ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Our tour starts with a visit to the windmills of Kinderdijk - built around 1740 and now on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The village received its name supposedly because after the St Elisabeth flood in 1421 people found a crib with a baby (‘kind’) on the dike (‘dijk’).

Our tour starts with a visit to the windmills of Kinderdijk - built around 1740 and now on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The village received its name supposedly because after the St Elisabeth flood in 1421 people found a crib with a baby (‘kind’) on the dike (‘dijk’). A windmill of the polder Blokweer was built in 1521, but burnt down in 1997. Since then it has been restored and has been operational since 2000. The 19 windmills we see today are lined up along the banks. Walk along the windmills and see how the ingenious system of windmills worked and enjoy the wonderful view of the windmills and the countryside. We will now continue our tour by coach to The Hague – seat of the Dutch government and parliament, as well as the resident city of Queen Beatrix. The Parliament buildings consist of the Binnenhof (inner courtyard) and Buitenhof (outer courtyard) and the new government building. The oldest part – the Ridderzaal (Hall of Knights) – was built by Floris V around 1280. Since 1904 this building has been used for the official opening of the Staten Generaal (General Assembly). In 1907 the 2nd World Peace Conference was held here. Next to the parliament buildings we will see the Mauritshouse, which was built in the 17th century. Continuing, we drive past the Peace Palace and Royal Palace to Scheveningen. We will stop here for a meal at the Kurhaus, located directly at the beach. Our brunch will be a traditional buffet, served in the imposing dining room with hand painted ceiling. Refreshed, we depart for Delft – known for its Delft Blue pottery. First we will pass the market square, with the Church where the Royal family is buried. The weighing houses and other historical buildings give you a good impression of this typical Dutch City – with the canals where painter Vermeer lived. We will then visit the Porceleijne Fles pottery - the only remaining earthenware factory of the 32, which were established in Delft during the 17th century. In 2000 a copy of Rembrandt’s Nightwatch was made from the famous Delft Blue tiles. After a tour of the pottery, we shall return to Rotterdam. This tour involves a moderate amount of walking - at Kinderdijk and Porceleijne Fles. We will be on the coach for up to an hour at a time. Brunch buffet will typically include various hot and cold dishes, and desserts, and will include a glass of beer or sparkling wine or soft drink and a cup of coffee or tea.