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The Old Masters: Art Treasures of Holland by River

Program Number: 19504RJ
Start and End Dates:
10/3/2013 - 10/12/2013; 10/10/2013 - 10/19/2013; 4/3/2014 - 4/12/2014; 5/1/2014 - 5/10/2014; 10/16/2014 - 10/25/2014;
Duration: 9 nights
Location: Netherlands
Price starting at: $2,870.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Adventure Afloat Study Cruise; River Boats
Meals: 21; 8 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 8 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

Voyage through the provinces of North and South Holland on a private barge and discover the landscapes that inspired Old Masters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, Flinck, Hals and Bol. In museums, professional art experts introduce the great artists of the Low Lands, while field trips explore churches, medieval towns and Holland’s oldest earthenware factory.




Activity Particulars

Program cost excludes three lunches to enjoy on your own. Extensive walking, up to two miles per day, and standing for up to two hours per day.



Itinerary At-a-Glance

Amsterdam, 1 night, aboard vessel, 7 nights.



Day 1: Overnight flight from the U.S.A.


Day 2: Arrival Amsterdam/Zaanse Schans/Welcome Dinner

Explore Zaanse Schans, a Dutch village with windmills, a klompen (wooden shoes) maker and a traditional pancake house where you enjoy lunch. Hotel check-in. Join fellow travelers at the welcome dinner.



Day 3: Kroller Muller Museum/Board Barge/ Amsterdam

Coach to Kroller Muller Museum, home to the largest private collection of van Gogh paintings. Return to Amsterdam and board the barge, your home for the next seven nights.



Day 4: Frans Hals Museum/ Haarlem

Barge to Haarlem. At the Frans Hals Museum learn about this famous Dutch painter.



Day 5: Aalsmeer Flower Auction/ Cruquius /Leiden

Visit the largest flower auction in the Netherlands to watch the bidding.Our journey continues to Cruquius, a former steam pumping station used to drain the area around Amsterdam which was threatened by flooding.



Day 6: Stedelijk Museum/Delft Porcelain Works/Delft

Visit the Gemeentemuseum in the Hague. We barge to Delft to explore De Porceleyne Fles, the oldest surviving porcelain factory in the Netherlands.



Day 7: Pilgrim Church/Boijmans Museum/Gouda

A lecture at the Pilgrim's Church reveals its unique history. Explore the Boijman's Museum with its fine collection of Old Masters (Van Eyck, Fabricius, J. Bosch).



Day 8: Catharina Gasthuis / St. John's Church / Vianen

At the Catharina Gasthuis, admire a triptych by Dirck Barendsz. Discover St. John's Church with its windows depicting biblical scenes.



Day 9: Amsterdam / Independent Exploration

Barge to Amsterdam and explore this intriguing city independently. Seize the opportunity to explore the Anne Frank House or visit another museum of your choice.



Day 10: Departure


Allure

The Allure was built in 1908 as a cargo ship and converted into a passenger boat in 1998. She was completely renovated in 2012. The barge is 138’ long x 19’ wide. Chartered exclusively for Road Scholar participants, the Allure is a comfort class barge, with a salon where meals are served, a sitting area with a TV, a reading-corner, sun deck, and a small bar. There are (10) double occupancy cabins with twin lower beds, and a private bath with shower, toilet, and sink. There is a porthole in the bathroom and cabin which opens.


Netherlands

When Antwerp fell to Catholic Spain in 1585, wealthy Calvinists fled north to the United Provinces, which kept up the Dutch Revolt until victory 63 years later. This influx of the wealthy and educated spurred the Dutch Golden Age and turned tiny Amsterdam -- the “new Antwerp” -- into the world’s most important port. Today, the Netherlands sports an international outlook as a member of the EU and home to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Meals and Lodgings
   Museum Square Hotel Amsterdam
  Amsterdam, Netherlands 1 night
   Allure
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
Haarlem, Netherlands
Leiden, Netherlands
Delft, Netherlands
Gouda, Netherlands
Vianen, Netherlands
Amsterdam, Netherlands		 7 nights
 Museum Square Hotel Amsterdam
Type: Four-Star Hotel
  Description: Within walking distance to museums
  Ship Information: N/A
  Contact info: De Lairessestraat 7
Amsterdam,  1071 Netherlands
phone: +31 (0) 20 6719596
  Room amenities: En-suite bathrooms, television, wireless internet, safe deposit box, minibar, air-conditioning
  Facility amenities: Hotel Garden Cafe
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: Prices may vary Contact IBT for current rates
  Check in time: 2:00 PM

