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Avalon Waterways Tulip Time Cruise with 1 Night in Amsterdam & 3 Nights in Paris (WAA2)

12 days from Amsterdam to Paris 
Begin your Tulip Time vacation your way with a one-night stay in Amsterdam—the colorful capital of the Netherlands! Join us for an off-the-beaten-path guided walking tour through its cobblestone streets before embarking on your springtime river cruise through Holland and Belgium. Visit the world’s largest flower garden at Keukenhof—with more than seven million bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths planted across 70 acres in Lisse.

Next, sail to Antwerp, Belgium’s second-largest city, combining ancient buildings and monuments with modern architecture. Join a guided tour of Ghent, including a visit to St. Bavo’s Cathedral and back to Holland to visit Middelburg, Veere, and Willemstad. No trip to Holland is complete without a visit to the technical miracle that is the Delta Works, a storm flood barrier almost six miles long.

Return to Amsterdam to see the most fascinating areas of the city on a canal cruise along the elegant Grachten. Your European vacation continues with a high-speed train transfer to spend three nights in Paris—“The City of Light.” Enjoy guided sightseeing of this iconic city, and spend another full day at your own pace to experience the wonderful cafés, museums, and legendary cityscape in the most romantic city in the world. Your Local Host® is available with recommendations and assistance in making the most of your free time in Paris—as part of your Monograms Paris vacation package.

Your Tulip Time cruise and Monograms vacation package in Paris will bloom in your memory for many seasons to come.

Avalon Highlights & Sightseeing

Day 1 Amsterdam: Welcome to Amsterdam

Day 2 Amsterdam (Embarkation): Off the beaten path walking tour; onboard welcome reception

Day 3 Rotterdam: Choice of half- or full-day visit to Keukenhof Gardens or walk with your Adventure Host; harbor cruise in Rotterdam

Day 4 Antwerp: Choice of guided sightseeing or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 5 Ghent: Choice of guided sightseeing, visit St. Baaf's Cathedral or walk with your Adventure Host

Day 6 Middelburg-Veere: Choice of guided walk in Middelburg or bike with your Adventure Host; choice of excursion to the Delta Works or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 7 Willemstad: Choice of guided walking tour or bike with your Adventure Host; cheese tasting on board

Day 8 Amsterdam: Choice of guided visit to Flower Auction, or canal cruise or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 9 Amsterdam (Disembarkation)-Paris, France: Transfer from your ship to the train station, then travel by high speed train (first class) to Paris

Day 10 Paris: Guided sightseeing, Seine River cruise

Day 11 Paris: Full day at leisure

Day 12 Paris: Your vacation ends this morning

Related Avalon Tours

WAA - Tulip Time Cruise
WAA1 - With 3 Nights in Paris
WAA2 - With 1 Night in Amsterdam & 3 Nights in Paris
WAAQ - With 1 Night in Amsterdam

Itinerary (2023)

Day 1AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND
 Welcome to Holland.

Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure.
Day 2AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)
 Amsterdam Off the Beaten Path. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.

CLASSIC Discover the true beauty of Amsterdam with an off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through its cobblestone streets for a captivating look at this legendary city.

You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to beautiful Zaanse Schans where you’ll see a wonderful collection of well-preserved historic windmills and Dutch houses.

Enjoy dinner and explore the ship on your first night onboard.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROTTERDAM

(B,D)
Day 3ROTTERDAM
 Dutch Treats and Flowers Sweet

Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.

ACTIVE Experience Rotterdam by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Join a full- or half-day Guided Tour of breathtaking Keukenhof—known as the “Garden of Europe”—for its 70 acres of lush parkland, lakes, and the world’s largest flower gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths as well as other bulbs, planted each year.

Take some free time to relax on the harbor-side in Rotterdam with an artisan beer, a slice of appeltaart (Dutch apple pie), and a koffie verkeerd, a typical Dutch drink with equal part coffee and milk. Take a bike from your ship to explore Rotterdam and the surrounding area.

Before dinner, enjoy a cruise through Rotterdam harbor.

