Sightseeing and Tours
Rotterdam is a thriving city that welcomes more and more events. Not only does the city have a lot to offer, but it also has interesting surroundings, with numerous possibilities for cultural outings, architectural trips and interesting excursions. Our recommendations are outlined for you here:
The Museum Park is only 1 km away and features the famous Boymans Van Beuningen Museum, the Netherlands Architecture Institute, the Natural History Museum and Kunsthal Museum (Modern Art). Other attractions of Rotterdam include the Euromast Tower, the Maritime Museum, Blijdorp Zoo, Feyenoord Soccer Stadium and Hall of Fame and picturesque, historic Delfshaven where the “Pilgrim Fathers” began their voyage to the New World after exile in Holland.
Rotterdam, a gigantic international port (with Spido harbour trips, 1.5 km), is also the ideal starting-point to visit other famous Dutch attractions such as Kinderdijk (15 km) with its stunning world-heritage-listed windmills, historical Gouda famous for its typical Dutch cheese (25 km) or picturesque Delft renowned worldwide for its Delft-blue pottery (15 km). The famous botanical gardens of Keukenhof are only 55 km away. All these attractions are easily accessible by train.
Excursions
For the ICS Congress an extensive excursion programme will be offered. English speaking guides will conduct each tour. Reservations will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Early booking is recommended as on-site availability cannot be guaranteed. All tours will depart from and return to de Doelen Congress Centre unless stated otherwise. For more information please contact DELTA at ICS@delta-travel.nl.
Address | Booking form |
ICS EXCURSION TIME SCHEDULE:
Sunday August 19, 2007 |
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9.00 am City of Amsterdam | 6 hours |
2.00 pm City of Rotterdam | 4 hours |
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Monday August 20, 2007 |
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9.00 am River Vecht & Utrecht | 6 hours |
2.00 pm Delft & The Hague | 4 hours |
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Tuesday August 21, 2007 |
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8.00 am City of Amsterdam | 8 hours |
9.00 am City of Gouda | 4 hours |
2.00 pm City of Rotterdam | 4 hours |
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Wednesday August 22, 2007 |
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9.00 am North Holland | 8 hours |
9.15 am Delft & The Hague | 4 hours |
2.00 pm Windmills & Dordrecht | 4 hours |
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Thursday August 23, 2007 |
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9.00 am City of Amsterdam | 6 hours |
9.15 am Park Hoge Veluwe | 8 hours |
2.00 pm City of Rotterdam | 4 hours |
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Friday August 24, 2007 |
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8.00 am Cities Ghent & Bruges | 10 hours |
9.00 am Zeeland & Delta works | 8 hours |
SUNDAY AUGUST 19, 2007
9.00 am/ 09.00 hours - Amsterdam City Tour (6 hours)
Price 45,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including canalcruise
Dates offered: Sunday August 19, 09.00 am & Thursday August 23, 09.00 am
A tour through old and new Amsterdam. See historical landmarks such as the Royal Palace, the Mint Tower, the Skinny Bridge and Portuguese Synagogue among other famous monuments. The city is known for its tree-shaded canals, friendly multilingual people, bubbling nightlife and sophisticated shopping.
A Canal Cruise will complete the tour. Amsterdam, 'The Venice of the North' has about a hundred canals and over a thousand bridges spanning the waterways. We include this informative but romantic cruise by glass-covered motor launch on which you will glide past elegant merchants' mansions, carillon crowned churches and gabled warehouses dating back to the 17th century. A last stop will be made to one of Amsterdam's renowned diamond polishing houses, showing you the art of creating precious jewelry.
2.00 pm/ 14.00 hours – Afternoon Rotterdam Tour (4 hours)
Price 37,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including boat trip through the harbour of Rotterdam
Dates offered: Sunday August 19, 2.00 pm, Tuesday August 21, 2.00 pm & Thursday August 23, 2.00 pm
Drive through the modern metropolis of Rotterdam for a cruise around the world's largest seaport and a stroll along the old harbor in the city centre, while at the same time enjoying the sight of experimental modern architecture.
A very special boat trip will be included; In among the busy traffic of sea-going and inland ships, this trip is a special voyage through the largest harbour in the world. You can see Rotterdam's impressive skyline with its imposing buildings glide by, and then get a unique view of the harbour's shipyards, docks and the hypermodern transhipping of thousands of containers. An exciting 75 minutes with clear descriptions of everything you see. In the end we visit Delftshaven, from where the Pilgrim Fathers left for their voyage to the New World.
