A world beyond.
Hassle-free planning, regional Tour Directors & Local Guides, Handpicked hotels and inclusions, seamless transportation, VIP access, and rare Local Favourites that go beyond the guidebook. 

 

Adventure is knocking.
Turn “never thought I would” into “glad I did” with a budget-friendly tour that includes all the essentials plus a great mix of included excursions and free time. 

 

Cruising Elevated.
Cruise on Suite Ships with the widest stateroom views from your window-facing bed. Relaxed luxury flows throughout the ship in every detail plus personalise with Classic, Active, and Discovery excursions.

Back
  • Discover Cruises
  • Our Fleet
  • Deals
  • Trip Planning
  • The Avalon Difference

Region

Country

    Discover Cruises

  • Rivers
  • Europe River Cruises
  • Asia River Cruises
  • South America River Cruises
  • Africa River Cruises
  • Special Interest River Cruises

Rivers

Vessels

    Our Fleet

  • Europe River Cruises
  • South America River Cruises
  • Africa River Cruises
  • Asia River Cruises

Deals

See all Deals

Before You Book

Before You Travel

    Trip Planning

  • Before You Book
  • Before You Travel

Meet Avalon

The Cruising Experience

    The Avalon Difference

  • Meet Avalon
  • The Cruising Experience
Search Avalon-Sg
Back
Home 

Active & Discovery In Holland & Belgium

AmsterdamAmsterdam
Overview
  • Overview
  • Highlights
  • Itinerary
  • Personalise Your Trip
  • Tour Director
Download Itinerary
DOWNLOAD ITINERARY
ACTIVE & DISCOVERY IN HOLLAND & BELGIUM
WADAMSTERDAMAMSTERDAM
Leisurely On the go
Meals
Breakfast: 7 Lunch: 6 Dinner: 7
Transport
State-of-the-art, luxurious river cruise vessels with modern services and amenities
Accommodation
Deluxe outside accommodations with Avalon’s exclusive Comfort Collection Beds
HighLights
  • Antwerp
  • Ghent
  • Ghent
  • Middleburg
  • DAY 1:   AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)
    How Suite It Is! Welcome Aboard Your Avalon Suite Ship. Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens-with more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MIDDELBURG (D)
  • DAY 2:   MIDDELBURG
    A Castle Moat, an Oyster Farm and Dutch Sea Trade Join your Adventure Host for today's special activities. ACTIVE Take a Guided Walk through woods and dunes; see Castle Westhove and farmlands of the beautiful North-Sea area, OR: DISCOVERY Enjoy a Guided Visit to a family-owned Oyster Farm, active in the cultivation of crustaceans and shellfish in the Netherlands since 1906. A taste of oysters and lobster, accompanied by a glass of wine is the perfect ending to this beautiful experience, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Walking Tour through the winding cobblestones and canals of Middelburg. See the 15th-century Gothic Town Hall and learn about its important role in the spice trade and Dutch East India trading. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO GHENT (B,L,D)
  • DAY 3:   GHENT, BELGIUM
    Flemish Artwork and Street Artists ACTIVE Explore the outskirts of the city and the lesser-known sights on a Guided Bike Tour, OR: DISCOVERY Join a Guided Tour of Graffiti Street, where artists create striking spray-can art to their heart's content. And do not miss the chance to become an artist yourself, creating your street art, OR: CLASSIC Explore Ghent-"The Diamond of Flanders"- with a Guided Sightseeing Tour of this showcase of medieval Flemish wealth. You'll visit St. Bavo's Cathedral-with its remarkable Flemish artwork. Alternatively, you may choose to join a full-day Guided Optional Excursion of Bruges to explore its canals, cobbled streets, and medieval buildings. You'll see its crisscrossed canals, the 13th-century belfry of Market Square, and charming patrician houses. You won't miss the opportunity to explore Ghent since this Optional Excursion ends with an orientation walk of the "Diamond of Flanders." EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BRUSSELS (B,L,D)
  • DAY 4:   BRUSSELS
    Ancient Streets, and Chocolate Sweet ACTIVE Take a Bike Tour to explore the beauty near Brussels, including the Belgian town of Laken, home to the Royal family estates, exotic pavilions from the world expo, and beautiful parks and lanes, OR: DISCOVERY Join a Belgian chocolate-making Workshop to learn how to create your own delicious candies. Enjoy a cup of the finest hot chocolate, while crafting traditional confections of pralines and mendiant from scratch, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Brussels, see the Town Hall with its landmark buildings, discover the many local bars, cafes, and shops of the Lower Town Streets, and visit the Atomium. The afternoon is free to explore Brussels - considered home to the European Union - and admire its magnificent palaces and cathedrals. Alternatively, enjoy one of the Optional Excursions on offer. Later enjoy live entertainment onboard. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ANTWERP (B,L,D)
  • DAY 5:   ANTWERP
    Bike Riding, Brave New Worlds, and Rubens' Art Join your Adventure Host for today's special activities. ACTIVE Enjoy a Bike Tour and discover centuries of history and a story around every corner. Don't miss out the unique atmosphere of small neighborhoods and squares, OR: DISCOVERY Join a Guided Tour of the Red Star Line Museum. Follow the footsteps of the emigrants, become acquainted with the Red Star Line passengers and accompany them on their trip from their native village via Antwerp to the new world*, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of this sophisticated city to visit the central Grote Markt, lined with 16th-century guildhall houses. You'll also see the beautiful city hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady with its stunning altarpiece paintings by Rubens. This afternoon take time on your own to indulge in Antwerp's signature Belgian waffles and crepes - or explore this bike-friendly city from its old wharfs to its legendary diamond district. You might consider partaking one of the Optional Excursion available. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROTTERDAM (B,L,D) *Not available on departures 507 & 903 as closed on Mondays.
  • DAY 6:   ROTTERDAM, HOLLAND
    Avant-garde Architecture and Art Lessons ACTIVE Take a unique Architecture Bike Tour to see the architectural highlights of Rotterdam. Do not miss the interesting Cube Houses, the popular Market Hall, the spectacular Erasmus Bridge, the vertical city 'De Rotterdam,' and the iconic Central Station. In the city centre, admire how historic buildings lash cheerfully with hypermodern skyscrapers, OR: DISCOVERY Attend a Pottery Workshop. In a characteristic painter's room, a professional painter will guide you through the process of painting a Delft tile, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Rotterdam featuring unusual collection of cube houses innovative architecture, including the marvelous Erasmus Bridge, and plenty of other fascinating sites. Before dinner, enjoy a cruise through Rotterdam harbour. In the evening, enjoy live entertainment on board. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM (B,L,D)
  • DAY 7:   AMSTERDAM
    Colourful Canals of Amsterdam ACTIVE Join a Guided Kayak Tour which provides a unique perspective of Amsterdam from the waters of its magnificent canals, OR: DISCOVERY Take a Tour to the Street Art Museum, see nearly 200 large-scale artworks featuring artists from around the world. Afterwards, attend a hands-on workshop with an instructor who will guide you in creating your own group mural to discover your inner artist, OR: DISCOVERY Discover the true beauty of Amsterdam with an off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through its cobblestone streets for a captivating look at this legendary city, OR: CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Canal Cruise to explore the iconic waterways and sites of Amsterdam. This afternoon, choose among the many Guided Optional Excursions available or take some free time to explore Amsterdam's colourful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM (B,L,D)
  • DAY 8:   AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)
    Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
View Map
Map
Was 4,480 pp*
FROM
USD
3,243.96 pp*
BookDates & Prices
There’s no better way to spring into action and catapult into culture than on an Avalon Active & Discovery cruise to the Netherlands and Belgium. Belgian chocolate workshop, classic paintings, and even graffiti walls glow brighter when you experience them in the most interactive ways.