 Allure
Type: Barge
  Ship Information: The Allure was built in 1908 as a cargo ship and converted into a passenger boat in 1998. A total renovation was completed in 2012. The barge is 138' x 22' wide.
  Contact info: No street address available as
the barge continually moves,   Netherlands
phone: +31 (0) 651552268
  Room amenities: Private bath with shower, toilet, and sink. There is a porthole in the bathroom and cabin which opens.
  Facility amenities: Chartered exclusively for Road Scholar participants, the Allure is a comfort class barge, with a salon where meals are served, a sitting area, a reading-corner, sun deck, and a small bar. There are (10) double occupancy cabins with twin lower beds.
  Smoking allowed: No


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
10:30 Group meets at Schiphol Airport for transfer to de Zaanse Schans. You will be staying at Museum Square Hotel Amsterdam that night.
  End of Program:
8:00 Early morning group transfer to Schiphol Airport. You will be staying at Allure the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. Release and Assumption of Risk is required.
  Parking availability:
No parking available.
Transportation (For Independent Travelers)
  Train or bus availability: Taxi, bus & train available. Refer to Amsterdam Schiphol's website for specifics and to review schedules & fares: http://www.schiphol.nl/Reizigers/VanNaarSchiphol.htm
To Start of Program
  Location:  Amsterdam
  Nearest airport:  Amsterdam Schiphol
  Transportation to site: If you cannot make the 10:30 AM meeting time, take a taxi from the airport to the Conscious Hotel Museum Square. Travel time is about 25 minutes and taxi will cost approximately €50. Museum Square Hotel de Lairessestraat 7 Tel: 020-6719596
  From End of Program
  Location: Amsterdam
  Transportation from site: For those not utilizing the group transfer at the conclusion of the program: Take a taxi from the barge in Amsterdam to Schiphol Airport; approximate travel time is 25 minutes. Taxi will cost about €50. You may also take a train from Centraal Station to Schiphol Airport. Centraal Station is a 15-minute walk from the barge. Travel time by train is 15 minutes. Review schedules and fares online: http://www.ns.nl/.
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: International Flight
(Thursday, April 3)
   
 Afternoon: Board an overnight flight.

Day 2: Arrive in Amsterdam/ Zaanse Schans/ Welcome Dinner
(Friday, April 4)
   
 Morning: Arrival at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Transfer to de Zaanse Schans, a village with windmills, a klompen maker (wooden shoes) and a fabulous pancake house.
 Lunch: Pancake house.
 Afternoon: After lunch we continue to Amsterdam and check into our hotel located in the heart of Amsterdam. The balance of the afternoon is yours to relax or explore the city.
 Dinner: Welcome dinner in a local restaurant.
 Evening: All evenings are free to explore on your own or relax.
   
Accommodations: Museum Square Hotel Amsterdam
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Kroller Muller Museum
(Saturday, April 5)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: Coach to the Kroller Muller Museum, home to the largest private collection of Van Gogh paintings. Located in a dense forest, this one-level museum and sculpture garden will satisfy the most critical art connoisseur.
 Lunch: Enjoy lunch at the Kroller Muller Museum cafeteria.
 Afternoon: Coach to Amsterdam and board the barge, our home for the next seven nights. Meet the crew and pay close attention to the captain's safety orientation.
 Dinner: Aboard the barge.
   
