Holland & Paris Springtime
• Tulips & Spring gardens
• The New Notre Dame & artisans
• Bread & Pastry making
Tour Overview
Ready to soak up a spring full of color, scent, and sights in the Netherlands and Paris? Spring in the Netherlands and Paris is a feast for the senses—a symphony of color, fragrance, and timeless beauty. We’ll share off-the-beaten-path locations and famous not-to-be missed spots you’ll never forget.
In the Netherlands, settle into a tranquil country retreat nestled in the heart of the Gelderland woods, with a Michelin-starred restaurant and where nature’s beauty sets the stage for your adventure. Stroll through Keukenhof Gardens, a breathtaking tapestry of seven million tulips in bloom, and meander through charming Dutch villages steeped in history. Feel the rhythm of local life as you bike alongside picturesque canals and through lush parks, just as the Dutch do.
In Paris, get re-acquainted with the stunningly restored Nôtre Dame de Paris Cathedral and meet some of the artisans who worked on its restoration. Visit some of the most beautiful and historical neighborhoods in Paris—all with great shopping, food, and chocolate.
Finally, explore Monet’s springtime garden in Giverny, the very inspiration behind his Water Lilies masterpieces. Visit the Paris museums that showcase those famous works. We’ve curated the best of springtime in this delightful trip to the Netherlands and France. We can’t wait to share it with you!
This Tour includes:
Unwind, settle in, and soak up the beauty of your surroundings in these exquisite locations. On each of our trips, we focus on staying at 2 or 3 quality places. All our lodgings are carefully chosen from the best 4-star boutique hotels each location offers. They’re unique, hidden gems with full amenities and excellent cuisine that feature Michelin-starred chefs, well-known in their respective countries.
Het Roode Koper Landgoed
Located adjacent to the Hoge Veluwe National Park on the beautiful Veluwe river in the Leuvenum forest, the Het Roode Koper is a stunning location for nature lovers. Close to historic towns and well-known museums, this hotel is perfectly situated for our adventures in the Netherlands.
- 3000+ hectares of countryside
- Guided woodland nature walks
- Michelin star Chef Dennis van den Beld on-site
- Tennis & swimming
- 22 km of cycling, biking, & mountain biking
- Relaxing, private, & secluded
Le Pavillion Faubourg Saint-Germain
On the Left Bank between the boundary of the 6th and 7th arrondissements—arguably the most beautiful and grand districts in Paris—Le Pavillion offers a host of excellent amenities while preserving that iconic French chic. This beautiful location near the Seine was renovated in 2022 and hits the sweet spot of modern convenience and old world elegance.
- Balconies overlooking the rooftops of Paris
- Luxurious spa amenities
- Historic building dating back to 1642
- Chef Thibault Sombardier @ Les Parisiens
- Bar James Joyce bistro & literary salon
- Walking distance of major Paris landmarks
Day 1 - Leuvenum Forest
Located in the heart of the Netherlands, the charming Landgoed Het Roode Koper is the perfect place to relax and unwind. The grounds are adjacent to the Hoge Veluwe National Park, the largest nature preserve in the country, home to many species, beautiful forests, lakes, and dunes.
Upon arrival, we’ll have the chance to refresh after our journey with a forest walk with the on-site guide, then enjoy an exquisite three-course welcome dinner from Michelin-starred chef Dennis van den Beld.
Arrival in Leuvenum
Settle into your room at the stunning Landgoed Het Roode Koper, a 4-star boutique hotel from the Relais & Chateaux family.
Nature Walking Tour
Enjoy a guided walk through the hotel grounds and stunning countryside of the Veluwe river and Leuvenum forest in the heart of the Netherlands.
Explore your Surroundings
Our hotel sits on several acres of manicured gardens with swimming, tennis, bike riding, and many other activities. The surrounding woods are full of birds and other wildlife, truly some of the most beautiful countryside in the Netherlands.
Welcome Dinner
An exquisite 3-course feast awaits at our beautiful hotel prepared by Michelin Chef Dennis Van den Beld. We can’t wait to get to know you better!
Day 2 - Zuiderseemuseum
Enjoy a morning forest walk, run, or bike ride, and then we’re off to visit the Zuiderseemuseum—a Dutch version of Colonial Williamsburg—to learn about the people of this region and how they lived in past centuries. The Dutch settled New York City and much of the US Northeast and have left an indelible footprint on American culture.
Then, stop in the port city of Hoorne, a base of the Dutch East India Company(VOC), with it’s charming town center from the 1600’s. The birth of the Dutch East India Company is the origin story of capitalism and the stock market. After returning to our hotel, we’ll dine at a favorite local restaurant.
