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Netherlands

Nordic Walking in the Netherlands: A Walk-and-Barge Adventure

Program No. 24047RJ
Sail from bustling Amsterdam to medieval towns and fishing villages as you explore the art, history and culture of the Netherlands on Nordic walking adventures with local experts.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 10 - May 18, 2024
Starting at
3,699
Jun 21 - Jun 29, 2024
Starting at
3,699
Filling Fast!
Aug 9 - Aug 17, 2024
Starting at
3,699
Filling Fast!
Sep 27 - Oct 5, 2024
Starting at
3,699
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 10 - May 18, 2024
Starting at
4,999
Jun 21 - Jun 29, 2024
Starting at
4,999
Aug 9 - Aug 17, 2024
Starting at
4,999
Sep 27 - Oct 5, 2024
Starting at
4,999

At a Glance

Originally designed as a summer training routine for cross-country skiers, Nordic walking is the newest exercise craze sweeping its way across the world. Different than traditional walking, this sport utilizes Nordic poles, similar to ski poles, to engage 80-90% of your muscles as you walk. Alongside experts, you’ll exercise both your mind and body on a Nordic walking adventure through the Netherlands’ picturesque landscapes. Learn about medieval architecture and local wildlife as you walk along bike paths to quaint villages and local farms. When you’re not on the road, learn about the people and landscapes of the Netherlands as your barge sails past wildflowers and windmills on the way to your next stunning classroom.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Walking up to eight miles per day on flat terrain, primarily on dedicated paved paths, some beaches. Nordic poles will be provided.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Ride a barge through Amsterdam’s historic canals like a local as you explore this diverse city with experts.
  • Study the Netherlands’ medieval architecture on Nordic walking adventures through the small villages, like beautiful Alkmaar.
  • Discover the farms and homes of Twisk, where the wealthy once bought second homes, to learn about the unique history of this town.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Amsterdam Map
by Borch Maps
A laminated, folded map of the city center, at a scale of 1:11,000.
Anne Frank, The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography
by Sid Jacobson, Ernie Colon
This colorful graphic biography for ages 9-12 draws on the archives and expertise of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.
Why the Dutch are Different
by Ben Coates
Mingling history with travelogue, Coates speaks to why the Netherlands is such a fascinating country. He explains their world-famous culture of tolerance, the significance of milk, beer and the color orange in the lives of the Dutch and much more.
Girl With a Pearl Earring
by Tracy Chevalier
Chevalier's richly drawn novel imagines the story behind Vermeer's mysterious portrait of a turbaned girl with a pearl earring.
Lonely Planet Dutch Phrasebook
by Lonely Planet
This handy pocket phrasebook includes pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary.
Fodor's Amsterdam's 25 Best
by Fodor's
This slim guide to essential highlights includes an excellent map of the city center and can easily be slipped in your pocket.
The Coffee Trader, A Novel
by David Liss
An entertaining, suspenseful work of historical fiction set in Amsterdam. It's 1659 and in the new, capricious world of stocks and investment, a desperate Portuguese-Jewish trader partners with a Dutchman. Their idea: import the first shipment of coffee to the country. What follows is a wild tale of ruthlessness, greed and fortune.
The Embarrassment of Riches
by Simon Schama
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.
Insight Guide Netherlands
by Insight Guides
This lavishly illustrated Insight guide includes excellent color maps and thoughtful short essays on history, culture and attractions.
Amsterdam, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by Manfred Wolf (Editor)
Organized by district, these 17 contemporary short stories by modern Dutch writers, including Cees Nooteboom and Geert Mak, are set amid the canals, cafes and neighborhoods of Amsterdam.
The Netherlands in a Nutshell
by Frits Van Oostrom
With information on the Dutch East India Company, Huygens, Spinoza, Van Gogh, the Great Flood, the Dutch overseas colonies and much more, Van Oostrom's popular primer covers the essential highlights of Dutch history.
The Diary of a Young Girl, The Definitive Edition
by Anne Frank
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.
Amsterdam: A History of the World's Most Liberal City
by Russell Shorto
Russell Shorto opens this delightful ode to an adopted city with his daily journey, by bike of course, through his neighborhood to drop off his toddler son. He spins a tale of a diverse city wrestled from the sea, its coffee shops, canals and its personalities and politics, with panache.
An Island in Time, The Biography of a Village
by Geert Mak
Mak returns to Jorwerd, the small Netherlands village of his childhood, to spend time with the villagers and learn both the pleasures and contemporary challenges of small town life.
The Anatomy Lesson
by Nina Siegal
A fictionalized account of the events surrounding Rembrandt’s first commissioned piece, the Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. Well-researched and vivid with period details that transport the reader back to 1600s Amsterdam at the height of Dutch artistic vigor.
Netherlands Map
by Hallwag
A detailed map of the Netherlands at a very nice scale of 1:200,000.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.