MONDAY AUGUST 20, 2007
9.00 am/ 09.00 hours - Vecht & Utrecht Tour (6 hours)
Price 42,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including Music box museum
This tour will take you to the beautiful area of the river Vecht, to enjoy the banks of this noble river lined with historical villa's dating back to the 17th century, small castles and elegant mansions. We also visit Utrecht, where you can enjoy a relaxed walking tour of the city. Famous buildings like the "Dom", a former Catholic church with the highest bell tower in the Netherlands, together with beautiful canals and wharf-cellars make this city well worth a visit. A highlight will be the visit to the unique music box museum, showing a unique collection of still-working street organs and other musical instruments from the past. Lunch at leisure
2.00 pm/ 14.00 hours - Delft & The Hague Tour (4 hours)
Price 41,00 EUR per person, minimum 25 participants
Including visit Delft Blue Pottery and Museum Mauritshuis
Dates offered: Monday August 20, 2.00 pm & Wednesday August 22, 9.15 am
Departing from Rotterdam - this tour starts with a drive through the Dutch countryside to city of Delft. Talking about Delft, is talking about history, culture, leisure, Johannes Vermeer, the Royal family and the VOC - one of the most beautiful cities of Holland. The charactere of the city centre of Delft is dominated by historical buildings with beautiful gables, by nice wooded canals with picturesque bridges and lively pavements. The history of Delft begins in 1246, when Delft received it’s municipal rights. Time permitting we will try to include a visit to the World Famous Delft Blue Pottery and observe how this remains handpainted art.
We continue our excurions with sightseeing to the Royal City of The Hague. This aristocratic city (and seat of the Dutch Government) still maintains and preserves its 17th century architectural splendor. Admire the elegance of the Houses of Parliament, The Royal Palaces and the Peace Palace.
The Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis houses a world-famous collection of art. The heart of the collection consists of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, including top-quality work by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Jan Steen and Frans Hals.
But this is not all. The collection also offers a splendid overview of Dutch and Flemish painting from 1400 to 1800.
TUESDAY AUGUST 21, 2007
8.00 am/ 08.00 hours - Amsterdam Tour (early departure) (8 hours)
Price 55,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including canalcruise, Aalsmeer, diamond polishing house
First stop today is the Aalsmeer Flower Auction. Every day millions of cut flowers and potted plants are auctioned in the vast halls of this Flower Auction, one of the largest commercial buildings in the world. There is a visitor's gallery from which you can gaze in wonder at the sheer slickness of the operations and smell the overwhelming number of flowers passing by.
Continue towards Amsterdam, Holland's Capital city. A tour through old and new Amsterdam. See historical landmarks such as the Royal Palace, the Mint Tower, the Skinny Bridge and Portuguese Synagogue among other famous monuments. The city is known for its tree-shaded canals, friendly multilingual people, bubbling nightlife and sophisticated shopping.
A Canal Cruise will complete the tour. Amsterdam, 'The Venice of the North' has about a hundred canals and over a thousand bridges spanning the waterways. We include this informative but romantic cruise by glass-covered motor launch on which you will glide past elegant merchants' mansions, carillon crowned churches and gabled warehouses dating back to the 17th century. A last stop will be made at one of Amsterdam's renowned diamond polishing houses, showing you the art of creating precious jewelry. Lunch at leisure
9.00 am/ 09.00 hours – City of Gouda (4 hours)
Price 35,50 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including visit Saint Johns Church
A fairy-tale town hall, canals lined with picturesque houses with geraniums, the aroma of treacle waffles, lots of bicycles, neighbourly outdoor cafés, a mill by the water, surprising shops, cheese and characteristic old facades. Gouda offers a range of images and impressions, and is a typical Dutch town, with a rich history and a lively modern atmosphere.
The name “Gouda” is associated throughout the world with Gouda cheese, an important export product. For centuries, farmers from the surrounding towns have brought their produce to the cheese market in Gouda. The “Waag” (weigh house) in Gouda is one of many beautiful monuments in town and dates from 1668. During the summer, cheese is weighed here every Thursday morning in an attractive ceremony drawing many tourists.
Before returning home, we visit the Saint Johns Church. A late Gothic cruciform basilica with chapels, it is the longest church in Holland (405 feet). It contains 70 beautiful stained glass windows (16th century), some as high as 65 feet! The windows tell a great deal about Dutch history as well as events in the Bible.
