DAY 12 / MONDAY / APRIL 26
AMSTERDAM CANAL CRUISE
OVERNIGHT IN AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND
Amsterdam's 160 canals total 75 miles in all, more than Venice. There are more than
1,000 bridges.
Learn about the city on a tour by canal boat, cruising picturesque waterways through
the oldest part of the city center which has changed little since the 17th-century - the
Golden Age of Holland - when Amsterdam's merchants formed powerful trading companies,
sent ships around the globe and made large fortunes. They built impressive townhouses
that still border the canals of the city.
The Museumplein is one of the stops of the canal cruise. Nearby are the
Rijksmuseum and the
Van Gogh Museum .
On display at the Rijksmuseum is one of the world's most
valuable paintings,the
"Night Watch," by
Rembrandt van Rijn. The Rijksmuseum has the world's largest collection by the great
master.
The best of the Dutch masters of the 16th to 19th centuries are also found here:
Johannes Vermeer, Hans Holbein,
Frans Hals ,
Anthony van Dyke, as well as the Belgian Peter Paul Rubens.
Tapestries, sculptures, china, furniture and gold ornaments make it the largest collection of
its kind in Europe.
Near the Rijksmuseum is the
Van Gogh Museum.
The work of Vincent Van Gogh is organised chronologically into five periods, each representing
a different phase of his life and work: The Netherlands, Paris, Arles,
Saint-Rémy and Auvers-sur-Oise.
The Heineken Experience
is located at one of the most impressive industrial
heritage sites of the Netherlands: the original Heineken brewery in Amsterdam.
Its buildings span two centuries, the main parts dating from 1867 (the original
building) and 1930 (a working brewery until 1988).
For the 10 Euro entrance fee, you learn about Heineken's rich history and
the tradition and craft of brewing ... plus you get three beers and a glass!
Rembrandt 400th Anniversary Website
DAY 13 / TUESDAY / APRIL 27
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