Celebrate springtime in the Netherlands, enjoying the spectacular Keukenhof gardens, a tour and canal cruise in Amsterdam, and a scenic ride on the Medemblik Railway

Our springtime holiday to the Netherlands begins when we meet our Tour Manager at London St Pancras this morning to board the Eurostar service to Rotterdam, travelling in Plus class with a light meal served at our seats. In Rotterdam we change trains to Utrecht, arriving mid-afternoon. Our hotel is a short walk from the station and once we've checked in you are free to get to know this interesting city - described as 'the cosy alternative' to Amsterdam, and less than half an hour away by train.

The fourth largest city in Netherlands, Utrecht has a similar character to the capital, but on a smaller scale - including colourful canals, historical buildings and lively cafés. This evening we enjoy our first dinner at the hotel.

After a buffet breakfast, we catch the train to Amsterdam. Here we tour the capital with a local guide, seeing classic landmarks such as Dam Square, the Begijnhof, a cluster of medieval houses, the shopping street of Kalverstraat, and the 'skinny bridge' over the River Amstel.

After our tour you are free to explore over lunch. Art lovers may wish to visit the Rijksmuseum or the nearby Van Gogh Museum, while Anne Frank's house recalls the sobering story of the young girl whose diaries document how her family hid during World War Two.

This afternoon we take a leisurely cruise down Amsterdam's World Heritage site, the Canal Ring - a network of historic canals from the medieval port, that encircled the city's Old Town. From our comfortable seats aboard this glass-topped boat, we enjoy views of 17th-century gabled houses, quaint bridges and shady canal paths. At the end of the afternoon we take the train back to Utrecht, where we have an evening ahead to spend as we wish.

Today is a highlight of our holiday as, after breakfast, we are transported by coach to the Keukenhof Gardens*, where - with entry included - we are free for most of the day to wander through several themed gardens at leisure. Each exhibition area in the vast Keukenhof Holland park includes a shop and a café or restaurant, while the Mill area includes a small boat and picnic area.

Open only from the end of March to the beginning of May, the gardens present an astonishing display of over 7 million daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and other spring-flowering bulbs. Besides early spring flowers, there are seasonal shows of other uplifting flowers, including scented freesias, chrysanthemums and roses. As you walk among these glorious swathes of flowers of every hue and shade contrast with brightly-coloured sculptures, creating a one-of-a-kind experience.

We are transferred back to our hotel in Utrecht around mid-afternoon, where we are at leisure, to relax or get to know the city better, for the rest of the day and evening.

*Please note, on the mid-April departure Days 3 and 4 will be reversed.

Today is completely free in picturesque Utrecht, whose main attractions are within walking distance of our hotel. Utrecht's iconic symbol is the impressive 14th-century Dom Tower, the Netherlands' tallest church tower with a panoramic viewpoint.

Train enthusiasts will be keen to visit the Spoorwegmuseum, the Dutch National Railway Museum, whose vast collection ranges from the 19th century 'glory days' of international trains to the 'steel monsters' of the 1930s. Meanwhile, the city's Centraal Museum has a multi-faceted collection of art, design and fashion including Dutch favourites such as the Red Blue Chair by architect Gerrit Rietveld.

Utrecht is known for its lovely green spaces and the Wilhelmina Park is a popular place to enjoy lunch, overlooking its lake. On the outskirts of the city is the opulent Castle De Haar, the largest and most luxurious castle in the Netherlands, which can be reached easily by train or bus. Of course, you may be perfectly content to wander the tree-lined canal paths, passing bridges adorned with colourful flowers and stopping to enjoy a meal at one of the many inviting restaurants.

Driving to Hoorn this morning, one of the Netherlands' oldest cities, we take a self-guided tour of the Hoorn Steam Train Museum (entry included). The next tour highlight is a ride on the evocative Medemblik Steam Train, which has travelled this route since 1887. This heritage train takes us on a scenic journey to the peaceful West Friesland town of Medemblik, surrounded by the waters of the Ijsselmeer. After travelling through a typical Dutch landscape of tulip fields, windmills and quaint villages, we arrive into Medemblik where there is free time for lunch.