2.00 pm/ 14.00 hours – Afternoon Rotterdam Tour (4 hours)
Price 37,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including boat trip through the harbour of Rotterdam
Dates offered: Sunday August 19, 2.00 pm, Tuesday August 21, 2.00 pm & Thursday August 23, 2.00 pm
Drive through the modern metropolis of Rotterdam for a cruise around the world's largest seaport and a stroll along the old harbor in the city centre, while at the same time enjoying the sight of experimental modern architecture.
A very special boat trip will be included; In among the busy traffic of sea-going and inland ships, this trip is a special voyage through the largest harbour in the world. You can see Rotterdam's impressive skyline with its imposing buildings glide by, and then get a unique view of the harbour's shipyards, docks and the hypermodern transhipping of thousands of containers. An exciting 75 minutes with clear descriptions of everything you see. In the end we visit Delftshaven, from where the Pilgrim Fathers left for their voyage to the New World.
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 22, 2007
9.00 am/ 09.00 hours – North Holland Tour (8 hours)
Price 44,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including visit Windmill, cheesefarm and woodenshoemaker
Depart Rotterdam for a drive over farmland reclaimed from the depths of the former Zuiderzee, surrounded by dikes. First stop: Haarlem, capital of the Province of North Holland, whose history dates back to more than 700 years. Admire the market square of the Saint Bavo church, the ancient guildhouses and one of the famous hofjes.
Continuing to the "Zaanse Schans" you will catch a glimpse of how the Dutch lived before industrialization. Here you find several of Holland's 955 remaining windmills, all different shapes and sizes, still producing lumber, paint, oil, mustard and flour. The mills are surrounded by old-fashioned wooden houses, a rarity in Holland, set in a breathtaking open-air museum. Thereafter an opportunity to see local colour and traditional costumes in the fishermen’s villages of Volendam. Stroll along the shopping streets and admire the local sights of the harbour. Enjoy a visit to an authentic Dutch cheesefarm is made, where you sample some of the famous Dutch cheeses. Lunch at leisure
9.15 am/ 09.15 hours – Delft and The Hague Tour (4 hours)
Price 41,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Dates offered: Monday August 20, 2.00 pm & Wednesday August 22, 9.15 am
Departing from Rotterdam - this tour starts with a drive through the Dutch countryside to city of Delft. Talking about Delft, is talking about history, culture, leisure, Johannes Vermeer, the Royal family and the VOC - one of the most beautiful cities of Holland. The charactere of the city centre of Delft is dominated by historical buildings with beautiful gables, by nice wooded canals with picturesque bridges and lively pavements. The history of Delft begins in 1246, when Delft received it’s municipal rights. Time permitting we will try to include a visit to the World Famous Delft Blue Pottery and observe how this remains handpainted art.
We continue our excurions with sightseeing to the Royal City of The Hague. This aristocratic city (and seat of the Dutch Government) still maintains and preserves its 17th century architectural splendor. Admire the elegance of the Houses of Parliament, The Royal Palaces and the Peace Palace.
The Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis houses a world-famous collection of art. The heart of the collection consists of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, including top-quality work by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Jan Steen and Frans Hals.
But this is not all. The collection also offers a splendid overview of Dutch and Flemish painting from 1400 to 1800.
2.00 pm/ 14.00 hours – Windmills and Dordrecht (4 hours)
Price 33,50 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including visit windmill
The Netherlands is famous for its windmills. Today there are still more than 1.000 mills. Nowhere in the world you will find as many windmills as near (the Dutch village) Kinderdijk. Around 1740 no less than 19 sturdy mills were built here in one row. They have been well preserved to the present day and opened for you to visit them. We will enter one of the mills and discover its use in past & present time. Proceed to the ancient town of Dordrecht, which is picturesquely situated between the rivers Oude Maas, Noord and Dordtse Kil, (branches of the river Rhine). The attractive Voorstraats Haven is the town's principal canal, whose winding course is followed through the centre of town by its main street, the Voorstraat, lined with handsome houses and elegant shops.
THURSDAY AUGUST 23, 2007
9.00 am/ 09.00 hours - Amsterdam City Tour (6 hours)
Price 45,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including canalcruise
Dates offered: Sunday August 19, 09.00 am & Thursday August 23, 09.00 am
A tour through old and new Amsterdam. See historical landmarks such as the Royal Palace, the Mint Tower, the Skinny Bridge and Portuguese Synagogue among other famous monuments. The city is known for its tree-shaded canals, friendly multilingual people, bubbling nightlife and sophisticated shopping.