Breakfast & Morning
You’ll have time before we leave on our tour to relax, play tennis, bike, or walk through the woods or enjoy the stunning grounds of our hotel.
Zuidersee Tour
We’ll visit the old VOC port city of Hoorne and the Zuidersee Museum, learn about trade on the North Sea, the impact of the Dutch colonies in America, and try some delicious cheese at the local cheese market.
Dinner
Then we’ll enjoy our evening and dinner in nearby Amersfoort with time to explore a little of the ramparts and old center of the city.
Day 3 - Keukenhof Gardens
Start your day with tennis or an e-bike ride before immersing yourself in the breathtaking beauty of Keukenhof Botanical Gardens, where millions of tulips bloom in a dazzling display. The Keukenhof is the world’s largest live flower exposition and most famous spring garden in the world. Every year the gardens are entirely re-designed and re-planted with 7 million bulbs and 800 varieties of tulips of all shapes and colors.
While there, we’ll enjoy live entertainment and typical Dutch treats. Be ready to take a LOT of photos, as there will be photo ops galore.
Breakfast
Relax around breakfast time or join us for an e-biking tour of the surrounding forest before heading out for the day.
Keukenhof Gardens
We’ll spend the bulk of our day at the expansive Keukenhof Gardens and surrounding flower fields, where there are many food & entertainment options. We’ll show you some favorite spots depending on your taste. We will rent bikes and cycle through the surrounding flower fields and find best places to take photos in some of the dozens of tulip farms with fields of their own.
Dinner
You’ll have free time with a variety of nearby dining options and time to relax and unwind.
Day 4 - Oosterbeek
Day 4 - OosterbeekDay 4 - OosterbeekDay 4 - OosterbeekDay 4 - Oosterbeek
What the total experience looks like:
We want to reach out to you to get to know you and learn more about how you like to travel, and exchange more information on what we will experience. We believe it will be more enjoyable for both of us if we know one another before we travel together. We want to know more about your plans and how we can best support you.
What we cover and pricing
We cover all your lodging, food, entertainment and transportation with us except for a few free times noted in our agenda. Our tour begins with transportation from a nearby major airport to our first hotel and ends with your return to a travel hub. Please note these in our itinerary.
Once you determine this trip is for you, we will send you a link to our pay portal to pay a 50% deposit. The other 50% will be due 60 days before the start of the trip. All will be refundable until 45 days before travel.
- Double occupancy (2 people in 1 room): $8,500 per person
- Single occupancy (1 person in 1 room): $9,500 per person
Since we work with small family-run hotels, restaurants & other venues & some of these are subject to changes including weather impact, we reserve the right to vary the specifics of the itinerary. We may switch days, add/change activities, or substitute locations. You will receive updates every 2 weeks with more information about the things we will see (interesting backstory, things to bring, etc.) up to the time of our departure.
Each tour is limited to 12 participants.
This includes:
- 9 nights at 4-star boutique hotels + 1 night at quality airport hotel
- Buffet breakfasts in these hotels
- All of the meals, activities, and transportation outlined in daily itinerary
- Access to our monthly Alta Via Newsletter with travel information & tips
- A photo memory book of your trip from Mix Book
- Memos and artifacts from our trip that we will share with you along the way
Fee does not include:
- Transportation from and to your home at the beginning and end of our itinerary
- Travel insurance
Cancellation policy
- 100% refundable prior to 60 days before trip
- 50% refundable at 60 days
- 0% refundable at 45 days before departure. This is due to hotel refund policy.
Level of Activity
We do our best to provide you with a variety of activities. Many days involve a lot of walking, stairs, uneven pathways, stone steps, cobblestone streets, etc, as is typical of Europe. For this reason, most of our trips are rated as MODERATE in activity level.
Additionally, other trips may involve hiking, biking, e-biking, and skiing. When including increased activities, the trip activity level will note that in the initial trip rating score.
While the level is never overly strenuous, it will be important to keep up with the group. If you have mobility limitations, then this might not be the tour for you.
Personal Questionnaire
To make this a great experience for you, we want to understand your needs and preferences. Once you register, you’ll be asked to fill out a short questionnaire regarding your travel needs, limitations, food sensitivities, and other items you’d like us to know.
This information will remain confidential and will not be shared with other trip participants or others outside our staff who will be planning this trip. Post trip, this information will remain confidential.
Itinerary Changes
Some events and activities may change depending on availability, etc. We reserve the right to update the itinerary when necessary and will provide a similar offering.
