Paris, Ardennes & Amsterdam
Your Journey
Paris — Arrival & City Tour
Arrival in Paris. A guided city tour covers the hilltop basilica at Montmartre, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, Notre-Dame Cathedral (exterior), the Louvre Museum (exterior), and the Eiffel Tower — a full panoramic first day in the French capital.
Paris — Brussels — Bouillon
Drive north to Brussels for a city orientation: Grand Place (UNESCO World Heritage baroque square), Manneken Pis, the Atomium, and the EU Parliament quarter. Continue south into the Belgian Ardennes to Bouillon for the overnight at a countryside hotel in the Semois valley.
Bouillon — Bruges — Ghent — Bouillon
A full day of Flemish cities: Bruges (2.5 hours) — medieval canals, the Belfry tower, and the historic almshouses of this UNESCO-listed city — and Ghent (1.5 hours) — the Graslei harbourfront of guild houses, Saint Bavo's Cathedral, and the towers of Gravensteen Castle reflected in the Leie River. Return to Bouillon for the overnight.
Bouillon — Ardennes Leisure Day
A free day in the Ardennes forest landscape with optional outdoor activities: a visit to Bouillon Castle (one of the oldest and largest feudal fortresses in Belgium), kayaking on the winding Semois River, or scenic drives through the forested hills and river valleys.
Bouillon — Giethoorn — Amsterdam Area
Drive north through Belgium into the Netherlands. Giethoorn: a 2.5-hour boating and walking tour through the car-free canal village where thatched-roof farmhouses and wooden bridges line the waterways. Continue to the Amsterdam/Zaandam area for the overnight.
Zaanse Schans — Amsterdam — Departure
Morning visit to Zaanse Schans — traditional Dutch windmills, wooden houses, and craft workshops on the Zaan river. Amsterdam: the Jordaan district, Dam Square, and the canal ring. Transfer to Schiphol Airport for departure.