Viking: The Perfect Tulip Season Itinerary
By Tully Luxury Travel | 02-28-2024 |
Planning a luxury European river cruise around Tulip Season is perhaps one of the most charming things to look forward to. Who can resist the beauty of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg when they are awash in a dazzling array of color? Tulip Season is of great importance to the Dutch and Flemish cultures, and Viking can see you sailing right along through it, with comprehensive Holland and Belgium itineraries from mid-March to mid-May.
The absolute best time to see these Low Countries – the low-lying coastal region of northwestern Europe – is in the spring. And the best way to see them is with Viking. Various itineraries will cruise through the vast network of canals and rivers of the inland waterways. Here, you will walk the cobblestone streets of the old towns, linger on enchanting town squares, take in the scenic bridges and harbors – and feast your eyes on the gardens, filled with tulips, crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths.
Tulips tell the story of the region’s heritage
Tulips have been synonymous with the Netherlands for hundreds of years, since the first bulbs were brought to the region in the 16th century from the Ottoman Empire. Viking river cruise excursions bring you to see the more than seven million of them that bloom at Keukenhof Gardens. This is the world’s largest floral park, a 19th-century green space outside Amsterdam open from March through May. Just north of the city, the municipality of Hoorn, founded in 1300, exhibits both its seafaring heritage, plus tulip bulb farms and flower fields.
The windmill-dotted Dutch countryside is never more picturesque than in the 18th-century community of Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site outside Rotterdam. Along with its well-preserved 19 traditional windmills, this village is also a pastoral escape, its embankments and dikes easily accessible by barge or e-bicycle – and one of Viking’s top shore excursions.
City centers offer ample avenues of exploration
Viking also delivers urban adventure, the experience mirroring both the traditional heritage and the cosmopolitan flair of these compact European countries. See all the Dutch masters at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum and comb the capital’s patchwork of waterways and bridges, exploring gabled houses and medieval landmarks, taking in the local scene.
Rotterdam is Europe’s largest seaport, its Market Hall a cornucopia of local foods, including the renowned waffle cookie. The narrow, Gothic buildings and ancient structures of Antwerp are as intriguing as the city’s history as a purveyor of fine chocolate and a supplier of fine-cut diamonds.
Viking luxury river cruise ships are part of the plan
When you discover Holland and Belgium with Viking in the spring, you settle into a tulip adventure of tranquil waterways and springtime blooms. Let Tully Luxury Travel get you into the glorious parkland, as well as browsing the shops, exploring the museums and just generally drinking in the historic golden age of Europe’s most enchanting regions. This is destined to be your most vivid holiday yet.