Viking Cruises

50 | Viking Explorer Society News Springtime in HOLLAND & BELGIUM A journey through The Netherlands and Belgium when spring bulbs are in full bloom is truly unforgettable. Written by Anna Selby O ne of Europe's most iconic sights—surely, the very essence of springtime—must be those fields and the fields of tulips that light up the landscape of The Netherlands in a blaze of colour every year. Certainly, they are one of the highlights of The Holland & Belgium itinerary, but you don't necessarily have to be a flower lover on this trip. This is a region that has known so much history for such a long time that there really is something here for everyone. There are the tombs of medieval emperors, 2000 -year-old Roman cities and the sites of two world wars; you can visit Van Gogh's home, eat cheese in Gouda, visit Delft to buy fine porcelain or learn how to truly appreciate Dutch beer—a taste that is easy to acquire. The Holland & Belgium journey takes you to Holland and Belgium and neighbouring towns in Germany. It's a region historically known as the Low Countries – the western extremity of Europe through which the Rhine River flows, splits and forms its delta before it escapes into the sea. The region is famous for its windmills and in Kinderdijk they line the flat landscape to drain the water from the reclaimed land. Sixty percent of The Netherlands is below sea level (sometimes 6 metres below), reclaimed from the sea by the extraordinary Dutch system of polders, dams and windmills. The journey ends in Amsterdam with two days to discover its world-famous museums and canals but one of the delights of The Netherlands is its lesser-known cities. From Maastricht in the south to Hoorn with its fortress forever standing sentinel by the North Sea, the country is dotted with unspoilt medieval towns that are a joy to explore. They are filled with canals and boats, cobbled streets, and vast public squares where cafés and bars spill out into terraces all year long. Our journey took in several of these picturesque towns. Nijmegen, for instance, is the oldest city in The Netherlands, established in the 1st century BC by the Romans. It has Roman and medieval museums and, appropriately enough for this country, the Velorama, a museum devoted to bicycles. And those bicycles are everywhere— Images Clockwise: Keukenhof Gardens, The Netherlands; Canals, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; gold statue atop a guildhouse, Antwerp, Belgium

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