Exclusive Culinary & Arts Tour of Belgium & Netherlands

Enjoy a half day guided tour as you visit Groeninge Museum, the Municipal Museum of Fine Arts in Bruges, in the company of an Art Expert to get the most out of your museum experience. The museum displays a comprehensive overview of six centuries of Flemish and Belgian painters, from Jan van Eyck to Marcel Broodthaers.

A great dinner option this evening that you may like to consider is the Refter Bistro. Housed in a former Carmelite refectory, the contemporary Refter bistro offers  a pleasant ambiance and traditional dishes using only the freshest of produce. The restaurant offers a very reasonable 3 course menu with a selection of options per course such as glazed pork belly with oriental salad and baked goose liver with tomoato and mozarella to name but a few. (Reservations recommended - closed Sunday & Monday). Please let your Sales Advisor know if you would like a reservation to be made for you at this restaurant.

Head out of the city of Bruges today in the company of a private chauffeured vehicle and Art Expert to Antwerp - approximately a one hour and 15 minute transfer. You will find a lively city with an interesting center with narrow streets and many historical buildings in Antwerp. In the heart of the historical center you will discover the market place which is surrounded by beautiful houses with very elegant gables.

Visit the MAS Museum in the company of an Art Expert. Antwerp is a port city into which the world has been sailing for five centuries. The MAS is a new museum about the city’s connections with the world. It unites art and heritage from the city, the river, the port and the world to tell new stories about the world in Antwerp and Antwerp in the world. It does this through four universal themes that are spread over five floors. Your Art Expert will be sure to give you the best possible understanding and background to this museum as possible during your tour. (includes entrance).

At the end of the tour, you will be transfered back to Bruges and to your hotel in the city. (Total travel time approx. 2.5hrs)

Leave Bruges, Belgium today for The Hague in Holland in the company of your private chauffeured vehicle. If you feel like a gourmet lunch, you may like to stop off at either of these two Michelin starred restaurants - Restaurant Inter Scaldes** in Kruiningen or the Restaurant La Trinité* in Sluis. (Please let your Sales Advisor know if you would like a reservation made for you). The Inter Scaldes 2 star Michelin restaurant is located on reclaimed land in the province of Zeeland's countryside and ensconced in an English-style garden. The menu is characterised by influences from Zeeland's waters and delights such as Oosterschelde (seasonal) lobster, oysters, mussels and bass are balanced by all the good things the land has to offer such as suckling lamb, vegetables such as Sea fennel and Sea aster, and of course great cheeses and fruit from the reclaimed land in Beveland. The 1 star Michelin La Trinité restaurant in Sluis, has been renovated into a superb, elegant restaurant.  Dark tones match perfectly with the purple and limegreen accents and the comfortable furniture.  On the first floor you can sip your glass of champagne in the lounge area before being treated to a gastronomic feast - François de Potter’s cuisine will enchant you with well-balanced dishes. (Please let your Sales Advisor know if you would like to have a reservation made for you at this restaurant).

Upon your arrival at Middleburg, you will meet your Art Expert who will accompany you on a visit to the Zeeuws Museum in Middleburg. The museum shows the history of Zeeland, a province in the south of Holland.  Following your musuem visit, enjoy a city tour in Middleburg. See the town hall, the belfry and its main façade and the abbey of Middleburg before continuing onwards towards your hotel in The Hague.

While in Zeeland, an optional activity you may be interested in adding to your day would be an introduction to the oyster and mussel industry in the area.  Yerseke is small village in the province Zeeland, and here you can partake in a private walking tour of town taking in a visit to a mussel company, an oyster company and oyster ponds. Learn about the processes of growing mussels and oysters in the company of an English speaking guide and sample some of the local oysters. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you are interested in adding this tour to your itinerary today.

Spend the day in the company of an Art Expert who will show you the artistic side of The Hague on a full day private tour. Home of Queen Beatrix's residence, The Hague has wonderful tree lined lanes and many monuments.  During your walking tour you'll see the Knight’s Hall, Parliament buildings, the Peace Palace and Scheveningen Seaside resort.

Visit the Gemeente Museum of The Hague. The collection of the museum consists of modern art, crafts, fashion and musical instruments. The building is designed by the famous architect Hendrik Petrus Berlage. Typical for his work is the use of bricks. from here, continue on to the Mauritshuis which houses one of the most prestigious collections in the world with approximately 800 paintings, 20 statues and several drawings.

Important: The Mauritshuis will close as of the 1st of April 2012 for renovation, and will be  closed for two years. The most important pieces of the collection will be moved to the Gemeentemusum Den Haag. Should your tour be after April 1st, 2012, a visit will be made to Panorama Mesdag instead.  This circular painting covers 1680m2 canvas, is 14m high and has a circumference of 120m! It is one of the world’s finest, and largest, surviving panoramas.  The masterpiece depicts a sweeping view of the sea, a wide beach, the dunes of Holland, and the picturesque fishing village of Scheveningen. Above all it is the experience of actually stepping back into the year 1880 that will truly amaze you. (public transportation used as needed. If you would like to add a car and driver service to your tour on this day please speak with your Sales Advisor).

Consider having dinner at the wonderful Raffles restaurant in The Hague this evening.  When designing the interior of the restaurant, the owner Frank Deuning was inspired by his grandparents’ house in Central Java which he knew from photographs. The Ikat draperies and tablecloths; the Wedgwood crockery and the Yogya silverware bring to life a forgotten age. The cuisine has also been inspired by family tradition: classical recipes from Central Java stand side by side with specialities from all over the Archipelago, Malaysia and Singapore. The wine list is an international selection of famous and lesser-known wines from Europe and also the ‘New World’. Sitting here, sipping a Singapore Gin Sling, you can imagine yourself far away from the busy western world. Advance reservations are highly recommended. Please let your Sales Advisor know if you would like a reservation for this restaurant to be made for you.

Spend the day today with a private chauffeur driven vehicle and Art Expert and visit the Frans Hals and Teylers museums in Haarlem. Built in 1608, the  Frans Hals Museum showcases an exciting collection of portraits, still lifes and landscapes of the 17th century.

Visit the Teylers museum in the company of your Art Expert - the Netherlands' first and oldest museum, open to the public since 1784. Unique to this museum is the historical presentation of its collections, largely unchanged since the late 18th and 19th centuries. As a whole, the building and the collections are a monument to two centuries of cultural history. The 18th-century ensemble is wholly unique. (includes entrances)

Transfer from The Hague to Amsterdam this morning. The drive should take approximately 1 hour. Upon arrival into Amsterdam, meet up with an Art Expert who will accompany you on a visit of the Rijksmuseum. Since 1885 peoplehave been coming to see Holland's main collection of the Dutch Masters, such as Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Ruysdael and of course Rembrandt and in particular, the world famous Night Watch.  View the lovely silverware, furniture and glassware from all parts of The Netherlands and admire the rich collection of art from the Far East.

Following your museum visit, enjoy a city tour of Amsterdam; city of history, culture and inspiration. Your private guided tour will be by both vehicle and foot. Take in the many canals, bridges, and beautiful 17th and 18th century mansions which line the waterways.  Other areas of interest include the Royal Palace on Dam square, the historic buildings along the Amstel River, and the colorful flower market. You can let your guide know if you have any specific areas of interest that you would like to see on your city tour. At days end, you will be transfered to your hotel in the city. (includes museum entrances).

 Meet your driver for a private airport transfer.