Package Overview:
A county as sweet as it chocolates. An amazing array of museums and monstrous architectural achievements to bear witness to. Brussels blends Latin exuberance in its terrasse cafés with a cosy, comfortable feeling. You can feel at home here in an English-speaking, life loving environment. Flanders has three trump cards for the tourist: its beautifully preserved historical cities brimming over with culture, its attractive countryside and its coast. It is the destination par excellence forshort breaks, be they cultural or simply for relaxation. The many places of interest, along with the renowned Flemish cuisine, continue to attract more and more visitors. Well-appointed hotels and equally inviting restaurants ensure the visitor does not leave disappointed. From unrivalled luxury to that cosy family atmosphere: Flanders has it all.
Itinerary:
Day
1: Morning - BRUSSELS
Arrival at the airport or station with assistance.
City tour Brussels: Atomium, Park Cinquantenaire, the European district, Houses of Parliament, Park de Warande, Royal Palace, Cathedral, the Stock Exchange, ...
Lunch
Afternoon:-
After the lunch we discover the historical centre on foot and visit the famous Grand’Place, the popular Saint Hubert Galeries, the statue of ‘Manneken Pis’, ...
We end the day with a visit to the traditional Gueuze Brewery and taste different kinds of delicious Gueuze beers.
Dinner in a gastronomic restaurant.
Day
2: Morning - ANTWERP
Buffet breakfast and departure with guide.
Diamond cocktail with animation on arrival: every participant receives 2 glasses of Champagne and a cubic zirconium in a professional wrapping. A diamond (0,10 ct) will be handed over to the winner(s).
Lunch in a restaurant in the city .
Afternoon:-
Visit at the historical centre of Antwerp and surroundings, by coach we pass by at the Art Nouveau district ‘Zurenborg’, the international harbour and the famous diamond district.
Discovery of the historical centre of Antwerp on foot: the fortress Het Steen (outside) with the statue of Lange Wapper, the historic Central Market with its guild houses, its beautiful Renaissance Town Hall and statue of Brabo, the “Vlaaikensgang”, a collection of narrow romantic alleys with its gastronomic restaurants, Our Lady Cathedral (with masterpieces of Rubens), the Square ‘Groenplaats’, the popular shopping street the ‘Meir’, the Rubens house and the Saint-Jacops church.
Check-in a 4* or 5* hotel in Antwerp.
Dinner: Banquet 16th century meal in the historical caves of restaurant Pelgrom. The banquet will be accompanied by classical music. Wine, beer and water are served in stone pitchers.
Day
3: Morning - GHENT
Buffet breakfast
Welcome by our guide.
Departure with our guide to Ghent. Visit on foot of the historical centre: St. Bavo Cathedral with the famous painting (‘The mystic lamb’ of J. van Eyck), the Belfry, the Gras & Korenlei (the old harbour of Ghent) and its guild houses, the Castle of the Counts (outside), the romantic Patershol with its numerous restaurants and antique shops, the ‘Vrijdagsmarkt’ Square with statue of Jacop van Artevelde, the gothic town hall, ...
Lunch in a historical restaurant.
Afternoon:-
If the weather is nice we propose a 2 hour self drive cruise by motorboat in and around Ghent. After explanation, the group will be divided in small teams of 4 persons per boat.
In case the weather would be bad, we will replace this cruise with an excursion to the Lys region and the “Latemse School” and the villages Latem and Deurle.
Visit to the Castle of Ooidonk on the Lys river.
Overlooking one of the bends of the Lys river, it proves to be the focal point of the surrounding countryside which sports lush green meadows and centuries old oak trees that shelter a colony of celebrated herons. What an imposing sight, austere and sumptuous as well! Dated from the 14th century, its massive towers and walls bear witness to its past, ravaged by war yet withstanding the fire and destruction that it brings. Although modernized in the 19th century, it stands almost intact as it was in 1595. Several generations can be traced back to its interior decoration, highlighted by its elegant white-stone staircase, its historical architecture, furniture and art collections.
Transfer to Bruges also called “Venice of the North” and installation at a superior 4* or 5* hotel, situated in the historical centre of Bruges. Dinner in a gastronomic restaurant.
Day
4: Morning - BRUGES
Buffet breakfast
Welcome by our guide
Rally in Bruges: every participant or team receives a map of the historical centre of Bruges and a questionnaire. All the places and stops mentioned in the questionnaire are within a range of 1000 metres. In 2 or 3 hours time each participant or team must solve a number of questions (questions dealing with places of interest in Bruges and questions on typical Belgian and European topics). The winning person(s), couple or team will receive a special gift (e.g. work of art made out of lace).
We gather all the teams at the restaurant, where lunch is provided
Lunch with afterwards the distribution of prizes
Afternoon:-
Cruise on the romantic canals in Bruges with private boat and guide.
After the cruise the people have the choice between free time or those interested in Flemish art are invited to follow our guide and visit the Groeninge Museum and the Memling Museum to admire the fine collection of the so-called “Flemish Primitives” displayed in both museums.
Final evening - gala dinner (see spectacle dinners) .
Day
5: Morning - THE BELGIAN COAST
Buffet breakfast
Discovery of the Belgian coast: we start the day with a visit at Damme, once a thriving trade town, it is now a favourite destination for day tourists. In this small romantic town, home town of “Tijl Uilenspiegel” and the writer Jacob van Maerlandt, we visit Our Lady Church and the Town Hall. We pass by at Knokke, Belgian’s most mundane beach town and stop at Oostende. Here we visit the yacht harbour, the fish market and stroll on the dike or on the sand beaches.
Lunch in a fish restaurant in Oostende.
Afternoon
Transfer to the airport with assistance
If there is still some time left we make a detour to one of the following city’s:
Lissewege Half – way between Bruges and Zeebrugge lie the remains of a former Cistercian abbey. After the passage of the iconoclastic fury not much was left of it. But happily a gigantic brick barn from the 13th century and a magnificent entry gate still remain standing. The gothic, three-nave barn has a length of no less than 60m. This size was necessary, because this is where the tithes were stored. In the middle ages every farmer had to give one-tenth of his harvest to the abbey. The Our Lady Church in the old polder village certainly is also worth a visit. From the blunt tower you have an unforgettable view of the coast ad vast plains of the Flemish polders.
Nieuwpoort Some of the buildings around Nieuwpoort’s main square have been completely rebuilt since the town and the seaside resort were both reduced to rubble during the First World War. The sandy-coloured belfry tower of the Gothic Graanhale stands adjacent to the town hall. Its renaissance style fits in perfectly with the surroundings. Between the two sea landing stages, the river Ijzer makes its way to the sea. The Ijzer is the only river to flow into the sea in Flanders.
Veurne. Veurne’s Market square has just been renewed. But you still have the impression of being in a Spanish town. The ‘Spanish Veurne’, however, by exuberant Flemish decorative art. No two stepped gables are the same. Maybe the people of Veurne are right: this nearly perfectly quadrangular square market square is one of the most beautiful in Belgium.