PORTS-OF-CALL
Amsterdam /Keukenhof Gardens, Netherlands
In addition to the inherent beauty of this cosmopolitan city, with its network of quiet canals and distinctive architecture, 2006 heralds the 400th anniversary of one of the world’s most renowned artists: Rembrandt Van Rijn. Major exhibitions are planned at the renowned Rijksmuseum and the Rembrandt House. Other notable attractions include the Vincent van Gogh Museum and the nearby Keukenhof Gardens, famous for the millions of flowers—including nearly 1,000 varieties of tulips—set amidst beautifully manicured ponds, sculpture gardens, greenhouses and inviting paths.
Antwerp successfully merges its historic past—its city squares and handsome guild houses—with the vibrancy of an urbane and commercially active cosmopolitan city. Visit the house of the renowned artist Peter Paul Rubens, now a museum containing a collection of his works and those of his contemporaries, or the Royal Museum of Fine Arts. Time permitting, see the soaring Cathedral of Our Lady, the Vleeshuis or Butchers’ Hall, and the world renowned diamond district.
Bruges, Belgium
Once an important medieval seaport owing to its extensive network of canals and rivers, Bruges was left behind as a modern commercial city when the nearby waterways filled with silt. The benefit is its status as a living museum. Here, learn about the old craft of the bobbin, cultivated in the Beginenhof since the 13th century. See the Pulverturm, the town hall with its wonderful façade, and a Madonna by Michelangelo in the magnificent Liebfrauenkirche.
In this “City of Artists,” visit one of the factories where the traditional blue and white glazed pottery is made by hand, and learn about the history of Delftware. Vermeer was born here, and on a tour of this lovely, canal-laced city, you will see the town hall, marketplace and the 14th-century Gothic Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church, among other sights.
Dordrecht, Netherlands
The Old Town area of Dordrecht has kept its colorful docks, canals and building facades, and it is easy to understand why it has inspired artists through the centuries. From our dock, travel to nearby Kinderdijk where a score of mid-18th-century windmills are located. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you can learn about the purpose and history of these fascinating structures.
Founded in the 12th century, Edam was for many years the center of Dutch cheese exports. Thanks to the late medieval technology of the windmill—which was able to help keep the Zuiderzee at bay—Edam became one of the most important commercial towns in Holland. Now, Edam cheese is produced all over the country, but it keeps its distinctive round shape and red color, the result of a protective wax dipping. Explore the town’s authentic 17th century architecture, narrow streets and quiet canals spanned with white bridges; Edam has resisted the lures of commercialism and maintained its pleasant storybook atmosphere.
Ghent, Belgium
With its 200 bridges and fine collection of medieval buildings, Ghent was second only to Paris among northern Europe’s largest cities in the 13th century. Explore St. Bavo’s Cathedral, with its famous “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb,” 24 monumental panels painted by the van Eyck brothers in the early 15th century, and the Rubens chapel. As the center of Europe’s textile industry well into the Renaissance, Ghent is also home to the Cloth Hall and the Graslei, a handsome row of ornate Guild Houses.
The Hague, Netherlands
Near the sea, this seat of Dutch government has a multitude of squares, more than 700 public gardens and a pleasant, airy elegance. Best known is its Royal Picture Gallery, or Mauritshuis, with its fine collection of the Flemish School, Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer.
The oldest city in the country, Nijmegen is a jumping off point for an optional excursion to De Hoge Veluwe, a beautiful landscaped national park and location of the Kroller-Muller Museum. Here, see hundreds of works by Van Gogh, along with notable paintings by Cezanne, Renoir, Monet and Mondrian. The adjacent Sculpture Park exhibits more than 90 works by Giacometti, Oldenburg, Serra, Moore and others, shaded under a canopy of trees.
Schoonhoven is a typical old-Dutch town along the Lek river, and is known as Silvertown. This name dates from the end of the 19th century when about 30 percent of the population was working in the gold and especially the silver industry.
Zierikzee, Netherlands
Another prosperous trading town in the Middle Ages, much of Zierikzee’s architectural treasures are preserved owing to its poverty in the 19th century. See the prominent city gates, the Gothic Burgerweershuis, the fish market and the 16th-century town jail, now a maritime museum.