Accommodations: Allure
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4: Frans Hals Museum
(Sunday, April 6)
   
 Breakfast: Aboard the barge.
 Morning: We start the day barging to Haarlem. You'll see locks, bridges and lots of traffic on the rivers and canals. Heavy cargo such as stones and steel is still transported by barge. In addition, the Dutch are passionate about water sports and all kinds of crafts will pass us from sailboats to yachts. When arriving in Haarlem, look to your left for a large building with a glass dome. You don't want to be inside; it is a prison.
 Lunch: Lunch onboard.
 Afternoon: After lunch we visit the Frans Hals Museum. A lecture will introduce this famous Dutch painter (1581-1666). Hals was commissioned to paint Amsterdam's civic guards with the understanding that he paint in Amsterdam. However, he became tired of traveling between Haarlem and Amsterdam and, when pressed to finish the painting, missed the deadline and didn't get paid. His contemporary, Pieter Codde, finished the painting, called Meagre Company, a reference to the short men in comparison to guards in other paintings. After a lecture you are set free to independently explore this fine museum. Returning to the barge, we stop at the statue of Koster, who, according to the Dutch, was the inventor of printing.
 Dinner: Dinner aboard the barge.
   
Accommodations: Allure
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Flower Auction House
(Monday, April 7)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast aboard the barge.
 Morning: This morning we bus to Aalsmeer, to the largest flower auction in The Netherlands. Here we take a field trip through acres of flowers and plants. We will also watch the bidding as buyers from all over Europe compete with one another. Soon afterwards, the trucks leave for the distributors, and some flowers head for the airport on their way to the USA. The next day they may be for sale in your flower shop. Our journey continues to Cruquius, a former steam pumping station used to drain the area around Amsterdam which was threatened with flooding. After lunch we bus to Leiden, Rembrandt's birthplace and, appropriately, our home for the night.
 Lunch: Free to sample local cuisine.
 Afternoon: You are free for independent exploration of Leiden this afternoon.
 Dinner: Dinner aboard the barge.
   
Accommodations: Allure
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6: Delft Porcelain Works
(Tuesday, April 8)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast aboard the barge.
 Morning: Our morning starts with a visit to Gemeente Museum in The Hague. Accompanied by a docent, we marvel at the collection of Old Masters.
 Lunch: Lunch on barge.
 Afternoon: We barge to Delft and visit The Porceleyne Fles, the oldest surviving porcelain factory in The Netherlands. Here we enjoy a lecture and field trip before heading back to our floating hotel.
 Dinner: Dinner aboard the barge.
   
Accommodations: Allure
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Pilgrim Church/ Boijmans Museum
(Wednesday, April 9)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast aboard the barge.
 Morning: We barge this morning to Rotterdam and walk to a church where the pilgrims said their last prayers before sailing for England where they boarded the Mayflower for the United States. A lecture on this important part of our history will surely captivate you.
 Lunch: Aboard the barge.
 Afternoon: After lunch we attend a lecture on the different schools of painting. Then we explore the Boijmans Museum with its fine collection of Old Masters (Van Eyck, Fabricius, J. Bosch) with a lecture and field trip. Afterwards we continue to Gouda, our home for the night.
 Dinner: Dinner aboard the barge.
   
Accommodations: Allure
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Catharina Gasthuis/ St. John's Church
(Thursday, April 10)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast aboard the barge.
 Morning: In Gouda we visit the Catharina Gasthuis for an unusual lecture and field trip. The museum exhibits altar panels, painted in the Golden Age, by Dirck Barendsz, Antonie Blocklandt, Pieter Pourdus and Jan Steen. Across from the museum is the St. John's Church where we attend a lecture on the famous old windows with biblical scenes. You may want to consider buying some Gouda cheese, delicious and the real thing.
 Lunch: Lunch onboard.
 Afternoon: Relax on deck as we barge towards Amsterdam. Weather-permitting, you'll enjoy the ever-changing scenery from a deck chair. We will moor in Oude Wetering.
 Dinner: Dinner aboard the barge.
   
Accommodations: Allure
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Independent Exploration
(Friday, April 11)
   
 Breakfast: Aboard the barge.
 Morning: An early departure brings our barge back to where it all started one week ago, Amsterdam, or Mokum as the Dutch call it. Your program leader will lead the group to the center of Amsterdam to Rembrandt Square, to the flower market and finally the beguinage.
 Lunch: Free to explore local restaurants.
 Afternoon: This afternoon you'll have time to visit a museum or see the Anne Frank House. Amsterdam has many terraces where you can watch the locals (and tourists) go about their business while you enjoy a Heineken or a cup of coffee.
 Dinner: Enjoy your farewell dinner on the barge.
   