Later, enjoy live entertainment onboard.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ANTWERP

(B,L,D)
Day 4ANTWERP, BELGIUM
 Cathedrals, Carats and Crêpes

ACTIVE Explore Antwerp by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of this sophisticated city to visit the central Grote Markt, lined with 16th-century guildhall houses. You’ll also see the beautiful city hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady with its stunning altarpiece paintings by Rubens.

Alternatively you may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to the nearby capital, Brussels—considered home to the European Union, and admire its magnificent palaces and cathedrals.

You might prefer to take time on your own to indulge in Antwerp’s signature Belgian waffles and crêpes—or explore this bike-friendly city from its old wharfs to its legendary diamond district.

Later, enjoy live entertainment onboard.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO GHENT

(B,L,D)
Day 5GHENT
 Medieval Masterpieces and Flemish Finery

ACTIVE Explore a different side of Ghent by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Explore Ghent—“The Diamond of Flanders”—with a Guided Sightseeing Tour of this showcase of medieval Flemish wealth. You’ll visit St. Bavo’s Cathedral—with its remarkable Flemish artwork.

You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion of Bruges to explore its canals, cobbled streets and medieval buildings. You’ll see its crisscrossed canals, the 13th-century belfry of Market Square, and charming patrician houses.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MIDDELBURG

(B,L,D)
Day 6MIDDELBURG, HOLLAND
 A Spicy History in Middelburg’s Dutch Harbor Town

Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.

ACTIVE Explore Vlissingen by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Join a Guided Walking Tour through the winding cobblestones and canals of Middelburg. See the 15th-century Gothic Town Hall and learn about its important role in the spice trade and Dutch East India trading.

Spend some free time biking or walking through Middelburg to sample Babbelaar cookies, fries, or beer before cruising to Veere.

VEERE

The Delta Works Stand Strong as a Technical Marvel

ACTIVE Bike your way to the beach from Veere with your Adventure Host, OR:

DISCOVERY Join a Guided Tour of the Delta Works, the largest flood-protection system in the world, and a miracle of modern technology.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO WILLEMSTAD

(B,L,D)
Day 7WILLEMSTAD
 Willemstad’s Windmills and Historic Harbor

ACTIVE See Willemstad by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Join a Guided Walking Tour of Willemstad and discover its many beautifully restored buildings from the 17th and 18th Century.

DISCOVERY Later, enjoy a Cheese Tasting on board as you prepare to sail to Amsterdam.

AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM

(B,L,D)
Day 8AMSTERDAM
 Canals of Colorful Amsterdam

ACTIVE Start your day joining your Adventure Host on an early morning walk in Amsterdam, OR:

DISCOVERY Discover Aalsmeer Flower Auction—the largest in the world, where around 20 milion flowers are sold every day. Later enjoy a typical Dutch breakfast, OR:

CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”

This afternoon choose among the many Guided Optional Excursions available. Take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM

(B,L,D)
Day 9AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)–PARIS, FRANCE
 Transfer from your Avalon ship to the train station, to begin your Monograms package. Travel to Paris by high-speed train (first class).

(B)
Day 10PARIS
 Morning Guided Sightseeing includes a drive past the Latin Quarter, Les Invalides, Place de la Concorde, the Arc de Triomphe and a stop to take photos of the Eiffel Tower from one of the best panoramic viewing points. Also admire the heart of the city from a different perspective on a Seine River cruise. Spend a relaxing hour gliding by many of the city's most important landmarks.

(B)
Day 11PARIS
 Spend a full day at your own pace to experience the wonderful cafés, museums, and legendary cityscape in the most romantic city in the world. Your Local Host® is available with recommendations and assistance in making the most of your free time in Paris.

(B)
Day 12PARIS
 Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

(B)

Avalon Pricing Details

Port charges:
$196

Gratuities to Local Guides & Excursion Drivers are included on Avalon portion only.

Avalon offers the opportunity for solo travelers to sail with no single supplement (subject to availability).

Please call for single accommodation details and prices. Triples not available.

Avalon Notes

  • In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
  • Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
  • Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.

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