After arriving in the Dutch capital, there’s time to relax at our city-center hotel before this afternoon’s briefing about the journey ahead.  Tonight we enjoy a welcome dinner at our hotel.

We discover this canal-laced capital city on a morning walking tour where we learn about the historic architecture of the city and its intricate network of canals. Our walk concludes at the Royal Palace and Dam Square in the heart of the city. Then we visit the renowned Rijksmuseum, where a guide illuminates for us the Golden Age of Dutch painting through works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and other masters. Our tour ends here; we are free to continue exploring the museum on our own; tour the famed Anne Frank House; explore the Stedelijk Museum of modern and contemporary art from the 18^th century to the present; or to do anything else we wish. This evening we enjoy a canal cruise with wine and cheese before dinner on our own.

On tours departing in April and May, this morning we enjoy a half-day visit of the dazzling gardens at Keukenhof; on tours departing June through October, we visit the acclaimed Vincent Van Gogh Museum.  With more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths blanketing more than 79 acres with dazzling color, Keukenhof – also known as the “Garden of Europe” – ranks as the world’s largest flower garden and one of the most beautiful spring gardens anywhere.  At the Van Gogh Museum, we see the world’s largest collection of works by the Dutch artist known for his bold colors and raw emotion – and who had an incalculable impact on 20^th-century Western art.  The museum houses some 200 paintings, along with works by such contemporaries as Corbet, Monet, and Gauguin.  Then the afternoon is at leisure for independent exploration.  Tonight we enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant.

Today we travel to the village of Kinderdijk to see the Netherlands’ iconic windmills, approaching by boat.  A local expert tells us about this UNESCO World Heritage site, whose 19 original windmills date to medieval times and still operate today.  After lunch, we depart for Bruges, arriving late afternoon.  Dinner tonight is on our own.

This morning we embark on a walking tour of this gem of a medieval city then visit a chocolatier to watch the chocolate-making process and, of course, to sample the goods.  Next: a leisurely private cruise along the city’s romantic canals.  After lunch on our own, the remainder of the afternoon is ours to do as we wish in this beloved city.  We meet up tonight for dinner together at a local restaurant.

This morning we travel to the port city of Ghent, capital of Belgium’s East Flanders region known for its renowned international flower trade.  Our walking tour here includes a visit to St. Bavo’s Cathedral, filled with priceless artworks including a 24-panel altarpiece by Jan van Eyck and works by Peter Paul Rubens.  After lunch together, we return to Bruges with the remainder of the afternoon at leisure.  With its historic city center (a UNESCO site), treasure-filled museums, historic architecture, and evocative network of canals, this intimate town offers diversions aplenty.  We dine tonight at a local restaurant.

We travel today to tiny Luxembourg, the world’s only Grand Duchy and once the crossroads of Western Europe.  En route we honor the 77,000 American troops killed or injured in the deadliest battle of WWII, which took place in the Ardennes, the deeply forested region flanking Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.  The Battle of the Bulge, as it became known, left an indelible mark on the region, as we see on our visit to the Mardasson Memorial, commemorating those who died here.  We also tour the adjacent Bastogne War Museum, which provides a dramatic look at the war through personal testimony, artifacts, and interactive exhibits and displays.  We reach Luxembourg City this afternoon and dine together tonight.

Known for its rich history and surprising natural beauty, Luxembourg also boasts one of the world’s highest standards of living.  We discover some of this tiny nation-state on today’s city tour that features the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, where the graves of 5,076 American soldiers lie along with that of General George S. Patton, who commanded the U.S. Third Army from Luxembourg City.  Dinner tonight is on our own.

En route to Paris today, we stop in the French city of Reims, the unofficial capital of the Champagne-Ardennes region.  One of France’s leading centers of traditional champagne production, Reims also is where the Germans surrendered to General Dwight D. Eisenhower on May 7, 1945.  Here we visit Notre-Dame de Reims, the celebrated cathedral where kings of France were crowned and which Joan of Arc liberated.  After lunch on our own, we visit a champagne house for a tour and tasting of the prized libation.  Then we continue on to Paris, where dinner is on our own tonight in this city renowned for its fine cuisine.

This morning, we embark on a walking tour of two classic Parisian neighborhoods: the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain-des-Prés, followed by a sightseeing cruise on the River Seine.  Then this afternoon is at leisure to enjoy Paris as we wish; perhaps view the stunning stained glass windows of Sainte Chapelle; sip an espresso on the sidewalk of a Left Bank café and watch tout le monde pass by; visit the glorious Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay of Impressionist art; or simply stroll the broad boulevards and admire the diverse architecture of this beloved city. Tonight we celebrate our European adventure over a farewell dinner.

We transfer to the airport this morning for our return flight to the United States.