Springtime Tulips and Keukenhof Gardens (Fly & Cruise)

To Amsterdam

Fly from your closest airport to Amsterdam, where you'll be met by a Great Rail Journeys representative who will escort you to the ship. Here, you board your vessel and settle into your cabin and your new surroundings. Enjoy a welcome drink in the lounge before a sumptuous 5-course first dinner in the restaurant.

Amsterdam or the Medemblik Railway

After waking up to your first morning and breakfast on board, you are given a choice between two fascinating excursions. Your first option is a guided sightseeing tour of Amsterdam, taking in all the sights which make this enigmatic port city one of the most loved in Europe. Discover the Royal Palace, Dam Square and the pretty canals for which Amsterdam is famous. Your second option is a visit to the town of Hoorn where you embark on a nostalgic steam train trip aboard the wonderful Medemblik Steam Railway.

The battlefields of Ypres

Our vessel arrives in Ghent today, in Flemish Belgium. This morning, Colonel Piers Storie-Pugh comes aboard to deliver a fascinating talk about the battlefields in the region, using his impressive expertise in the field to take us back in time. In the afternoon, our excursion takes us to the infamous Ypres Battlefields, a key battlefront in the First World War. We are accompanied by experts who take us through some of the most poignant sites including Tyne Cot Cemetery where many of the combatants were buried. Return to the ship later for dinner.

Ghent

Discover the attractive town of Ghent this morning as you venture into the narrow streets and pretty boulevards for a guided tour. Built in an instantly identifiable style, the architecture lends an elegant grandeur to the buildings here, and we discover some of the finest examples on our tour which include the ever impressive St Bavo's Cathedral and the Belfry.

Later, we enjoy another delicious dinner on board our vessel.

Bruges

Today we pay a visit to the fairytale city of Bruges. An exceptional example of a medieval town proud of its history, Bruges is truly an enchanting city with winding streets opening up to large squares which are often filled with locals enjoying the local cafés serving many Belgian delicacies. Here we discover the canals, churches and noble old town-houses which are famous across Europe.

Later in the afternoon we depart from Ghent, sailing along the Rhine and the Scheldt-Rhine Canal. This man-made stretch of water was created to serve trade routes along the Rhine. We discover more about the history of the canal from our Cruise Director

The history of Arnhem

We arrive into Arnhem this morning. After free time, you have another choice of two excursions. Your first option is to visit the excellent Hartenstein Airborne Museum in nearby Oosterbeek for a guided tour. This institution focuses on the fierce Battle of Arnhem in WWII, the setting of the war film 'A Bridge too Far'. The museum features a collection which includes various artefacts from the battle itself. Alternatively, you may wish to join the excursion which visits the interactive Netherlands Open Air Museum, recounting the storied history of this proud European country. Tonight we sit down to an elegant gala dinner with our captain.

The Keukenhof Gardens and home

This morning we arrive back in Amsterdam, and are joined on board by the wonderful Charlie Dimmock, star of the BBC's Ground Force. We enjoy a talk and a question and answer session with her, learning about her time at the BBC and her tips on horticulture and garden care. Later, we experience a true highlight of the tour, visiting the magnificent kaleidoscope of colour that is Keukenhof Gardens. Lined and filled with all manner of glorious tulip displays of all sizes and varieties, this is one of the best floral displays in Europe and indeed the whole world. In the evening we are serenaded back on board by a Dutch sea shanty choir.

On Day 8, you disembark the ship in Amsterdam from where you travel to the airport for your flight back home.