Discover the graceful ways of Holland on an Active & Discovery cruise. The way the wind moves the grasses beneath the stalwart windmills of the “Low Countries;” how the city cobblestones buzz with the ubiquitous bicycles and lively cafes and canals in Amsterdam; or the narrow houses evoking a time gone by. The visions of Holland come to life as you float past unforgettable scenes, pedal past incomparable views, unleash your inner artist with a graffiti workshop.

Move.
Enjoy a little get-up-and-go on your cruising holiday when you:

- Soak in castle and farmland views on a walk through the woods and dunes of Domburg.
- Pedal past polders, dykes and quaint centuries-old villages through the Dutch countryside.
- Take an architectural bike tour through Rotterdam to see the design highlights of Europe’s largest seaport.

And Be Moved.
Get off the beaten path and relish the world when you:

- Visit a century old, oyster farm in Middleburg and savour the catch of the day.
- Paint the town red, green or whatever colour you choose on an interactive tour of Ghent’s Graffiti Street.
- Discover your inner artist at a Delft tile pottery workshop in Rotterdam or a painting class in Amsterdam.

Plus, Classic sightseeing is always available in every port along the way.

Activate your senses and discover a world of wonder in all-new, entirely “you” ways on your personal, passion-packed cruise along the waterways of Holland and Belgium.

Please note: Itinerary is based on 2025, and is subject to change. Full details will be confirmed in 2025.

