Shore excursions program for below cruises

A 1-hour drive takes you to Amsterdam for a 60-minute cruise on the canals in the historical city centre with its typical gabled buildings. Your boat will take you past Anne Frank’s house, the Wester Church and the Twin Houses as well as under Amsterdam’s many bridges. Next up is a walk to the Albert Cuyp open-air market, selling everything from fruit and veg to clothing and cameras, for time to spend on your own. Your tour draws to a close with a walk to the former Heineken Brewery and the fascinating “Heineken Experience” for a chance to learn about the history of one of the world’s best-known beer brands.

On leaving the port of IJmuiden, a pleasant 1-hour coach drive will first take you to Amsterdam, the cosmopolitan capital of the Netherlands and the country’s main financial, cultural and creative centre. Founded in the late 12^th century, the city boasts a wealth of architectural heritage, among which one can count the 1,500 bridges criss-crossing the city’s trademark network of canals. You will have free time to explore the city at your own pace. Some of Amsterdam’s most iconic sights include Anne Frank’s house, the Rijksmuseum, the Hortus Botanicus botanical gardens and the Nieuwe Kerk church where Queen Beatrix was crowned in 1980, to name but a few. The tour concludes with your return to the port and your ship.

Leave the port of IJmuiden for a pleasant 30-minute coach ride through North Holland, a region known for its colourful tulip fields and great diversity of scenery and culture, en-route to the capital of the province, the city of Haarlem. Due to its flowery connections, the city is also called Bloementad – flower city. And by the way, the district of New York that is known as Harlem was named after this Dutch city when the village of Harlem was first founded in the mid-17^th century by Dutch settlers. Once you reach Haarlem, you will have a few hours’ time to explore the city’s key sights at your leisure. The many attractions of this lovely old city include the Grote Markt and the Gothic St. Bavo Church, also known as the Great Church, the Frans Hals Museum of Dutch Golden Age art and the beautifully restored Windmill de Adriaan, to name but a few. Enjoy this splendid city with its numerous restaurants, coffee bars and famous shopping areas before your tour comes to a close with your return to the ship.