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Netherlands/Belgium

Art History in Belgium and Holland

Program No. 3544RJ
Find inspiration as you celebrate the achievements of great European artists, gaining a deeper appreciation of their works through scholar-led excursions.
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Art History & MuseumsSmall Group
Length
14 days
Rating (4.58)
Activity Level
Starts at
6,249
Flights start at
900

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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
14 days
13 nights
What's Included
25 meals ( 12B, 5L, 8D )
4 expert-led lectures
14 expert-led field trips
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
12 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Driving transfer to is about 11.5 miles, approximately 30 minutes riding time. Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously). Luggage may be stored at the front desk while we wait for our rooms to become available.
Afternoon:
After checking in to the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation: 5:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will learn from the Group Leader and a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. Program-related travel and transfers will be via private motorcoach, tram, and other public transportation where noted. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Getting on/off public transportation, ride about 15 minutes; Walking about 3 miles total throughout the day; uneven pavement, unavoidable stairs, cobblestones in the city center; periods of standing. Extent/duration of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After breakfast, we’ll take public transportation to Grand-Place where we will enjoy an expert led walk through this city center. Grand-Place is home to some of the most beautiful and iconic buildings in the city of Brussels, including the Town Hall, Maison du Roi, and the City Museum.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will walk to the Magritte Museum. This art museum in the Royal Quarter is dedicated to the work of Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte. We will enjoy exploring this museum with an audio guide. Enjoy some independent time in the city center before we regroup for dinner.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 75 miles, approximately 2.5 hours total riding time with stops. Walking, stairs without railings and periods of standing in the museum. Extent/duration of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Once checked out of the hotel, we will board the motorcoach and transfer to Antwerp where we will enjoy an expert-led visit to the Royal Museum of Fine Art. After 11 years of renovations, the KMSKA reopened its doors in 2024 and has expanded its rich collection of artwork spanning Rubens to Tuymans.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Enjoy some time for independent exploration in Antwerp. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Antwerp. You may choose to continue to explore the KMSKA on your own (tickets allow for re-entry) or you may refer to the list of free time activities. The group leader will be happy to offer suggestions. We will meet at a predetermined time and location to board the motorcoach and continue on to Ghent. Upon arrival, we will check in to the hotel and get our rooms. Take some time to freshen up before we meet for dinner.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off public transportation, approximately 1/2 hour total. Walking about 3 miles, approximately 3 hours; paved terrain; periods of standing in the museum; unavoidable stairs and cobblestones in the city. Extent/duration of walking and other activities during independent time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After breakfast, we will gather in our meeting room for a lecture from an art historian about the painters Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516) and Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1525-1569), and track their evolution from the 15th to 17th centuries. At the conclusion of the lecture, we will take public transit to a local restaurant for lunch.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will go to the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent. Here, we will learn about Flemish and Dutch art from the Middle Ages, and its development through the middle of the 20th century from a museum staff member. The remainder of the afternoon is free for independent exploration.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking up to 4 miles total throughout the day; cobblestones and uneven pavement, some stairs without railings; occasionally crowded places.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Setting out from the hotel, we will take an expert-led walk through the city center of Ghent, a medieval city where the Industrial Revolution began in the 19th century. A local expert will provide us with the history of the city as we walk along the canals, through the historical center with its many squares (Vrijdagsmarkt, Groentenmarkt, and Koorenmarkt), and to see such sites as the medieval fortress of Gravensteen and the meat market.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Ghent. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach; driving about 70 miles total (110 km); approximately 2 hours, with stops. Walking up to 4 miles total throughout the day; cobblestones and uneven pavement, sometimes in very crowded places; stairs without railings; periods of standing in the museum. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during independent time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Arriving in Bruges via motorcoach this morning, we will have an expert-led walk in the beautiful, fairytale city of Bruges. This field trip will take us along the Minnewater Park, the Begijnhof (courtyard of the Beguins – secular nuns), the city's medieval street, and finishing at the Belfry of Bruges.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
