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Keukenhof Tulips, Canals & Amsterdam in Springtime

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You are viewing the 2026 itinerary. Select your departure year
20262027
6 days From $2,495 $2,295 per person
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Celebrate springtime in the Netherlands, enjoying the spectacular Keukenhof Gardens, a tour and canal cruise in Amsterdam, and a scenic ride on the Medemblik Railway 

Travel among a group of like-minded travelers led by a professional tour manager

Mobility Rating 2

2026 Tour code: AMB26

About the tour

Experience the joys of spring in the Netherlands on this getaway featuring world-famous gardens, picturesque canals and windmills.  

Based in the attractive city of Utrecht, our itinerary is packed with excursions to enchanting locations. Visit Keukenhof Gardens - with its swathes of multi-colored spring flowers, enjoy a guided tour and canal cruise in Amsterdam with free time to sightsee, a trip on the Medemblik Steam Train to the waterside town of Medemblik, and a trip to the preserved 19th-century village of Zaanse Schans, known for its windmills and traditional craftspeople. 

Unforgettable Experiences

Wander through the beautiful Keukenhof Gardens
Wander through the beautiful Keukenhof Gardens
Experience a day among the flowers at Keukenhof Gardens. One of the world’s best-loved gardens, Keukenhof is celebrated across Europe for its glorious tulip displays, vivid colors and magnificent spring flowers.
Traverse the countryside on the Medemblik Steam Train
Traverse the countryside on the Medemblik Steam Train
From Hoorn to the peaceful West Friesland town of Medemblik, our scenic journey on this heritage steam train takes us through a quintessential Dutch landscape of tulip fields, windmills and quaint villages.
Visit the windmills and workshops of the Zaanse Schans
Visit the windmills and workshops of the Zaanse Schans
Zaanse Schans is a delightful residential area of character-filled wooden houses, craft shops and museums, and following a guided tour of a windmill, a weaver’s house, and a cheese maker, there’s free time to explore. 
Explore Amsterdam on a guided tour and canal cruise
Explore Amsterdam on a guided tour and canal cruise
Immerse yourself in the Dutch capital on a guided tour of its landmarks and while cruising the unique canals, drifting past medieval architecture, then explore Amsterdam’s museums, galleries and parks at your own pace.  

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - By rail to the historical city of Utrecht

Your springtime adventure to the Netherlands begins today at London St. Pancras. Meet the Tour Manager and group here this morning to board the Eurostar service to Rotterdam, traveling in Eurostar Plus class with a light meal served at our seats. In Rotterdam, we change trains to Utrecht, arriving mid-afternoon. Our hotel is a short walk from the station, and once we have checked in, you are free to get to know this interesting city, described as "the cozy alternative" to Amsterdam and less than half an hour away from the capital by train. 

The fourth largest city in the Netherlands, Utrecht has a similar character to Amsterdam but on a smaller scale - including colorful canals, historical buildings and lively cafés. This evening, we enjoy our first dinner at the hotel. Overnight Utrecht.

Includes
  • Eurostar Light Meal
  • Dinner
Day 2 - Guided tour of Amsterdam

After a buffet breakfast, we catch the train to Amsterdam. Here, we tour the capital with a local guide, seeing classic landmarks such as Dam Square, the Begijnhof, a cluster of medieval houses, the shopping street of Kalverstraat and the "skinny bridge" over the River Amstel.

As the tour concludes, you are free to explore over lunch. Art lovers may wish to visit the Rijksmuseum or the nearby Van Gogh Museum, while Anne Frank's house recalls the sobering story of the young girl whose diaries document how her family hid during World War Two.

This afternoon, we take a leisurely cruise down Amsterdam's World Heritage site, the Canal Ring - a network of historic canals from the medieval port encircling the city's Old Town. We enjoy views of 17th-century gabled houses, quaint bridges and shady canal paths. At the end of the afternoon, we take the train back to Utrecht, where we have an evening to spend as we wish. Overnight Utrecht.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 3 - The inspiring gardens of Keukenhof 

Today is a highlight of our trip as, after breakfast, we are transported by coach to the Keukenhof Gardens*. With entry included, we are free to wander through several themed gardens at leisure for most of the day. Each exhibition area in the vast Keukenhof Holland park includes a shop and a café or restaurant, while the Mill area includes a small boat and picnic area. 

