Dutch & Flemish Art Tour

(10 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Bruges & Ghent, Brussels & Antwerp, Amsterdam with Haarlem, Leiden, The Hague, Delft & Kroller-Muller Museum

The Netherlands and Belgium are renowned for their heritage of great art, architecture and design—old and new. This private art tour features private touring of atmospheric towns, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the most important regional art museums and other cultural institutions. Touring is flexible and can be customized to include additional interests, such as modern and contemporary architecture.

Begin in romantic Bruges, a fairy-tale town of canals and medieval architecture that's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll through atmospheric backstreets, city gates and squares. Enjoy a boat tour along the canals. See Gothic buildings, ancient monuments, and museums such as the Groeningemuseum of fine art and the Hospital Museum, which has a collection of Hans Memling paintings. Other options include climbing to the top of the Belfry for views over Bruges, visiting a lacemaking studio, touring a local brewery, sampling locally made chocolates, visiting the Basilica of the Holy Blood, biking through lesser-visited neighborhoods, and seeing the historic Beguinage housing, also a UNESCO site.

Next, transfer to Brussels. En route, stop in Ghent to visit St. Bavo's Cathedral and see the spectacular Ghent Altarpiece (The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb) by Hubert and Jan van Eyck. Also see other Ghent highlights such as the beautiful waterfront quays of Graslei and Korenlei, landmark Belfry tower, imposing Gravensteen (Castle of the Counts) and medieval Patershol quarter.

Continue to Brussels, the capital of Belgium. During flexible private touring, walk through the Grand-Place, the city's iconic main square, to see the ornate facades of the Town Hall and guild houses. Explore elegant backstreets to see Art Nouveau architecture, and tour the Horta Museum, an Art Nouveau masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the Van Buuren Museum, an Art Deco mansion with beautiful gardens. See the renowned Manneken-Pis fountain. Visit museums such as the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, or browse antiques districts and open-air markets. See the European Parliament and other institutions related to the European Union. Artisans of Leisure can also arrange special interest activities around Brussels such as attending a performance at the Bozar or one of the royal theaters, a Belgian beer tasting or tour of a local brewery, seeing Palais Stoclet, touring the Belgian Center for Comic-Strip Art, visiting locations related to Tintin and his animated stories, seeing the Chinese Pavilion and Japanese Tower, or visiting the Atomium and Mini-Europe. If desired, also browse gourmet food markets, and perhaps sample Belgian specialties such as waffles, chocolate pralines and frites with mayonnaise.

Next, transfer to Amsterdam, stopping en route to tour Antwerp, a lively port city famous for fashion, diamonds and Peter Paul Rubens. During flexible touring, see historical highlights such as the medieval Cathedral of Our Lady, guild houses on the Grote Markt (main square), and fin-de-siecle Centraal Train Station. Visit art museums such as the Rubens House, Royal Museum of Fine Arts and Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (MuHKA). Perhaps tour the Red Star Line Museum, the departure point for millions of Europeans immigrating to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries. Along the way, browse street markets, and sample local treats such as chocolate and baked goods. Other options in Antwerp include visiting the ModeNatie fashion district to browse high-end boutiques and see the MoMu Fashion Museum, learning about diamond processing, walking through the Jewish Quarter, seeing the striking Museum on the River, and visiting the Plantin-Moretus Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that preserves an important 16th-century printing and publishing house. If desired, also stop in Leuven to see its ornate gothic town hall and UNESCO-listed Great Beguinage.

Continue to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands and one of the most charming cities in Europe. During private touring with an art expert, tour world-renowned museums such as the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum; and visit the most interesting neighborhoods to see our favorite markets, courtyard gardens, gabled houses, canals, bridges and backstreets. Also tour historic houses that evoke the Dutch Golden Age, such as Museum Van Loon, the home of a co-founder of the Dutch East India Company. Other options include visiting the Dutch Resistance Museum and other Jewish sites, seeing interesting contemporary architecture, touring a small local brewery, shopping for antiques, and dining on culinary treats such as rijsttafel ("rice table"), an Indonesian-influenced meal of many small dishes that's served in specialty restaurants throughout Amsterdam. Artisans of Leisure can also arrange special interest activities such as attending a performance at the Concertgebouw, biking through the city or countryside, seeing the historic Zaanse Schans district, and taking private excursions to see modern architecture in Almere.

One day, visit the bustling Aalsmeer flower auction, where millions of beautiful flowers are sold and shipped around the world. Continue to Haarlem, where several famous Dutch painters once lived, to tour the courtyard gardens, market square and Frans Hals Museum. Also visit the attractive town of Leiden—Rembrandt's birthplace—which is famous for its university, canals, museums and open-air market. Depending on your travel dates, we will also arrange a visit to the beautiful gardens of the Keukenhof (mid-March to mid-May) to stroll among thousands of colorful tulips, hyacinths and other flowers.

Another day, take an excursion to the Gelderland countryside to tour the Kroller-Muller Museum—an acclaimed art institution in the middle of a national park. Return to Amsterdam to enjoy a cruise through the famous canals and see beautiful contemporary and Dutch Golden Age architecture from the water.

Also visit The Hague to see highlights such as the art masterpieces of the Mauritshuis and Gemeentemuseum, the palaces of the Dutch royal family, the Peace Palace (seat of the International Court of Justice), and local markets and shopping districts. Also visit the charming historic center of Delft, where Johannes Vermeer lived, to explore backstreets, antiques shops and the Royal Dutch Delftware Manufactory (Royal Delft).

This tour can easily be extended to include destinations in the Netherlands, Germany, France and other countries.