This afternoon brings another special excursion, as our coach transfers us to the Zaanse Schans, a beautifully-preserved residential area of characterful 18th and 19th-century wooden houses, handcraft shops and museums. After a guided tour of one of the windmills, we visit a weaver's house and a cheese maker. We then enjoy free time to explore this quaint living museum with its clog workshop, bakery museum and craft shops. We transfer back to our hotel at the end of the afternoon before a final dinner at the hotel.

After a leisurely breakfast and a free final morning in Utrecht we meet at the station ready to catch our train to Rotterdam.

Later this afternoon, we join the Eurostar service back to London St Pancras, travelling in Plus class. This springtime holiday in the Netherland has taken us to the glorious Keukenhof gardens, along the atmospheric canals of Amsterdam and to the quaint preserved village of Zaanse Schans. Based in attractive Utrecht, we have immersed ourself in the unique ambience of the Netherlands, travelling among typical Dutch scenes of windmills, tulip fields and historic towns.

On arrival back into London St Pancras station, you are free to make your way home.

Our Classic range is what we're known for. Enjoy curated moments with plenty of inclusions. Centrally located hotels, premium travel options and engaging group tours with a seasoned expert are included. You'll be in groups with an average of 20-25 travellers and a maximum of 30*. *Scandinavian and Worldwide tours are on average 30-35 and a maximum of 40.

Step aboard the high-speed international rail service, linking London St Pancras to Paris and Lille in France, Brussels in Belgium and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Eurostar's Standard Class coaches feature two seats on either side of the central aisle, most of which are arranged in an 'airline' seating configuration with drop-down tray tables. There are two tables for four per carriage. Passengers travelling in Eurostar Standard Class coaches can take advantage of the Bar-Buffet which sells a range of snacks, meals, and hot and cold drinks - including Champagne!

The highest class of Eurostar travel available for leisure customers is Plus class. In your dedicated Plus carriage you'll find a less dense seat configuration, meaning the seats are larger and you have ample space to relax and stretch out. As part of the service, you'll enjoy complimentary drinks and refreshments, served at your seat by friendly, helpful waiting staff.

For the class of travel used on your chosen tour, please refer to the 'What's Included' section of the tour page.

At the heart of the Netherlands, with a handsome whistling steam engine and attractive wooden carriages, the Medemblik Steam Train is a wonderfully nostalgic railway which skirts coastlines, tulips and windmills on a pretty Dutch route. This heritage railway was originally opened in 1887, and had operated up until 1941 before being closed down. Nowadays, the railway operates as a heritage train and the livery is that of the cars of 1926, during the golden age of the Medemblik Steam Train

The modern 4-Star NH Utrecht hotel is nestled in the heart of the historic city of Utrecht, close to the railway station and ten minutes' walk from the old quarter. The hotel restaurant provides a Continental buffet breakfast and the Restaurant El Rincon offers French cuisine for lunch and dinner. There is also a bar which serves lighter meals and drinks. The spacious guest rooms feature air conditioning, flatscreen televisions, tea & coffee making facilities, free Wi-Fi and a desk.

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

We can book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. If you require a quote for single occupancy at any of the hotels, please contact us on 01904 734 805.

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.

Enjoy hassle-free travel with our return door-to-door luggage transfer service from only £199 per bag.

The service includes one 20kg bag per person which will be collected from your home before you depart and will be ready and waiting for you at your first destination hotel. Your bag will also be delivered back to your home address on your return.

If your tour involves an overnight stay enroute, you'll need to travel with an overnight bag as your luggage will be delivered direct to your first destination hotel. The luggage service is not available where you are flying to or from your destination and you will need to take your own luggage with you on the flight.