TRAVEL TO THE NETHERLANDS
with Travel & Culture Salon
7 DAYS | 6 NIGHTS
A small flower with a big story.
Join Travel & Culture Salon for an intimate journey through the Netherlands at the height of tulip season, exploring Dutch art, history, and culture through the tulip's extraordinary story.
Led by historian Heather Bolen, we'll explore Amsterdam's historic canals and world-class museums, wander historic gardens and flowering fields, and uncover the tulip's remarkable place in the Dutch Golden Age. Limited to just 12 women and thoughtfully paced, this journey leaves plenty of time to linger, connect, and enjoy the pleasures of travel.
HIGHLIGHTS | ITINERARY | TRIP DETAILS | WHAT’S INCLUDED. | YOUR GUIDE | FAQs
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Explore Amsterdam's historic canals and the Dutch Golden Age with a historian, including a private canal cruise.
Experience peak tulip season at Keukenhof and the surrounding working flower fields.
Admire Dutch Masters and floral still lifes at the world-renowned Rijksmuseum.
Discover rare and historic tulip varieties at the Hortus Bulborum.
Enjoy a Michelin-starred dining experience.
Create your own Dutch tile at the Royal Delft Museum.
and so much more!
TULIP TRAIL ITINERARY
April 18-24, 2027
DAY 1 - SUNDAY, APRIL 18
Arrival & Welcome
Arrive in Amsterdam and settle into our boutique-style hotel, Park Plaza Vondelpark, located just outside leafy Vondelpark in the elegant Oud-Zuid neighborhood. The area is within easy walking distance of cafés, shops, and Museum Square, with convenient tram access to the historic center.
Take the afternoon to settle in, wander the park, or grab a light bite in Oud-Zuid or at Museumplein.
In the evening, we’ll gather at the hotel for a relaxed wine reception and welcome dinner at our hotel’s Venetian-inspired restaurant, Tozi, a relaxed setting to meet one another and begin the week together.
Meals included: wine reception and dinner
DAY 2 - MONDAY, APRIL 19
Amsterdam: Canal Life & the Dutch Golden Age
Our first full day begins with a guided walking tour led by Heather through Amsterdam’s historic canal belt. As we move through the city, we’ll explore how the 17th century was a period of extraordinary botanical discovery, shaped by global trade and the arrival of exotic plants previously unseen in Europe. This culture of collecting—driven by rarity, knowledge, and display—helped elevate flowers like the tulip into luxury objects and powerful status symbols.
We’ll pause for lunch at a local café, then continue to Museum Van Loon, a beautifully preserved 17th-century canal house that offers a glimpse into how a prominent Amsterdam family lived. A brief stop in the carriage house includes a taste of their famously beloved apple cake.
Activities: Private walking tour of the historic canal belt; private tour of the Museum Van Loon
Meals included: breakfast and lunch
DAY 3 - TUESDAY, APRIL 20
Aalsmeer: Inside the Flower Trade
Today begins bright and early with a visit to Royal FloraHolland Aalsmeer, when the flower trade is most active. Watching thousands of blooms move through the auction at speed offers a vivid look at how flowers circulate globally today—and how centuries of cultivation and commerce continue to shape the industry.
From there, we’ll visit the Historische Tuin Aalsmeer, where historic growing methods and early horticultural practices provide a quieter counterpoint to the scale of the auction. Together, these visits trace the transformation of flowers from rare luxury items into global commodities.
We’ll return to Amsterdam for lunch at De Kas, a Michelin-starred restaurant recognized for its cuisine and its commitment to sustainability, where ingredients are harvested from the surrounding greenhouse and nearby growers.
The afternoon and evening are then free for you to explore the city at your own pace.
Activities: Private tour of Aalsmeer Flower Auction; private tour of Historische Tuin Aalsmeer, lunch at Michelin-starred restaurant, De Kas
Meals included: breakfast and lunch
DAY 4 - WEDNESDAY, April 21
From Still Life to Living Tulips
Our day begins at the Rijksmuseum with a deep dive into the world of the Dutch Masters. We explore 17th-century painting and the culture of collecting, with special attention to floral still lifes—where artists elevated flowers, especially tulips, into independent works of art.
After the museum, we'll enjoy lunch before traveling north to Hortus Bulborum, a remarkable living collection of historic tulips, where we'll see varieties depicted in centuries-old paintings still blooming today.
The evening is left open for independent exploration or rest, with dinner on your own.
