Garden Tours

Holland: Tulip Season – May/April Holland: May to October

 

 

 

Holland: Tulip Season – May/April Holland at tulip season is unforgettable. The much loved flower is everywhere, in fields and gardens and public parks, in familiar colors and varieties as well as colors and varieties seldom seen. Nowhere is spring more extravagantly welcomed than in the province of South Holland, where flowers are in lavish display at Keukenhof, the world’s largest garden. In this storied place more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths inhabit seven distinct gardens and flower and plant shows are presented in several pavilions. The indoor shows often have the addition of another Dutch enthusiasm, well-chosen works of art. Keukenhof, located near Lisse in the province of South Holland, is a destination bound to delight. Serious gardeners will find the latest trends and newest ideas here; those who are content to simply enjoy the vistas are never disappointed. Our barge will be our home, eliminating need for constant packing and unpacking and providing a sun deck from which to observe this spring-time world. Dinners and breakfasts are served aboard by a talented kitchen staff; lunches are in interesting restaurants on shore. These tours can include the provinces of both Noord and Zuid (North and South) Holland, two of the Netherlands’ twelve provinces. Amsterdam, bustling and busy and full of interest, is in Noord Holland. Back to top ^
Holland: May to October With or without tulips, Holland is full of interest and pleasure. Our barge takes us through a bucolic landscape interrupted by small towns with houses fronting directly on brick streets. This North Holland route moves past dunes and old fishing towns like canal-threaded Enkhuizen and Hoorn, where the rich history includes once-thriving East Indian trade. Older women in Enkhuizen still wear traditional local dress and the wealth that marked the town in the 17th century is reflected in the Zuiderzee Museum, centered on local history. In Hoorn we find a blend of modern and historic architecture, underlining the international character of the town. Another interesting city is Alkmaar, canal-threaded and hospitable to our barge. Here both medieval buildings and local cheeses reward attention. Alkmaar’s museums are a unique lot: one for cheese, one for beer, and one for the Beatles because John Lennon’s first guitar was made here. The tallest tower in town, Grote Sint Laurenkerk, is often the scene of weddings – you might glimpse one. We will also visit the island of Texel (pronounced “Tessel” by those who live there), the largest of the Wadden Islands that form a chain off the coast of North Holland. In this area where land is almost always in sight of the sea, traveling by barge is ideal. Back to top ^