Trip Itinerary

[printfriendly]Key: IF = In Flight Meals, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner 

Day 1: Sunday, June 27, 2020: Arrival in Amsterdam
We will depart on our overnight flight to Amsterdam. Reformation Tours can arrange for pre-tour accommodations in Amsterdam. (IF)

Day 2: Monday, June 28, 2020:  Amsterdam
Upon arrival at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, we will be welcomed by our driver and tour escort who will transfer us to the city center of Amsterdam. The capital of the Netherlands consists of 70 islands which are separated by nearly 50 miles of canals and connected by more than 1000 bridges. Our first acquaintance with this beautiful city will be by boat. We will enjoy a narrated canal excursion, passing gabled warehouses, noble mansions, arched bridges, and colorful houseboats. Afterward we will transfer to our hotel in Amsterdam for check-in and have our welcome dinner. (IF/D)

Day 3: Tuesday, June 29, 2020: Amsterdam
After breakfast we will enjoy a guided walking tour of the capital of the Netherlands. During the tour we will see the Our Lord in the Attic Museum, a church hidden in the attic of a seventeenth-century house from the Dutch Golden Age. We will see the Dam Square with its Royal Palace, the Koepelkerk,  National Monument, and sights from the history of the Lutheran church in Amsterdam, such as the West Indisch Huis (West Indian House) a former orphanage, the Claeszhofje, a courtyard surrounded by almshouses (charitable housing) of the denomination, and De Nieuwe Kerk (New Church). This monumental church is known as the place where Queen Beatrix was officially inaugurated and where the wedding between King Willem Alexander and Princess Maxima took place. Next we will walk to De Westerkerk, a 17th-century Protestant church which is the largest of its kind in the Netherlands. We will view the Anne Frank House, located mere footsteps from the Westerkerk. After lunch on our own, we will continue on foot to the Biblical Museum where we will see models of the temple of Solomon and Herod and the Tabernacle, constructed with the utmost precision from precious materials. Afterward we will see the Old Lutheran Church, the first Lutheran church in Amsterdam, located in former warehouses and stroll through the Begijnhof, one of Amsterdam’s best known almshouses. Via the Bloemenmarkt, the only floating flower market in the world, we will walk to the Waterlooplein (Waterloo Square) with its famous market, the Rembrandt House and the Portuguese Synagogue. The evening will be at leisure. (B)

Day 4: Wednesday, June 30, 2020: Alkmaar, Volendam, Haarlem, Amsterdam
This morning we will visit Alkmaar and enjoy a guided city tour, including the Cheese Museum. Although Volendam’s fishing industry is no longer flourishing, the harbor area with its many boats is still bustling. Volendam’s traditional costume is one of the best known examples of ancient clothing  in Holland. We will continue to Haarlem to visit the Corrie ten Boom House.  The museum is a memorial to this family who lived as Christians through their obedience to God and during the Second World War, offered their home as a refuge for fugitives and those hunted by the Nazis.  In 1944, the family was betrayed and arrested and Corrie and her sister were transported to the notorious Ravensbrück Concentration Camp in Germany, which Corrie miraculously survived.  This evening we will return to Amsterdam and have dinner on our own. (B)

Day 5: Thursday, July 1, 2020: Aalsmeer, Delft
After an early breakfast, we will depart to the world’s largest flower auction in Aalsmeer (open 7 – 11 AM). Here flowers and plants are auctioned and then packaged for immediate distribution to all corners of the world, some arriving throughout Europe on the very same day.  After this visit, we will return to Delft for a visit to the Royal Delftware factory, to learn about the history of Blue Delft and its development and production process, while watching the skilled artisans at work. The showroom has a comprehensive collection of hand-painted Delft Blue by Royal Delft, as well as an extensive selection of Dutch earthenware and souvenirs. We will dine in our hotel this evening. (B/D)

Day 6: Friday, July 2, 2020: Gouda, Leiden, Delft
After breakfast we will depart for Gouda, where we will have a guided tour of the City of Cheese. We will visit the famous Cheese Market and the Old Weigh House, which also houses a small cheese museum and shop. We will see the famous stained glass windows in St. Jan’s Church. We will also have a class to learn how to bake treacle waffles, the local delicacy. We can take our waffles with us, if we can resist them long enough. After lunch we will drive to Leiden, a city with beautiful canals, gabled houses, lovely squares, and even a castle ruin on a mount in the middle of town. We will meet our local guide, who will take us on a walking tour of the city, including the American Pilgrim Museum, dedicated to the Pilgrim Fathers who fled England in 1620 and stayed in Leiden for 11 years before departing for the New World. We will also see the Hoogland Church, the almshouses and hear about the Spanish siege of the city during the Eighty Years War, when the Spanish King tried to force the Netherlands back under the Spanish reign and Catholicism. We will return to Delft for our overnight. (B/L)

Day 7: Saturday, July 3, 2020: Delft
Today we will enjoy a tour into the typical Dutch countryside to visit Kinderdijk, a Unesco World Cultural site. We will first see an introduction movie about Kinderdijk, then we will visit 2 of the 19 windmills which once kept the surrounding land dry. They still function, but some of their task has been taken over by modern day equipment elsewhere. Next we will travel back to Rotterdam by boat and enjoy lunch and the impressive skyline from the water. In Rotterdam, we will enjoy a guided walking tour through the city center. We will see some of the buildings that escaped the bombing of WWII and also modern architecture like the Markthal, the Cube houses and more. The city is the birthplace of Erasmus, the famous Dutch philosopher and theologian. The university and downtown bridge are both named after him. On our way back to Delft, we will stop in Delftshaven to visit the Pilgrim Father Church. (upon availability) We will have dinner on our own and overnight in Delft. (B)

