Best of the Netherlands (4820)

7 Day Tour from Amsterdam to Amsterdam

2024 Tour Details View 2025 Tour Details »

Famous for its tulips, windmills, and wooden clogs, The Netherlands is a delightful country with scenic landscapes, historic monuments, and vibrant cities. You’ll get to know the country on this affordable tour starting and ending in Amsterdam. The capital of Holland is a pleasant, 700-year-old city whose elegant and classic architecture, cafés and restaurants, renowned museums, and picturesque canals—not to mention the bike paths throughout the city—make for a pleasurable atmosphere. Hop on a boat cruise—the best way to see Amsterdam—through the elegant canals lined with stately homes dating back to Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” Stay in Rotterdam, South Holland’s capital, a young city with the world’s busiest port and known for its modern architecture and design, as well as in some of the minor but interesting towns where you’ll discover the rural atmosphere of this country. The Netherlands is known for legendary flower production, which you will experience on the visit to the fascinating Aalsmeer flower auction where more than 20 million plants and flowers are sold daily. (Note that from April to May, the Aalsmeer flower auction visit is replaced by a visit to the spectacular 70-acre Keukenhof garden to see the incredible display of a kaleidoscope of seven million flower bulbs.) You’ll also enjoy a visit of the Royal Delft Pottery Factory to see how this precious pottery is made. Visit Gouda, known for its namesake cheese and seasonal cheese market, regularly held on the medieval Markt square. Take a stroll in Volendam, known for its old fishing boats, characteristic small houses, drawbridges, and canals. Additionally, drive over the 19-mile Barrier Dam, constructed to protect the part of Holland that is below sea level. For the value-minded travel lover wanting to have an in-depth experience of the Netherlands, this is the perfect adventure!

Adventure is knocking with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, complimentary headsets, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!

Dates & Prices Book Online

800.646.5374

Photo Highlights

Meals

Meals & Itinerary

Buffet breakfasts daily; 3 dinners, including dinner at a local restaurant in Amsterdam

Notes:

On departures April 6 to May 4 the Aalsmeer flower auction will be replaced by the visit of Keukenhof.

Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore Amsterdam on your own with the help of the CosmosGO app. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and travel companions.

Dinner

Day 2 AMSTERDAM

For centuries, this tiny nation of seafaring traders played a leading role in world history. It reclaimed 40% of its territory from the sea and produces a healthy agricultural surplus in the midst of Europe’s most densely populated area—yet Holland manage to remain quaint and scenic. Your day begins with a canal cruise to see Amsterdam from water level, and the visit of a diamond center, watching skilled craftsmen cut and polish precious stones. Enjoy time this afternoon to explore on your own, maybe visiting one of the many museums or watching people zooming by on their bicycles. Fun fact: There are four times more bicycles than cars in Amsterdam.

Breakfast

Day 3 AMSTERDAM–AALSMEER/KEUKENHOF–DELFT–ROTTERDAM

Begin your day with a visit to the fascinating Aalsmeer flower auction or, when the tulips bloom, see some of the 7 million flowers planted annually at the world-famous Keukenhof—one of the world’s largest flower gardens (departures 0406 to 0504 and weather permitting). Continue to historic Delft to visit the famous Royal Delft pottery factory. See how this exquisite pottery is made, and marvel at the magnificent collection of hand-painted earthenware. Continue on to Rotterdam, the world’s busiest port, to marvel at the city’s futuristic architecture during your sightseeing with a Local Guide.
Today’s Distance: 99 mi/ 160 km

Breakfast

Day 4 ROTTERDAM–GOUDA–ARNHEM

Arrive in Gouda, renowned for its cheese! Stroll around the picturesque narrow streets to the medieval Market Square, see the Gothic-style Town Hall with its red and white shutters and the Goudse Waag used for cheese weighing in the 17th-century. Then, enjoy your interactive cheese experience. Next, is Arnhem, site of the WWII Battle of Arnhem, where you will see John Frost Bridge, named after the commander of the British forces that held the bridge for four days. Enjoy time on your own to do some independent exploring.
Today’s Distance: 71 mi/ 115 km

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 5 ARNHEM–GIETHOORN–GRONINGEN

This morning, head for the village of Giethoorn, built on canals but quainter than cities like Venice or Amsterdam. Continue to Groningen and spend some time exploring this important trade hub of the 13th century but hailed today as the “World Cycling City.” In fact, its center is entirely pedestrianized and boasts a dense network of cycle paths that make the city one of the most bike-friendly in the Netherlands.
Today’s Distance: 118 mi/ 190 km

Breakfast

Day 6 GRONINGEN–ZAANSE SCHANS–VOLENDAM–AMSTERDAM

Cross over the 19-mile Barrier Dam, which is part of an incredible system of 1,200 miles of dikes, dams, and dunes built over the last 900 years to protect the part of the Netherlands that is below sea level. Visit a wooden clog workshop in Zaanse Schans. Continue to the fishing village of Volendam, then arrive back in Amsterdam and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
Today’s Distance: 137 mi/ 220 km

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 7 AMSTERDAM

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Breakfast

Tour Director

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

PATRICIA SUTRELL

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“Always thirsty for new challenges, my path led me to the role of Tour Director. I love people, enjoy sharing the history and anecdotes of the different places visited on tour. Everyday is different, and this provides me with the motivation to hopefully meet everyone's dream. I do believe that travelling is like a book, if you do not travel you will always remain on the first page. All we need is to open our eyes to the world, and enjoy every moment we have, as life is a journey.”

Accommodations

Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)

Groningen

Giethoorn Canal Cruise

You will feel like you have stepped right into the pages of a fairytale on this unforgettable cruise along the canals of Giethoorn. The Venice of Holland, this magical village has no roads, and daily life centers around the pretty waterways.

Price Range: $$

Private Touring

Private Touring: Cosmos European Private Touring enables you to experience all of the attractions, sights and highlights of your selected Cosmos tour as a private experience - delivered just for you and your traveling party. With Private Touring, you'll have your own dedicated Tour Director, your own private transportation and driver, and your own professional local guides. All with greater flexibility in pace and your experience. For your selected tour, there will be additional per-person cost for the size of your party - from 1 to 24. This additional supplement is reduced with each traveler you add to your party. Here's a sample of the additional cost:

6 guests in a party: $1,338*
18 guests in a party: $339*

Contact Cosmos or your preferred travel agent for pricing for your specific party size as well as any other information on Cosmos Private Touring.

*Supplement pricing is per person (USD) and will be added to the standard published price for your given departure date and is based on availability. Supplement price is valid for 2021 travel year. Occasionally some included and optional activities & excursions may be operated with other guests. Additional restrictions may apply. Not applicable for custom groups. No Group allowances or promotions are available on Private Touring. Published itineraries only. Note that blackout dates may exist where the Private Touring option is not available.

The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include International airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).