Activities: Private art history tour at Rijksmuseum; private tour of Hortus Bulborum
Meals included: breakfast and lunch
DAY 5 - THURSDAY, APRIL 22
Keukenhof & the Bollenstreek
Today is devoted to the tulip landscape that defines spring in the Netherlands. We’ll visit Keukenhof, a celebrated spring garden located within the Bollenstreek—the historic bulb-growing region stretching between Haarlem and Leiden. Replanted each year with more than seven million bulbs, Keukenhof offers a carefully designed display often known as the Garden of Europe.
Time is also set aside to explore the surrounding Bollenstreek countryside, including working farms and tulip fields, offering a revealing contrast between Keukenhof’s cultivated artistry and the agricultural landscape that sustains the global bulb trade.
We’ll then return to Amsterdam for a private canal cruise with drinks and hors d’oeuvres, enjoying a relaxed view of the city from the water as evening settles in.
Activities: Visit Keukenhof; tour working tulip farms; private sunset canal cruise
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, plus drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
DAY 6 - FRIDAY, April 23
Delft, Dutch Decorative Arts & High Tea
We begin our final full day in Delft, a city celebrated for its artistic innovation and fine craftsmanship. Best known as the home of Johannes Vermeer, Delft played an important role in the Dutch Golden Age, while its distinctive pottery evolved into one of the Netherlands’ most enduring decorative traditions.
At the Royal Delft Factory Museum, an audio-guided tour introduces the history of Delftware, followed by a traditional high tea in an elegant setting. The visit concludes with a hands-on tile-painting workshop, where you’ll create an authentic Delft tile of your own—an enduring souvenir inspired by the floral motifs encountered throughout the week.
We return to Amsterdam for a farewell dinner where we can reflect on the week and bring our journey to a close.
Activities: Tour of Royal Delft Factory Museum + tile painting workshop + high tea
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and farewell dinner
DAY 7 - SATURDAY, April 24
Departure Day
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and, if you like, one last stroll through the leafy paths of Vondelpark before saying farewell to Amsterdam. Whether you're heading home or extending your stay to explore more of the Netherlands, you'll leave with wonderful memories, new friendships, and a deeper appreciation for the tulip's remarkable story.
Meals included: breakfast
TRIP DETAILS
DATES: April 18–24, 2027
DURATION: 7 days, 6 nights
GROUP SIZE: Up to 12 women
PRICING (PER PERSON):
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Single Occupancy — $6,950 per person
Double Occupancy — $5,850 per person
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Single Occupancy — $7,650 per person
Double Occupancy — $6,250 per person
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Double Occupancy — $5,950 per person
Double-occupancy prices are per person and require two travelers sharing a room. King and Twin rooms are available in limited numbers.
Reserve your place with a 30% deposit or pay in full at checkout.
TOUR PACKAGE
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Six nights of accommodation
Breakfast on Days 2–7 and lunch on Days 2–6
Welcome and farewell dinners
Transportation for scheduled activities by private chauffeur and public transit*
All activities listed in the itinerary**
Travel & Culture Salon x Signature Tulip Tote Bag
Autographed copy of Dutch Tulipmania by Heather Bolen, your host and guide
Lifetime access to Heather’s online masterclass, Dutch Tulipmania: The Madness & The Myth
*Most scheduled transportation is provided by private chauffeur, with public transportation used for select activities in Amsterdam. This is an active itinerary involving several hours of walking on some days, including uneven streets, bridges, and garden paths. Guests should be comfortable walking for extended periods with breaks. Some activities, including the canal cruise, may not be fully wheelchair accessible. Please contact us before booking to discuss specific mobility or accessibility needs at hello@travelandculturesalon.com.
**Itinerary and included activities are subject to change.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
Travel to and from the Netherlands
Mandatory travel insurance (arrange independently or through Travel & Culture Salon)
Dinners other than the welcome and farewell dinners (a curated restaurant list will be provided)
Airport transfers to and from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (available through Travel & Culture Salon at the guest's expense)
Pre- and post-trip hotel stays (complimentary booking assistance available through Travel & Culture Salon; accommodation costs are additional)
Personal expenses
Still have questions?
Meet your Guide
Your host, Heather Bolen, is the founder of Travel & Culture Salon and holds an M.A. in Early Modern European History from Emory University. She spent several years living in Amsterdam with her young family, developing a lasting affection for the city's history, canals, and the tulip landscapes beyond.
Heather brings together history, art, gardens, and lived experience to create journeys that are thoughtful, unhurried, and deeply connected to place. Inspired by the Dutch concept of gezelligheid—a sense of warmth, conviviality, and togetherness—her approach invites travelers to discover the stories behind what they see, while leaving plenty of room for conversation, connection, and the pleasures of travel.