Open only from the end of March to the beginning of May, the gardens present an astonishing display of over 7 million daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and other spring-flowering bulbs. Besides early spring flowers, there are seasonal shows of other uplifting flowers, including scented freesias, chrysanthemums and roses. As you walk among these swathes of flowers of every hue, notice how they contrast with brightly-colored sculptures, creating a one-of-a-kind experience.  

We are transferred back to our hotel in Utrecht around mid-afternoon, where we are at leisure to relax or get to know the city further for the rest of the day and evening. Overnight Utrecht.

*Please note on the mid-April departure, Days 3 and 4 will be reversed. 

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 4 - Exploring the diverse attractions of Utrecht

Enjoy a free day in picturesque Utrecht, whose main attractions are within walking distance of our hotel. Utrecht's iconic symbol is the impressive 14th-century Dom Tower, the Netherlands' tallest church tower with a panoramic viewpoint.  

Train enthusiasts can visit the Spoorwegmuseum, the Dutch National Railway Museum, whose vast collection ranges from the 19th-century "glory days" of international trains to the "steel monsters" of the 1930s. Meanwhile, the city's Centraal Museum has a multi-faceted collection of art, design and fashion, including Dutch favorites like the Red Blue Chair by architect Gerrit Rietveld.

Utrecht is known for its lovely green spaces, and Wilhelmina Park is a popular place to enjoy lunch while overlooking the lake. On the city's outskirts is the opulent Castle De Haar, the largest and most luxurious castle in the Netherlands, which can be reached easily by train or bus. Of course, you may be perfectly content to wander the tree-lined canal paths, passing bridges adorned with colorful flowers and stopping to enjoy a meal at one of the many inviting restaurants. Overnight Utrecht.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 5 - A nostalgic trip on the Medemblik Steam Train

Driving to Hoorn this morning, one of the Netherlands' oldest cities, we take a self-guided tour of the Hoorn Steam Train Museum (entry included). The next tour highlight is a ride on the Medemblik Steam Train, which has traveled this route since 1887. This heritage train takes us on a scenic journey to the peaceful West Friesland town of Medemblik, surrounded by the waters of the Ijsselmeer. We pass through a typical Dutch landscape of tulip fields, windmills and quaint villages to Medemblik, where there is free time for lunch. 

This afternoon brings another special excursion as our coach transfers us to the Zaanse Schans, a beautifully preserved residential area of 18th and 19th-century wooden houses, handcraft shops and museums. After a guided tour of one of the windmills, we visit a weaver's house and a cheesemaker before free time to explore this quaint living museum with its clog workshop, bakery museum and craft shops. We transfer back to our hotel at the end of the afternoon for a final dinner at the hotel. Overnight Utrecht.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 - Tour conclusion

After a leisurely breakfast and a free final morning in Utrecht, we meet at the station to catch our train to Rotterdam. 

Later this afternoon, we join the Eurostar service back to London St. Pancras, traveling in Eurostar Plus class. This springtime vacation in the Netherlands has taken us to the glorious Keukenhof Gardens, along the atmospheric canals of Amsterdam and to the quaint preserved village of Zaanse Schans. Based in attractive Utrecht, we have immersed ourselves in the unique ambiance of the Netherlands, traveling among typical Dutch scenes of windmills, tulip fields and historic towns. 

Your tour concludes at London St. Pancras, where you are free to make your way home.  

Includes
  • Breakfast
  • Eurostar Light Meal

Additional information

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular vacation with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

NH Utrecht Hotel, Utrecht

NH Utrecht Hotel, Utrecht

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Trains

Eurostar
Medemblik Steam Train