Map

Leisurely On the go

8
Days
2
Countries
Countries
Meals
7breakfasts;
6lunches;
7dinners;
Transport
State-of-the-art, luxurious river cruise vessels with modern services and amenities
Accommodation
Deluxe outside accommodations with Avalon’s exclusive Comfort Collection Beds
Tour Code
WAD
Price
*Price per person, based on Twin occupancy for 25 July 2026 departure
CAT D
Highlights
Antwerp
Ghent
Ghent
Middleburg

Itinerary

EXPAND ALL DAYS
Day 1

AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)

How Suite It Is! Welcome Aboard Your Avalon Suite Ship. Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens-with more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MIDDELBURG (D)

INCLUDED MEALS

Breakfast: 0, Lunch: 0, Dinner: 1

SHIP(S) *

No Vessel information available

SHOW
Day 2

MIDDELBURG

A Castle Moat, an Oyster Farm and Dutch Sea Trade Join your Adventure Host for today's special activities. ACTIVE Take a Guided Walk through woods and dunes; see Castle Westhove and farmlands of the beautiful North-Sea area, OR: DISCOVERY Enjoy a Guided Visit to a family-owned Oyster Farm, active in the cultivation of crustaceans and shellfish in the Netherlands since 1906. A taste of oysters and lobster, accompanied by a glass of wine is the perfect ending to this beautiful experience, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Walking Tour through the winding cobblestones and canals of Middelburg. See the 15th-century Gothic Town Hall and learn about its important role in the spice trade and Dutch East India trading. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO GHENT (B,L,D)

INCLUDED MEALS

Breakfast: 1, Lunch: 1, Dinner: 1

SHIP(S) *

No Vessel information available

SHOW
Day 3

GHENT, BELGIUM

Flemish Artwork and Street Artists ACTIVE Explore the outskirts of the city and the lesser-known sights on a Guided Bike Tour, OR: DISCOVERY Join a Guided Tour of Graffiti Street, where artists create striking spray-can art to their heart's content. And do not miss the chance to become an artist yourself, creating your street art, OR: CLASSIC Explore Ghent-"The Diamond of Flanders"- with a Guided Sightseeing Tour of this showcase of medieval Flemish wealth. You'll visit St. Bavo's Cathedral-with its remarkable Flemish artwork. Alternatively, you may choose to join a full-day Guided Optional Excursion of Bruges to explore its canals, cobbled streets, and medieval buildings. You'll see its crisscrossed canals, the 13th-century belfry of Market Square, and charming patrician houses. You won't miss the opportunity to explore Ghent since this Optional Excursion ends with an orientation walk of the "Diamond of Flanders." EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BRUSSELS (B,L,D)

INCLUDED MEALS

Breakfast: 1, Lunch: 1, Dinner: 1

SHIP(S) *

No Vessel information available

SHOW
Day 4

BRUSSELS

Ancient Streets, and Chocolate Sweet ACTIVE Take a Bike Tour to explore the beauty near Brussels, including the Belgian town of Laken, home to the Royal family estates, exotic pavilions from the world expo, and beautiful parks and lanes, OR: DISCOVERY Join a Belgian chocolate-making Workshop to learn how to create your own delicious candies. Enjoy a cup of the finest hot chocolate, while crafting traditional confections of pralines and mendiant from scratch, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Brussels, see the Town Hall with its landmark buildings, discover the many local bars, cafes, and shops of the Lower Town Streets, and visit the Atomium. The afternoon is free to explore Brussels - considered home to the European Union - and admire its magnificent palaces and cathedrals. Alternatively, enjoy one of the Optional Excursions on offer. Later enjoy live entertainment onboard. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ANTWERP (B,L,D)

INCLUDED MEALS

Breakfast: 1, Lunch: 1, Dinner: 1

SHIP(S) *

No Vessel information available

SHOW
Day 5

ANTWERP

Bike Riding, Brave New Worlds, and Rubens' Art Join your Adventure Host for today's special activities. ACTIVE Enjoy a Bike Tour and discover centuries of history and a story around every corner. Don't miss out the unique atmosphere of small neighborhoods and squares, OR: DISCOVERY Join a Guided Tour of the Red Star Line Museum. Follow the footsteps of the emigrants, become acquainted with the Red Star Line passengers and accompany them on their trip from their native village via Antwerp to the new world*, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of this sophisticated city to visit the central Grote Markt, lined with 16th-century guildhall houses. You'll also see the beautiful city hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady with its stunning altarpiece paintings by Rubens. This afternoon take time on your own to indulge in Antwerp's signature Belgian waffles and crepes - or explore this bike-friendly city from its old wharfs to its legendary diamond district. You might consider partaking one of the Optional Excursion available. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROTTERDAM (B,L,D) *Not available on departures 507 & 903 as closed on Mondays.