Accommodations: Allure
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10: Departure
(Saturday, April 12)
   
 Breakfast: Aboard the barge.
 Morning: Transfer to the airport for departure.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


A Worldly Art


Author: Mariet Westermann


Description: This appreciative analysis of Dutch art in its Golden Age (1585-1718) features 100 exemplary illustrations by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch, Frans Hals and other masters.



Amsterdam Map


Author: Borch Maps


Description: A laminated, folded map of the city center, at a scale of 1:11,000.



Amsterdam, A Traveler's Literary Companion


Author: Manfred Wolf (Editor)


Description: Organized by district, these 17 contemporary short stories by modern Dutch writers, including Cees Nooteboom and Geert Mak, are set among the canals, cafes and neighborhoods of Amsterdam.



Dutch Painting (World of Art)


Author: Rudolf Herman Fuchs


Description: Starting with Van Eyck and his 15th-century contemporaries, this volume in the "World of Art" series surveys nearly 500 years of painting in the Netherlands, ending with a discussion of late 20th-century artists. Featuring almost 200 illustrations.



Eyewitness Guide Amsterdam


Author: Eyewitness Guides


Description: A wonderful guide to Amsterdam, filled with detailed drawings, photographs and thumbnail sketches. Slim and attractive, it also includes detailed maps and cutaway drawings of landmarks. Includes The Hague, Rotterdam and Delft.



Eyewitness Guide The Netherlands


Author: Eyewitness Guides


Description: Gorgeously illustrated and filled with excellent maps, this compact book covers Holland, its history, traditions, cultures and sights. With hundreds of color photographs and illustrations.



Fodor's Amsterdam's 25 Best


Author: Fodor's


Description: This slim guide to essential highlights includes an excellent map of the city center and can easily be slipped in your pocket.



Murder in Amsterdam, Liberal Europe, Islam, and the Limits of Tolerance


Author: Ian Buruma


Description: Buruma, a Dutch expat who spent years in Japan, turns crime reporter as he travels back to Holland to examine the murder of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh by an Islamic extremist.



Netherlands Map


Author: Hallwag


Description: A detailed map of the Netherlands at a very nice scale of 1:200,000.



Rembrandt, Master of the Portrait


Author: Pascal Bonafoux


Description: With over 200 illustrations, this pocket-size encyclopedia traces the life and career of Rembrandt. It offers insight into his influence on the art of the portrait -- an illuminating companion for any visit to Amsterdam and its museums.



The Autumn of the Middle Ages


Author: Johan Huizinga


Description: A pioneering work of social and cultural history, this well-translated classic is a richly detailed portrait of life, thought and art in 14th- and 15th-century France and the Netherlands.



The Diary of a Young Girl, The Definitive Edition


Author: Anne Frank


Description: The classic story of an adolescent Jewish girl's life and thoughts while in hiding with her family in Nazi-occupied Holland. A new edition with added material.



The Embarrassment of Riches


Author: Simon Schama


Description: An engaging cultural history and much more, this book is a study of the Dutch in the 17th century and their surprising challenge to Spanish rule.



The Undutchables


Author: Colin White


Description: A laugh-out-loud, irreverent guide to Dutch character and habits, including how to drink coffee and why you shouldn't even think about haggling over prices.



Tulip Fever


Author: Deborah Moggach


Description: A surprise bestseller, set in 1630s Amsterdam; in this gripping novel, a man contracts the talented painter Jan Van Loos to paint a portrait of him and his beautiful wife, Sophia. A vivid drama unfolds as a mutual attraction develops between Van Loos and Sophia.



Tulipomania


Author: Mike Dash


Description: The story of the world's most coveted flower and the extraordinary passion it aroused, this vivid history traces the story of the tulip from its origins on the Turkish steppes to an absurdly coveted object in Europe and its key role in the financial follies of 17th-century Holland.



Vermeer, Rembrandt and the Golden Age of Dutch Art


Author: Rudd Priam


Description: This handsome book reproduces highlights from the astounding collection of 17th-century masterpieces at the Rijksmuseum.





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