A Canal Cruise will complete the tour. Amsterdam, 'The Venice of the North' has about a hundred canals and over a thousand bridges spanning the waterways. We include this informative but romantic cruise by glass-covered motor launch on which you will glide past elegant merchants' mansions, carillon crowned churches and gabled warehouses dating back to the 17th century. A last stop will be made to one of Amsterdam's renowned diamond polishing houses, showing you the art of creating precious jewelry.
9.15 am/ 09.15 hours – Park Hoge Veluwe (8 hours)
Price 66,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including visit Kroller Muller Museum and Royal Palace ‘t Loo
Today we leave for the East of The Netherlands. We visit the only National Park of the Netherlands, "De Hoge Veluwe", that situated in the eastern part of the country. The unique natural beauty of the area, together with the important art collection of the "Kroller Muller Museum", located within the park, make this well worth a visit. There will be time to wander around the museum's sculpture garden or even to make a bicycle ride through the park with its free roaming wildlife. After lunch we will visit the 16th century Royal Palace "Het Loo", located near Apeldoorn. This palace has been inhabited by the Royal Family of Orange Nassau for centuries, but has been opened to the public as a museum since 1987. A tour through this beautiful palace, showing original artefacts is not complete without a visit to the gardens, where a collection of elaborate fountains can be seen. Lunch at leisure
2.00 pm/ 14.00 hours – Afternoon Rotterdam Tour (4 hours)
Price 37,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including boat trip through the harbour of Rotterdam
Dates offered: Sunday August 19, 2.00 pm, Tuesday August 21, 2.00 pm & Thursday August 23, 2.00 pm
Drive through the modern metropolis of Rotterdam for a cruise around the world's largest seaport and a stroll along the old harbor in the city centre, while at the same time enjoying the sight of experimental modern architecture.
A very special boat trip will be included; In among the busy traffic of sea-going and inland ships, this trip is a special voyage through the largest harbour in the world. You can see Rotterdam's impressive skyline with its imposing buildings glide by, and then get a unique view of the harbour's shipyards, docks and the hypermodern transhipping of thousands of containers. An exciting 75 minutes with clear descriptions of everything you see. In the end we visit Delftshaven, from where the Pilgrim Fathers left for their voyage to the New World.
FRIDAY AUGUST 24, 2007
8.00 am/ 08.00 hours – Cities Ghent & Bruges in Belgium (10 hours)
Price 56,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including visit to the Mystic Lamb in Gent and boat tour Brugge
This delightful trip takes you through the south of the Netherlands with its pastoral landscape across the Belgian border to arrive in Gent. It can be no coincidence that Ghent, the capital of East Flanders, was given several pretty names: historic heart of Flanders, a city of all times, one of the most beautiful historic cities in Europe. The city combines an impressive past with a vivid present. Enjoy a visit to the historic heart of the city with a visit to the St Bavo's cathedral with the world famous painting "The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" by Jan van Eyck. After our visit to Gent we continue to Brugge. Upon visiting Bruges, you will immediately notice that this city has always carefully cherished its architectural and artistic treasures from the past.
The history of Bruges begins around 2000 years ago. The name Bruges in fact comes from the Old Norse "Bryggja" which means landing stage. The historic city centre has been added to the Unesco’s World Heritage List. The current city boundaries still coincide exactly with those of the medieval city centre, and the spaces and structures that were so typical of Bruges in the past have been preserved. See Brugge by boat and after the cruise the guests will enjoy some free time to walk through busy squares, refreshing parks and quiet, intimate cobbled streets, and do not forget to visit the modest almshouses as well as the imposing patrician’s homes! You will return home tired, but satisfied, from your Belgian experience. Lunch at Leisure.
9.00 am/ 09.00 hours – Zeeland & Delta Expo excursion (10 hours)
Price 55,00 Euro per person, minimum 25 participants
Including visit Neeltje Jans Expo center
The province of Zeeland is world famous for its hydro engineering and it’s beautiful old towns like Middelburg and quaint villages. Originally the province was a collection of islands, an easy prey to the sea, nowadays it is connected and protected by dams, dikes and bridges. The horrible tides flooding the islands in 1953 are still remembered by all inhabitants of Zeeland. Since then the technology of the Dutch has prevented a catastrophe like that ever happening again, by building the gigantic Delta Works. This tour shows you several of the ingenious technical achievements designed by the Dutch during the past 35 years. The Delta Expo not only exhibits the watery past and present of Zeeland, but also the development and completion of the entire plan, giving you an impressive idea of how the Dutch have claimed, reclaimed and protected their homeland from the threats of the sea. Lunch at leisure
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