Day 8: Sunday, July 4, 2020: Delft
After breakfast we will enjoy a guided walking tour of the old town. During the tour, we will visit the Prinsenhof and learn all about the history of the Netherlands and the Dutch Revolt and Reformation. The museum is housed in a building of great historical importance, the site of some of the most dramatic and consequential events of Dutch history. After lunch on our own, the rest of the afternoon will be at leisure. Tonight we will have our farewell dinner and overnight in Delft. (B/D)

Day 9: Monday, July 5, 2020: Depart
We will transfer to the airport in Amsterdam for our flights to the US. (B/IF)

We are also offering a special discounted rate for anyone would like to add a post-tour to Germany to see the Oberammergau Passion Play. The 5-day post-tour includes Munich, Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace, and Category 1 seating for the Passion Play. Click here for details. The discounted price of $1,999 includes your flight from Amsterdam to Munich.

Please note this itinerary is copyrighted.

What are accommodations like?

Our hotels are chosen for their quality, amenities and proximity to areas of interest. Whenever possible, we choose hotels in town centers, so that you are able to go off and explore in your free time. It may be necessary for us to substitute hotels for others of equal quality. You will be fully informed of any changes that affect you. Enjoy your stay!

Amsterdam, Netherlands
June 28-July 1, 2020
Sir Albert Hotel Amsterdam de Pijp
Albert Cuypstraat 2-6
1072 CT Amsterdam

Delft, Netherlands
July 1-5, 2020
Hampshire Hotel Delft Centre
Koepoortplaats 3
2612 RR Delft

Flight Information

When this tour is a guaranteed departure, we will be able to start making air reservations. Various flight booking options will be available at that time. Please read our printable guide to booking your flight to better understand these options.

Option 1: For 10+ traveling together, we can provide a group air booking. Payment is due with final payment in February 2020.

Option 2: You may request a flight quote from us by filling out this form. Payment is due at the time of booking.

Option 3: You may book your own flights, making sure you land on the morning of June 28, 2020 no later than 10:00 AM.  If you would prefer to arrive earlier, we can arrange a pre-tour hotel night in Amsterdam. You are welcome to depart at any time on July 5. Please wait until the tour is a guaranteed departure before booking non-refundable airfare, and send us a copy of your flight itinerary for our records as soon as you have booked it.

Please note that if you would like to use air miles you will need to book directly with the airline.

We can arrange pre-tour and post-tour nights in Amsterdam, but due to the volume of tours in 2020, we are not able to arrange additional travel within Europe.

What’s included in the land price of *$2,399?

*Price based on a minimum of 20 participants.

Your Tour Includes

•   Transportation: via deluxe air-conditioned coaches
•   Accommodations (double-occupancy) in 4-star hotels
•   Meals as indicated in the itinerary
•   Professional Tour Director throughout the tour
•   Local step-on guides for city tours and major attractions
•   Admission to all activities indicated in the itinerary
•   All transfers, as a group
•   Baggage handling (1 piece of baggage per guest)
•   All taxes and tips except as indicated below

Your Tour Does Not Include

•   Round-trip air transportation
•   Single supplement ($700)
•   Meals and beverages not identified in itinerary
•   Items of a personal nature, such as passports and visas. Passports must be valid for 6 months beyond return date.
•   Passenger trip cancellation insurance (details sent with reservation form)
•   Tips for tour director and driver

Payment Schedule

•   Initial deposit of $350 will secure your place on the tour. Please send all checks to Reformation Tours, P.O. Box 854, Belleville, IL 62222.
•   If you are adding the Passion Play, there is a second deposit of $500 per person due by December 1, 2019.
•   Final invoices will be sent in January 2020
•   Final payment is due by February 29, 2020
•   Reservations will be accepted after February 29, 2020, subject to availability

Insurance

We offer the Professional Plan offered by Roam Right Insurance, a division of Arch Insurance Company.  We offer all of our travelers post-departure insurance coverage (up to $500 of coverage.) If you would like to have pre-tour cancellation and trip interruption coverage, the upgrade cost depends on the tour price. It’s approximately the tour cost (minus the $500 that we cover) x 6.14%.  To insure your land costs, the price is $2,399 – $500 x 6.14% = $117. A quote will automatically be added to your invoice and updated once the air cost is available.

Cancellation

Regardless of reason, cancellations are costly. To offset these costs the following fees will apply, plus any non-recoverable expenses to our suppliers:

From time of deposit to 100 days before departure: $100 cancellation penalty
From 99-15 days prior to departure: $350 cancellation penalty plus any non refundable deposits
14 days or less prior to departure: No refund– Cancellation charges also apply to additional accommodation reserved prior to and after the tour.
– Cancellations must be received in writing by 5:00 p.m. central time on the last business day of the applicable time period.
– For flight changes or cancellations, revision fees and/or airline cancellation charges will apply.
– Roommates canceling can result in a single supplement charge for the roommate. The Participant who cancels will be responsible for that charge if a substitute roommate cannot be found.
– Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is strongly recommended.
Reformation Tours cannot assume responsibility for any additional costs or fees relating to the issuance and/or cancellation of air tickets or other arrangements not made through Reformation Tours.