Amsterdam, Brussels & Paris

(10 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Amsterdam with The Hague & Delft, Brussels with Ghent & Bruges, Paris & Versailles

This private luxury tour features the cultural highlights of Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris, as well as the most interesting towns and attractions along the way. It includes flexible private touring and accommodation at the best hotels in each destination.

During private, insider-led touring in and around Amsterdam, enjoy a private cruise through the city's famous canals; tour world-renowned museums such as the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House or Van Gogh Museum; and visit the most interesting neighborhoods to see our favorite markets, courtyard gardens, churches, gabled houses, canals and bridges. Also tour historic houses that evoke the Dutch Golden Age, such as the Rembrandt House Museum or 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, enjoying the Heineken Experience, shopping for antiques, and dining on culinary treats such as rijsttafel ("rice table"), an Indonesian-influenced meal of many small dishes.

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 visit the courtyard gardens, market square and Frans Hals Museum. Also visit Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum of windmills and traditional architecture, to visit a cheese shop, see colorful pigments being ground in a windmill, watch wooden clogs being made and sample typical Dutch baked goods. 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. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can also arrange a variety of special interest activities in and around Amsterdam, such as attending a performance at the Concertgebouw, biking through the city or countryside, touring museums with an art expert, a cooking lesson at an organic farm, or visiting other cheese-producing towns such as Alkmaar, Edam or Gouda.

Continue by private vehicle to Brussels, the capital of Belgium. En route, stop to visit The Hague to see renowned art museums and palaces, or Delft, where influential artist Johannes Vermeer once lived, to see the historic center and tour Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles (Royal Delft). During flexible private touring in Brussels, walk through the iconic Grand-Place, the city's UNESCO-listed main square, to admire the ornate facades of the Town Hall and guild houses. See the renowned Manneken-Pis fountain and interesting street art. Perhaps visit the Royal Museum of Fine Arts or other museums, or browse antiques districts and open-air markets. If desired, 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 seeing Art Nouveau architecture, visiting gardens, a private chocolate-making lesson, Jewish touring, attending a performance at the Bozar or other theaters, a Belgian beer tasting or tour of a local brewery, touring the Belgian Comic Strip Center, visiting locations related to Tintin and his animated adventures, 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.

One day, enjoy a private excursion to Bruges, stopping en route to tour Ghent, a charming university town. Visit St. Bavo's Cathedral to see the spectacular Ghent Altarpiece (The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb) by Hubert and Jan van Eyck. Also see 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 romantic Bruges, a fairy-tale town of canals and medieval architecture. Stroll through the atmospheric backstreets, city gates and squares of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a boat tour along the canals. See ancient monuments, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, the UNESCO-listed Begijnhof housing, and important museums of Netherlandish art such as the Groeningemuseum and St. John's Hospital. Other options include climbing to the top of the Belfry for views over Bruges, visiting a lacemaking studio, sampling locally made chocolates, biking through lesser-visited neighborhoods and touring a local brewery.

Continue to Paris by high-speed Eurostar train. Tour the city's most interesting neighborhoods, markets, boutiques, specialty food shops, gardens, museums and other cultural attractions. A few of our favorites: Walk among centuries-old mansions on exclusive Ile Saint-Louis. See the stained glass windows of exquisite Sainte-Chapelle, and see iconic Notre Dame. Visit the backstreets of Montmartre. Climb the steps to the Sacre Coeur Basilica for panoramic views. Explore Le Marais, whose private homes once belonged to kings, noblemen and courtesans. Wander the old Jewish quarter to the Place des Vosges, the city's oldest and one of its most beautiful squares. See the art treasures of museums such as the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, l'Orangerie, Centre Pompidou, Fondation Louis Vuitton and other major museums. Or visit smaller specialty museums off the beaten track. If desired, enjoy reservations at one of the restaurants atop the Eiffel Tower. Stroll the Latin Quarter, and relax in the Luxembourg Gardens. Shop exclusive boutiques along Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore and Rue Royale. Take a break at Left Bank cafes made famous by poets and philosophers, and stop in the church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can arrange personalized shopping (antiques, flea markets, haute couture, tea, copperware and cooking utensils, chocolate, fashion and more). Perhaps spend hours enjoying a degustation gastronomique at a leading restaurant.

One day, if desired, enjoy a private excursion to Versailles to tour Louis XIV's opulent palace, including the Hall of Mirrors, the gardens, and the Hameau de la Reine, the mock hamlet created for Marie-Antoinette. Alternatively, enjoy a private excursion to Giverny to tour the house, gardens and lily ponds where Claude Monet lived and painted in his final years.

Itinerary Overview

Day 1 Arrive Amsterdam, the Netherlands VIP fast-track airport assistance. Private transfer to hotel for 3 nights Day 2 Amsterdam Full-day private city tour Day 3 Amsterdam & Haarlem Full-day private excursion Day 4 Amsterdam – The Hague & Delft – Brussels, Belgium Private transfer to hotel for 3 nights, with touring en route Day 5 Brussels Full-day private tour Day 6 Brussels, Ghent & Bruges Full-day private excursion Day 7 Brussels – Paris, France Private transfer to station for high-speed train to Paris. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 3 nights Day 8 Paris Full-day private city tour Day 9 Paris & Versailles Full-day private excursion, or continue private city touring Day 10 Depart Paris Private airport transfer

Hotels

Amsterdam: Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam Brussels: Hotel Amigo Paris: The Ritz Paris or Four Seasons Hotel George V

Cost

Upon request