This afternoon is free for independent exploration. You may enjoy visiting the Museum of Flemish Primitives (also known as the Groeninge Museum) or you can refer to the list of Free Time activities listed in your first information packet. The group leader will also be happy to offer suggestions. We’ll meet at a predetermined time and location and return to Ghent via motorcoach.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 140 miles total; approximately 3 hours, with stops for field trips throughout the day. Walking about 3 miles throughout the day; cobblestones and uneven pavement, stairs without railings.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Once checked out of the hotel, we will board the motorcoach and begin our transfer to Amsterdam. Our first stop will be the Markthal in Rotterdam. From here, we will take a short walk to view the iconic Cube Houses. We will then walk back to the Markthal and board our motorcoach for a ride over the Erasmus Bridge as we make our way to Delft.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will depart on foot for an expert led walk of Delft, the birthplace of Vermeer, to learn about the history of this charming city and its influence on the Dutch master himself. Enjoy some free time to explore on your own before we meet at a predetermined time and location to continue our transfer to Amsterdam.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off public transportation; less than 1/2 hour during group activities. Walking about 3 miles, approximately 3 hours; uneven pavement, unavoidable stairs and cobblestones in the city. Extent/duration of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After setting out from the hotel via tram, we’ll begin with a relaxing canal cruise to soak in Amsterdam’s historical city center from the water. Then we will enjoy an expert-led city walk to admire and learn about the architecture of Amsterdam. We’ll see the National Monument, the Royal Palace, the New Church, and the many different styles of houses that the city is famous for.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Amsterdam. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. You might like to visit the Amsterdam Historical Museum or the Anne Frank House.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 70 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 3 miles total throughout the day; cobblestones and uneven pavement; unavoidable stairs, some without railings; periods of standing in museum.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will start the day with an expert-led bus and walking field trip to The Hague, the legal capital of the world, with its many legal institutions and the seat of the Dutch Parliament. On our journey, we will pass the Peace Palais, which houses the International Court of Justice, and the Parliament buildings. We will stop at the Museum Panorama Mesdag to see the “Panorama of Scheveningen” by Hendrik Willem Mesdag.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
We will meet at a designated time and location to go on an expert-led field trip through the Maurits House Museum to see famous Dutch paintings from Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. This museum is the home of such famous Dutch paintings as Vermeer's “View of Delft” and “Girl with a Pearl Earring.”
Dinner:
At a local restaurant in The Hague.
Evening:
After dinner, we will transfer back to Amsterdam. The rest of the evening is at leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off public transportation; less than 1/2 hour during group activities. Walking about 3 miles, approximately 3 hours; uneven pavement, unavoidable stairs, and cobblestones; periods of standing in museum. Extent/duration of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
An art historian will join us at the hotel and give a lecture on art in the Golden Age. Afterwards, they will lead us on a field trip to the Rijksmuseum, a wonderful representation of Dutch history and art. We’ll see some of the art that was discussed in the morning lecture, such as Rembrandt and Vermeer. The rest of the morning is free time for independent exploration. You may continue exploring the museum on your own. The tickets are valid for the day, but re-entry is not allowed. Or, if you are interested in visiting the Van Gogh Museum, this would be a good opportunity to do so. Tickets must be booked in advance for a specific time slot.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
Time for independent exploration through the early afternoon. In the late afternoon, we’ll meet back at the hotel and gather in our meeting room to listen to an art historian give a lecture about art in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 30 miles, approximately 1 hour riding time. Walking about 3 miles throughout the day; uneven pavement, unavoidable stairs and cobblestones; periods of standing in museum.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Arriving via motorcoach, our Group Leader will introduce us to the city of Haarlem as we walk to the Frans Hals Museum where we will discover the paintings of Frans Hals, and other Old Masters from the Golden Age, with a staff member. We will then make our way to the Cathedral of St. Bavo, home to the Müller Organ. Built by Christian Müller and Jan van Logteren between 1735 and 1738, this Baroque style organ has more than 5000 pipes, divided over 64 registers, and was considered the largest in the world at the time of its construction. Both Händel and Mozart travelled to Haarlem specifically to play it. We will learn more about the history of this magnificent instrument and enjoy a concert by Haarlem’s official city organist.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Haarlem. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. We will gather at a predetermined time and location to board our motorcoach and return to Amsterdam.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off public transportation; less than 1/2 hour during group activities. Walking about 3 miles, approximately 3 hours; uneven pavement, unavoidable stairs, and cobblestones; periods of standing in museum. Extent/duration of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
This morning, we will gather for a lecture on modern art from the 19th and 20th centuries given by an art historian. We will then transfer via public transportation to the Van Gogh Musuem for an expert led field trip to see the masterpieces of this Dutch master of post-impressionism. Our group activity will conclude in the late morning, but tickets will be valid for the entire day. Re-entry is not permitted.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Amsterdam. You might like to continue exploring the Van Gogh Museum or visit the nearby Stedelijk Museum. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
At the hotel. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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