Holland & Belgium

Board your ship and settle into your stateroom. Explore Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, known for its canals, gabled houses, and world-class museums. Walk along the waterways, cross the bridges, and admire the city’s historic architecture. Visit the Rijksmuseum to see artworks by Rembrandt and other Dutch masters. Enjoy local favorites such as Dutch pancakes or stroopwafels as you take in the atmosphere.

* Ground transfers are included with Viking Air purchase.

Spend the day exploring Amsterdam by bicycle, one of the city’s favorite ways to get around. The flat streets make cycling easy and enjoyable. Biking has been part of Amsterdam’s culture since the late 19th century, and efforts to promote cleaner transport began as early as the 1960s. Today, the city has many dedicated bike lanes and more bicycles than cars, making it a safe and popular way to see the sights.

The Amsterdam Canal Cruise and Keukenhof Gardens excursions are included.  Optional excursions are available at an additional charge: Historic Haarlem, Amsterdam’s Golden Age, Portuguese Synagogue & Amsterdam’s Jewish History, Cheeses of Edam & Beemster, Keukenhof Gardens & Historic Haarlem, Private Excursion: Half-Day Amsterdam, Private Excursion: Full-Day Amsterdam

Founded in 1300, Hoorn was named for its horn-shaped harbor along the Ijsselmeer, the artificial lake created by the construction of massive dams. Long before the dams, sailors had easy access to the North Sea from here, and this bolstered the success of the Dutch East India Company. A major trader with Asia and the most powerful company in the world, it made Hoorn one of its six home bases. The Dutch navigator Willem Corneliszoon Schouten was born in Hoorn; he is best known as the man who rounded the southern tip of South America in 1616 and named it “Cape Horn” for his birthplace. Brimming with history, the city’s cobblestone streets and age-old cheese warehouses are a delight to explore.

The Hoorn Walking Tour & Local Performance excursion is included. Optional excursions are available at an additional charge: Dutch Countryside by E-Bike, Tulips & Windmills

Dordrecht is the oldest city in Holland. Throughout the city, there are hundreds of historic monuments and landmarks, including the Grote Kerk and the 13th-century Augustinian monastery known as Het Hof. The picturesque waterways and decorative bridges of Dordrecht exude a bygone era and are best explored on foot. The inner-city harbors are centuries old and lined with grand warehouses that have now been transformed into elegant homes. With a relaxed atmosphere and a plethora of quaint cafés and shops, Dordrecht oozes old-world charm.

Rotterdam stretches across a maze of natural and artificial waterways. With its location at the mouth of the New Meuse River and easy link to the Rhine and Central Europe, it is Europe’s largest port, earning it the nickname “Gateway to Europe.” Much of it was destroyed during World War II, yet it stands today as one of the continent’s great cities of art, architecture and innovation, boasting a lively culture and many museums. With a pleasant river orientation, Rotterdam’s spacious new inner city is a pleasure to explore; its shop-lined Lijnbaan district was Europe’s first pedestrian shopping precinct.

The Historic Dordrecht excursion is included. Optional excursions are available at an additional charge: Historic Dordrecht & Delft, Historic Gouda & Stroopwafel, Behind the Scenes at the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen

Kinderdijk is a village community in the Alblasserwaard province. This corner of South Holland, part of the scenic Waal and Merwede regions, has long been shaped by Rhine Delta waters. Kinderdijk is most known for its 19 remarkably preserved 18th-century windmills. The charming hamlet is located amid low-lying polders, tracts of land reclaimed from the sea by the power of the windmills and enclosed by embankments, or dikes. This legendary place calls to mind the 1865 novel Hans Brinker, in which a heroic boy plugs his finger into a ruptured dike.

Nestled between the Linge and Merwede Rivers, Gorinchem is the largest fortified city in The Netherlands. The well-preserved city walls and the striking Dalem Gate, relics of a storied past, have stood guard over this charming locale since the 13th century. Fort Vuren offers panoramic views of the Merwede River and the picturesque Lingewijk neighborhood, with its tranquil canals and verdant gardens, invites leisurely exploration. Nearby Slot Loevestein, one of the biggest medieval castles in the Netherlands, stands amid a traditional Dutch river landscape.

The Kinderdijk Windmills excursion is included.  Optional excursions are available at an additional charge: Gorinchem on Foot, Kinderdijk Windmills by E-bicycle, Kinderdijk by Vintage Barge, Kinderdijk Windmills & Dutch Cheese Making

Situated where the Lippe River flows into the Rhine, Wesel has long been an important trading center. The city reached its peak in the 15th century, when it was an influential member of the Hanseatic League, Northern Europe’s dominant confederation of mercantile guilds. During its heyday, Wesel even rivaled Cologne as a major commercial presence. Throughout its history, it has been overseen by Spain, The Netherlands, France and Prussia. Peter Minuit, the founder of New Amsterdam—today’s New York City—was born here. Today, the city recalls its glorious past in the Willibrord Cathedral, beautifully restored after Allied bombing, and the renovated structures of the stately Wesel Citadel.

The Xanten During the Time of Rome & Today excursion is included. Optional excursions are available at an additional charge: Arnhem & Airborne Museum Hartenstein, Schloss Anholt

Perched on the south bank of the Waal River, vibrant Nijmegen is home to one of The Netherlands’ largest universities. Residents and students alike linger at sidewalk cafés and unique eateries and the city’s many shops offer items that reflect Nijmegen’s artistic sensibility. Nijmegen’s lower city is home to the charming Velorama, a bicycle museum, while the larger Valkhof Museum chronicles the city’s Roman and medieval past. Famously, Nijmegen was the site of a decisive three-day battle between Allied and German forces during World War II’s Operation Market Garden.

The Nijmegen by Foot excursion is included. Optional excursions are available at an additional charge Life & Early Works of van Gogh, Dutch Beer Culture, Nijmegen & World War II

Straddling the Meuse River, Maastricht is one of The Netherlands’ oldest and most picturesque cities, boasting 1,677 Rijksmonumenten, or National Heritage Buildings. The narrow cobblestone streets and stunning churches of the car-free inner city evoke the rich medieval era, when the city held important places in the Carolingian and Holy Roman Empires. In the early 1990s, Maastricht took its place on the 20th-century world stage when the Maastricht Treaty was signed and the single European currency, the euro, was created here. Nearby, the American Military Cemetery in Margraten is the final resting place for more than 8,000 young men who fell during the march toward Germany after the D-Day Landings.

The Streets & Squares of Maastricht excursion is included. Optional excursions are available at an additional charge: Charlemagne’s Cathedral & Treasury, Netherlands American Cemetery & Memorial, Pie-Making Workshop

A cosmopolitan city, Antwerp is one of the world’s major seaports. Its unique atmosphere comes from the contrasts between old and new, commerce and art. The Old Town and the expansive Grote Markt are filled with narrow, winding streets and medieval guild houses. The Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady, Belgium’s largest church, contains works by 17th-century painter Peter Paul Rubens; he lived in the city and is entombed in the Church of St. James. Antwerp is also renowned for diamonds and chocolate. Many diamond cutters can be found here alongside countless confectioners.

The Antwerp Walking Tour excursion is included.  Optional excursions are available at an additional charge: Jewish Traditions & Romi Goldmuntz, Flavors of Antwerp, Antwerp by Bicycle

Bid farewell to your fellow guests and journey home. Or spend more time exploring, perhaps joining one of the extensions.

* Ground transfers are included with Viking Air purchase.