in the itinerary
Beverages other than coffee, tea & still water unless otherwise noted
Any personal expenses or expenditures
Any pre- or post- tour arrangements
Any gratuities for the WTT tour leader
Travel Insurance

Important Reminders

Travelers are required to have a valid passport
Passport cannot expire less than 6 months after your tour concludes

Packing Suggestions

In general the weather in Holland & Belgium in April can be very chilly and wet. Daytime average temperatures range from the low 50s with the nighttime temperatures in the high 30s.

For this Trip You May Want—

One smart-casual outfit if you’d like to dress up a bit for dinners.
Bring what you need to get a good night's sleep, such as ear plugs, white noise generator, sleeping pills, etc. Unfamiliar noises of all types can disrupt your rest.
Warm clothing that easily layers
Wind and waterproof coat, gloves and hat, boots

Good Packing Habits—

Pack a limited amount of comfortable, casual clothing that layer and coordinate. Your fellow travelers will not mind – or even notice – seeing you in the same clothing.
Bring only two pairs of everyday shoes: one pair of well-broken-in walking shoes, and a second pair that could do double-duty as a walking shoe or a slightly dressy shoe.
Pare down your beauty regimen to the bare minimum and always pack travel-sized toiletries.
Pack medication in your carry-on and pack only as much as needed for the duration of your tour plus a few extra days as a precaution.
Best practice for traveling internationally, pack hand sanitizer and multi surface disinfecting wipes.

Luggage

On every WTT tour, our policies regarding luggage restrictions are driven by the physical space limitations of the vehicles we use and the requirement that all travelers be able to manage their own belongings without assistance.

It is best to travel as lightly as possible. Most travelers regret when they have packed too much.
We strongly recommend you bring only one suitcase no larger than 26 inches high as measured from the FLOOR to the top of the retracted handle, plus 1 carry-on. The small or medium-size in a 3-piece luggage set easily meets this requirement and should be plenty roomy for this length of trip.
You are responsible for managing your own belongings. We expect you to take your belongings from the coach to your room and to bring it back to the coach on days we change hotels. We do not provide luggage pulls; they are not safe and are inconvenient.
Steps exist at most hotel entrances.
In several cities on this tour, the coach must unload passengers and luggage some distance from the hotel entrance due to restrictions on bus travel. Be prepared for a walk of up to 10 minutes between bus pick up/drop off location and hotel entrance.
If you carry a purse, it should be able to be worn across your body, hands-free.

Fitness

Walking is a key component of this tour. On some days, between walking tours and personal exploration you can expect to walk 3-5 miles over the course of a day. Although the activity level on this trip may not appear strenuous, we believe you will enjoy the tour more if you possess a general level of fitness and endurance.

Tipping

All tips to local guides during your tour have already been paid on your behalf.

You are responsible for tipping wait-staff, porters, or other individuals who provide a service to you at the hotel, or other public locations.
At restaurants, gratuity and service charges are typically added to the bill. Feel free to round up to the next denomination if you experienced good service. For example, if the bill is €28.50 round up to €30.00.
You may want to tip your WTT Tour Leader for an outstanding job. The amount is entirely a personal preference. If you'd like a guideline, consider $8 - $10 per day.

Money

Only you can determine the optimum amount of cash to take on tour. When budgeting for out-of-pocket expenses, there are several aspects to consider: the number of meals you are responsible for, the amount of money you like to have on-hand for snacks and drinks, and your individual shopping interests and habits.

Notify your credit card issuer that you will be traveling and provide dates of travel.
ATMs are typically the best way of obtaining cash; they are found in most towns and cities. Use a debit card to avoid additional exchange rates.
Holland & Belgium’s official currency is the Euro (EUR, €)
For larger purchases, use a credit card, which are widely accepted in most tourist areas. Many banks assess up to 3% transaction fee on all charges incurred abroad. Check with your credit card issuer.

Electricity

You may need to purchase an adapter. To determine the electric plug configuration needed for your destination, refer to http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.html. A universal adaptor supports a wide variety of sockets/plugs. You should also check your electronic devices for voltage compatibility. Many countries operate on 220V or 230V, which differs from most of North America. Most of today's electronics (laptops, phone chargers etc.) are multi-voltage and will work worldwide automatically, without a transformer. Consult your owner's manual for further details.

Phone & Internet

Only you can determine your need to stay in contact while traveling. Internet access is available in most hotels, sometimes for a fee.

If you are bringing a cell phone, contact your cell phone service provider before departing about adding international calling and/or texting features. Texting internationally is often less expensive than placing a cell phone call.
Learn how to make an international call BEFORE you leave. Consult your cell provider and check out the web site www.HowtoCallAbroad.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I Find…

My Trip Information

When to Arrive and Depart (i.e. Making Travel Arrangements)

Arriving a Day before the Tour Begins

Activity Rating

Payment and Cancellation Penalty Dates for this Tour

Still Can’t Find what you’re looking for?

What if…..

State Department Alerts and Warnings

I Need to Cancel

Preparing for Your Trip

Trip Specific Details

Meet Your Tour Manager

When to Make Your Airline Reservations

Do I need a Passport or VISA?

Immunization and Shot Recommendations

Partial Payments and Final Payment

Meet Your Fellow Travelers

Meet Your Tour Leader

Final Travel Instructions

Room Sharing Tips

WTT Policies and Cancellations

General Policies

Cancellation Policies

Cancellation Date Reminders

Can WTT Cancel a Tour?

If you wish to express your interest in this tour, do so by completing this pre-reservation form. Remember that a pre-reservation does not require any money and there is no obligation whatsoever. Once this tour is finalized, including pricing, hotels, firm dates, etc., those who have sent in a pre-reservation will be contacted via email. *** You will be asked to decide if you want to make a deposit. If you are no longer interested after being contacted, you don’t have to do anything!

***Note: We give notification priority to members of Women Traveling Together (WTT) first, followed by non-members.

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk *

Information we need to know about you

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Are you a current member of Women Traveling Together? * Yes
No

Trip Information

Name of Trip *

The following date option(s) are available for this tour. There may be one or more choices displayed as dates, months, or seasons. Please choose ONE. *

This trip is my # * choice for

Note: You can pre-register for a maximum of 3 trips by filling out this form for each trip you want to pre-register for. If you designate more than one trip with the same ranking only the last trip submitted with that ranking will be saved.

There is no obligation to go on standby. If we have a cancellation, we will notify those on standby in the order you were put on the standby list**. If you are notified of a space on the trip, you will be required to pay the full amount of the trip at that time.

**We give notification priority to members of Women Traveling Together (WTT) first, followed by non-members.

To be placed on Standby, please complete the following:
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk *

Information we need to know about you

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone

Do you want to roomshare with another traveler? * Yes
No
Are you a current member of Women Traveling Together? * Yes
No

Trip Information

Name of Trip *

Special Instructions Is there anything else we need to know?

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