Tulips and windmills are defining features of voyages along the Dutch and Belgian Waterways. Cruises are not confined to a single waterway, but switch between the canals and rivers that fan out across the delta region along the North Sea coastal regions of Belgium and Holland.
Springtime is all about flower power thanks to Holland’s Keukenhof Gardens, famous for its displays of seven million tulips, hyacinths and daffodils that burst into a riot of colour for around eight weeks from March to May.
Cruises encompass the chocolate-box charms of this pretty landscape dotted with windmills and historic villages and towns such as Hoorn, along with world-class cities including Amsterdam and Antwerp and the medieval allure of Ghent and Bruges with castles and stately architecture. There’s war history at Arnhem and an impressive example of Dutch ingenuity and expertise at the Delta Works flood protection system – the largest of its type in the world, plus the flat landscape makes it perfect cycling territory too.