Small-Group Full-Day Tour of Holland's Villages Including Dutch Snacks from Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Trip Type: Half-day Tours
Duration: 6 hours
Enjoy this 6-hour small-group full-day tour of Holland's villages. Highlights of this tour will the Dudok’s Masterpiece (Hilversum), a visit to one of Holland’s finest estates (Graveland) as well as Holland’s most complete fortress, a “poffertjes” tasting in an authentic Dutch poffertjes kraam, trying to eat herring Dutch-style (Spakenburg) and if lucky, getting a glimpse of the former queen of Holland Beatrix (Lage Vuursche).
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Enjoy this 6-hour small-group full-day tour of Holland's villages. Highlights of this tour will the Dudok’s Masterpiece (Hilversum), a visit to one of Holland’s finest estates (Graveland) as well as Holland’s most complete fortress, a “poffertjes” tasting in an authentic Dutch poffertjes kraam, trying to eat herring Dutch-style (Spakenburg) and if lucky, getting a glimpse of the former queen of Holland Beatrix (Lage Vuursche).Once you are picked up at your accommodation, you will head to Raadhuis Hilversum. The Hilversum Town Hall (Raadhuis Hilversum), was designed by Willem Marinus Dudok. The construction of this much-admired building that is considered the finest example of Dudok’s work and internationally recognized as one of the most influential buildings of its time was completed in 1931.
Next, you will visit the ‘s Graveland, a village just west of Hilversum that has been a popular resort town in the 17th-century with wealthy merchants from Amsterdam, who built huge country estates and mansions in the area. The most important one is De Trompenburgh, built for Admiral Maarten Tromp, one of the naval heroes of the Dutch Republic. The house is almost entirely surrounded by water and was built to resemble a ship, even with decks and railings.
Following is a visit to Naarden, an example of a star fortress, completed with fortified walls and a moat. The moat and walls have been completely restored, making it the most exciting and the best contained fortress in the history of the Netherlands. The Fortress museum lets you experience how soldiers protected the surroundings of Amsterdam from enemies.
Then you will visit Laren & Blaricum, right next to each other and just outside Hilversum. Once known as poor farming villages, they are now one of the most affluent in the Netherlands. Nationally, Laren is well known for its history as a late 20th-century art colony, preserved in the museum Singer Laren. An excellent stop for lunch, in the form of a real Dutch treat called “Poffertjes”.
Head to Spakenburg next, a former fishing village that was once located on the Zuiderzee sea, which is now a lake. Spakenburg is one of the few places in the Netherlands where some women still wear local traditional folk clothes. The town’s economy is still based on fish, however just selling it instead of catching. The perfect opportunity to try a herring “Dutch style”, which is raw and with onions.
And finally you will visit Lage Vuursche, a hamlet north east of Utrecht. Princess Beatrix, the former queen lives here. Although it’s unlikely that you will encounter her. This area is known for it’s forests and provides a scenic route back to Utrecht before heading back to your hotel in Amsterdam.
Next, you will visit the ‘s Graveland, a village just west of Hilversum that has been a popular resort town in the 17th-century with wealthy merchants from Amsterdam, who built huge country estates and mansions in the area. The most important one is De Trompenburgh, built for Admiral Maarten Tromp, one of the naval heroes of the Dutch Republic. The house is almost entirely surrounded by water and was built to resemble a ship, even with decks and railings.
Following is a visit to Naarden, an example of a star fortress, completed with fortified walls and a moat. The moat and walls have been completely restored, making it the most exciting and the best contained fortress in the history of the Netherlands. The Fortress museum lets you experience how soldiers protected the surroundings of Amsterdam from enemies.
Then you will visit Laren & Blaricum, right next to each other and just outside Hilversum. Once known as poor farming villages, they are now one of the most affluent in the Netherlands. Nationally, Laren is well known for its history as a late 20th-century art colony, preserved in the museum Singer Laren. An excellent stop for lunch, in the form of a real Dutch treat called “Poffertjes”.
Head to Spakenburg next, a former fishing village that was once located on the Zuiderzee sea, which is now a lake. Spakenburg is one of the few places in the Netherlands where some women still wear local traditional folk clothes. The town’s economy is still based on fish, however just selling it instead of catching. The perfect opportunity to try a herring “Dutch style”, which is raw and with onions.
And finally you will visit Lage Vuursche, a hamlet north east of Utrecht. Princess Beatrix, the former queen lives here. Although it’s unlikely that you will encounter her. This area is known for it’s forests and provides a scenic route back to Utrecht before heading back to your hotel in Amsterdam.
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