INCLUDED MEALS

Breakfast: 1, Lunch: 1, Dinner: 1

SHIP(S) *

No Vessel information available

SHOW
Day 6

ROTTERDAM, HOLLAND

Avant-garde Architecture and Art Lessons ACTIVE Take a unique Architecture Bike Tour to see the architectural highlights of Rotterdam. Do not miss the interesting Cube Houses, the popular Market Hall, the spectacular Erasmus Bridge, the vertical city 'De Rotterdam,' and the iconic Central Station. In the city centre, admire how historic buildings lash cheerfully with hypermodern skyscrapers, OR: DISCOVERY Attend a Pottery Workshop. In a characteristic painter's room, a professional painter will guide you through the process of painting a Delft tile, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Rotterdam featuring unusual collection of cube houses innovative architecture, including the marvelous Erasmus Bridge, and plenty of other fascinating sites. Before dinner, enjoy a cruise through Rotterdam harbour. In the evening, enjoy live entertainment on board. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM (B,L,D)

INCLUDED MEALS

Breakfast: 1, Lunch: 1, Dinner: 1

SHIP(S) *

No Vessel information available

SHOW
Day 7

AMSTERDAM

Colourful Canals of Amsterdam ACTIVE Join a Guided Kayak Tour which provides a unique perspective of Amsterdam from the waters of its magnificent canals, OR: DISCOVERY Take a Tour to the Street Art Museum, see nearly 200 large-scale artworks featuring artists from around the world. Afterwards, attend a hands-on workshop with an instructor who will guide you in creating your own group mural to discover your inner artist, OR: DISCOVERY Discover the true beauty of Amsterdam with an off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through its cobblestone streets for a captivating look at this legendary city, OR: CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Canal Cruise to explore the iconic waterways and sites of Amsterdam. This afternoon, choose among the many Guided Optional Excursions available or take some free time to explore Amsterdam's colourful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM (B,L,D)

INCLUDED MEALS

Breakfast: 1, Lunch: 1, Dinner: 1

SHIP(S) *

No Vessel information available

SHOW
Day 8

AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)

Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

INCLUDED MEALS

Breakfast: 1, Lunch: 0, Dinner: 0

SHOW
*

TRIP ACCOMMODATION & OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS

The displayed price is a guide only. You will be able to book most excursions within MyAccount up to 4 days prior to excursion date, where the exact price will be displayed. For Australia and New Zealand tours, optional excursions can be booked on tour with the Tour Director. All excursions are subject to availability.

Personalise your trip

Available extensions (0)

Default
Start trip: Amsterdam
End trip: Amsterdam
Selected
There’s no better way to spring into action and catapult into culture than on an Avalon Active & Discovery cruise to the Netherlands and Belgium. Belgian chocolate workshop, classic paintings, and even graffiti walls glow brighter when you experience them in the most interactive ways.

Discover the graceful ways of Holland on an Active & Discovery cruise. The way the wind moves the grasses beneath the stalwart windmills of the “Low Countries;” how the city cobblestones buzz with the ubiquitous bicycles and lively cafes and canals in Amsterdam; or the narrow houses evoking a time gone by. The visions of Holland come to life as you float past unforgettable scenes, pedal past incomparable views, unleash your inner artist with a graffiti workshop.

Move.
Enjoy a little get-up-and-go on your cruising holiday when you:

- Soak in castle and farmland views on a walk through the woods and dunes of Domburg.
- Pedal past polders, dykes and quaint centuries-old villages through the Dutch countryside.
- Take an architectural bike tour through Rotterdam to see the design highlights of Europe’s largest seaport.

And Be Moved.
Get off the beaten path and relish the world when you:

- Visit a century old, oyster farm in Middleburg and savour the catch of the day.
- Paint the town red, green or whatever colour you choose on an interactive tour of Ghent’s Graffiti Street.
- Discover your inner artist at a Delft tile pottery workshop in Rotterdam or a painting class in Amsterdam.

Plus, Classic sightseeing is always available in every port along the way.

Activate your senses and discover a world of wonder in all-new, entirely “you” ways on your personal, passion-packed cruise along the waterways of Holland and Belgium.

Please note: Itinerary is based on 2025, and is subject to change. Full details will be confirmed in 2025.

Map

Leisurely On the go

8
Days
2
Countries
Countries
Meals
7breakfasts;
6lunches;
7dinners;
Transport
State-of-the-art, luxurious river cruise vessels with modern services and amenities
Accommodation
Deluxe outside accommodations with Avalon’s exclusive Comfort Collection Beds
Tour Code
WAD
Price
*Price per person, based on Twin occupancy for 25 July 2026 departure
CAT D

Next Section

Highlights