Taking a river cruise in the extensive river and canal system in the Netherlands opens up the country in a fascinating, new way. View architectural marvels, feats of amazing engineering, windmills and, depending on the time of year, fields of tulips. Unpack once and settle in your cabin, take day excursions and waste less travel time because you sail while you sleep. Since most of the Netherlands’ river cruises have options to connect to the Rhine, that means some time in Belgium and Germany.

Puffy pancakes, flower power, cheese and Delft pottery, how about letting GetAway Travel find you a cruise you’ll love!

Start off in Amsterdam

 Amsterdam has a well-developed cruise port and proximity to an airport, so it makes sense cruises start here. With its Dutch, German and Flemish influences, there is something for everyone to see and enjoy. The museums are fabulous, from shipbuilding to Dutch masters to hemp, there are museums devoted to almost anything.

There are bikes everywhere. The first bike ride share program was invented in Amsterdam. It didn’t last, but the commitment to cycling did.

Keukenhof Gardens is home to the “Greatest Flower Show on Earth” each Spring. Seven million flowers on 70 acres — everyone agrees it IS the greatest flower show. There’s tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, lilies, bluebells and crocuses. The blooms form lovely swaths of color along paths and the brooks. There are at least 100 varieties of tulips in the fields here.

From Amsterdam most cruises hit the following cities and offer a variety of free shore excursions as well as some that cost a small fee.

Hoorn, Enkhuizen, Kinderdijk

Throw a rock and you’ll hit a monument in Hoorn, a quaint city founded in 1300. It was named for the horn-shaped harbor along the Ijsselmeer, an artificial lake created by dam construction. Prior to access to the North Sea being blocked, Hoorn was a bustling port city and one of the Dutch East India Co. six home bases. It boasts 1,000 monuments, charming cobblestone streets and cheese warehouses.

Enkhuizen was a small fishing village, but during the 17th century it became the center of maritime trade. That ended when the North Sea inlet was sealed off with a dam. Still, there’s some pretty impressive landmarks here. The Drommedaris is the former city gate and watchtower. It’s the city’s most famous building, but the Gothic-style hall church from the 15th century it’s also pretty cool The floor consists of gravestones.

Take a short ferry ride to the Zuiderzee Museum.The outdoor museum is a traditional village showcasing the culture and maritime history of the city. There’s 140 buildings on site including workshops, a fish smokery and a home from the 1920s. Taste local cheeses and smoked fish.

Get your windmill fix in Kinderdijk. This area of South Holland was shaped by the Rhine Delta waters. There are 19 well-preserved 18th century windmills here. The village is surrounded by polders, tracts of land reclaimed from the sea using windmills. Here, learn all things windmills, why they were built, how they operate and see the mechanical workings as well as living quarters inside,

Dordrecht, Delft and Gouda

 The Netherlands loves its monuments, indeed, there are hundreds in Dordrecht. The oldest city in Holland has a stunning inner city and along the harbor, grand warehouses have been transformed into elegant homes. The Grote Kerk, or Church of Our Lady, is the largest church in the city. Restored in Gothic architectural style, it is beautiful and the tower at its side contains 67 bells. Climb the tower (more than 200 stairs, be warned) for amazing views of the area.

A scenic drive/shore excursion, takes you to Delft. Royal Delft is the last remaining earthenware factory left over from the 17th century. Watch the centuries-old process to create the pottery. The 400-plus year-old factory is set up as a museum. You can score some of this sought-after pottery in the gift shop.

Perhaps you’d like to visit Gouda as a shore excursion? Surprise, Gouda is not made here, but stroopwafels are. Gouda Cheese is actually made all around Gouda, and it was brought to the weigh station in Gouda where taxes were levied depending on the weight. The Gouda city council had strict rules on the manufacture. Now, a cheese museum is in the weigh house.

 

Next door is St. John’s Church, the longest church in the Netherlands, it has a fabulous collection of stained glass windows. The stained glass is considered the most significant collection in the country.

The stroopwafel was invented here and workshops are offered for visitors. What is a stroopwafel? It is two crispy cookies pressed into a waffle pattern held together with tasty toffee syrup. Yum.

Nijmegen, Maastricht, Antwerp and Wesel

 Home to one of the Netherlands largest universities, Nijmegen has an eclectic, vibrant blend of sidewalk cafés, unique eateries, and quaint shops that show off the city’s artistic bent. Indeed, you can trace the steps of Van Gogh who lived in nearby Nuenen the early 1880s and created more than 195 paintings. The Vincentre Museum has a great audiovisual presentation on Van Gogh and his time in Nuenen.

The Noordbrabants Museum is home to an extensive collection of Dutch art — from Hieronymus Bosch to Van Gogh. Take a beer break at Brouwerij de Hemel. A brewing pioneer, learn all about the process as well as how to distill spirits. Try a flight and some snacks.

Maastricht is one of the Netherlands oldest and most picturesque cities.There are 1,677 Heritage buildings here and the lovely inner city is car-free.  The Maastricht Treaty was signed here in the early 1990s, establishing the euro as the single European currency. In nearby Margraten is the American Military Cemetery where 4,800 Americans who lost their lives during the march into Germany after D-Day, are buried.

Depending on your cruise, you may get a chance to go to Antwerp. Diamonds and chocolate! What’s not to like? Diamond cutters abound, next to shops with fabulous chocolates.

Wesel, Germany might also be on your itinerary. An important trading center which reached its peak in the 15th century, Wesel nearly surpassed Cologne as a major commercial presence. Visit the lovely Willibrod Cathedral.

Tulips, Van Gogh, tasty cookies and some great cheese all while relaxing on a great ship moving down the river. Interested? Contact GetAway Travel and an advisor will help schedule your cruise.