High Art in the Low Countries

The tour starts at 4.00pm on Friday 17 May, at The Renaissance Marriott Hotel, Brussels.

The tour ends after breakfast on Thursday 30 May, at Grand Hotel Frans Hals, Haarlem.

We gather this afternoon at our hotel with tour leader Dr Sophie Oosterwijk. After time to introduce ourselves, we take a walking tour and visit the World-Heritage listed Grand Place, Brussels’ historic centre, lined with palaces of the city’s medieval guilds. Dinner this evening is at a local restaurant. Overnight Brussels (D)

Flanders and Brabant were the economic heart of northern Europe in the Middle Ages and the centre of an artistic revolution in the 15th-17th centuries. After a talk in the hotel, we visit Belgium’s Royal Museums of Fine Arts to explore its magnificent collection of Old Masters, including works by Van der Weyden, Bosch, Bruegel and Rubens. We then enjoy a welcome lunch in a restaurant inside one of Brussels’ most striking Art Nouveau buildings. In the afternoon, there will be free time to visit the Magritte Museum (subject to opening), which holds the most comprehensive collection of this surrealist artist’s his work. Evening at leisure. Overnight Brussels (B, L)

Victor Horta was one of the leading lights of Art Nouveau architecture, and this morning we have a private guided visit of his house and studio. The building is innovative and delightfully playful in its use of materials, decorative motifs and division of spaces to facilitate a modern lifestyle. Travelling by coach to Leuven, a historic university town outside Brussels, we explore its beautiful Gothic church and its treasures. Returning to Brussels, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Brussels (B)

Ghent was one of medieval Europe’s largest cities and home to one of the 15th-century’s most revolutionary artworks: the so-called Ghent Altarpiece by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, housed in the Cathedral of St Bavo. Research undertaken during its recent restoration has revealed much about one of the first surviving works to employ the luminous new technique of oil painting on panel used by the Van Eycks. After our visit, we tour the city and enjoy time for lunch. In the early afternoon we continue to Bruges, where dinner is in a local restaurant. Overnight Bruges (B, D)

Bruges was a magnet for medieval European merchants, and towards the end of the 14th century it became part of the rising state of Burgundy and the centre of an artistic revolution by artists such as Jan van Eyck, Hans Memling and Gerard David. After a talk, we explore Bruges’ historic cityscape, visiting the excellent Groeninge Museum which has some of Van Eyck’s finest paintings – including the celebrated Madonna of Cardinal van der Paele – along with works by Memling, Bosch and Gerard David. Later, there will be a guided tour of St Salvator Cathedral and Treasury, followed by afternoon tea. Overnight Bruges (B)

We depart on foot this morning, first stopping at the Basilica of the Holy Blood, traditionally believed to harbour a vial with the blood of Christ that is said to have been brought back from the Second Crusade in 1150. We then make our way to the nearby Gruuthuse Museum, housed in one of the few remaining 15th-century city palaces, where we take a guided tour of the extensive collection. Our next stop – and a highlight of the day – is the Church of Our Lady, containing the only statue by Michelangelo to go north of the Alps in the artist’s own lifetime. After a break for lunch, we then visit the Memling Museum in the medieval St John’s Hospital, home to an impressive collection of works by the Flemish Hans Memling. Following this visit, the rest of the afternoon and evening are at leisure. Overnight Bruges (B)

Today we travel to Antwerp, Europe’s largest port and richest city in the 16th century following the decline of Bruges. The vibrance of the city is reflected in the guildhalls of Grote Markt, whose architecture influenced a young Gaudí, and also in altarpieces by Rubens displayed in the magnificent cathedral. Our tour of the city also includes a visit of the Museum of Fine Arts housing a collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings from the 14th to the 20th centuries. In the afternoon, we visit the Mayer van den Bergh Museum before we continue on to The Hague, our base for the next three nights. Dinner is in a local restaurant. Overnight The Hague (B, D)

We spend the day exploring The Hague, a city whose fascinating history is inseparable from the House of Orange and is today the seat of the International Court of Justice. The great prize of our visit, however, is the extraordinary collection in the Mauritshuis, including Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and View of Delft, Fabricius’ The Goldfinch, and many excellent portraits by Rembrandt and others. After a guided visit of the gallery, we break for lunch and then visit the Panorama Mesdag – an extraordinary 120m-long painting depicting the Dutch coastline at Schevningen. In the afternoon, we visit the Kunstmuseum (formerly Gemeentemuseum), which features modern art and design, notably by De Stijl and Mondriaan. The evening is at leisure. Overnight The Hague (B)

Today we visit Delft, which was a prosperous town in the 17th century and best known among English speakers as the hometown of Vermeer. This morning we explore the Nieuwe Kerk, where most of the members of the House of Orange are buried, and the new Vermeer Centre. After a break for a leisurely lunch, we visit Hofwijck, the 17th-century estate of the poet, composer and secretary of state, Constantijn Huygens. After returning to our hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight The Hague (B)

This morning we depart The Hague, stopping to visit Leiden, a beautiful university town with a rich history as a centre of printing and textiles. We explore the history and architecture of the town and visit the recently renovated Lakenhal Museum. In the afternoon, we continue to Haarlem. After checking in, there will be a talk in the hotel followed by dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Haarlem (B, D)

The Dutch Republic emerged from the religious conflict that reshaped Europe and ushered in its own distinctively modern forms of art. Today we travel into Amsterdam to explore the art and culture of the Netherlands, starting at the Rijksmuseum. This most extensive collection of Dutch art includes Rembrandt’s Nightwatch and Vermeer’s Milkmaid. After our guided visit, we make our way to the nearby Van Gogh Museum. Vincent van Gogh was one of the modern world’s most prolific artists, although recognition of his work only came after his untimely death in 1890. Overnight Haarlem (B)

This morning we return to Amsterdam and stroll along the city’s Amsterdam’s World Heritage-listed canal belt, its series of timed locks and sluices a new model of rational town planning for a burgeoning city. This afternoon we visit Rembrandt’s House to explore the life, times and style of the master and to see how art was made and sold to wealthy upper and middle-class patrons. Overnight Haarlem (B)

Haarlem is one of the gems of the Netherlands with its quiet streets of boutiques and cafes. The city is brimming with history: brutally sacked by Spanish troops in 1573, its rebuilding became a symbol of independence. This morning we explore the history of Haarlem on a walking tour, including visits to its historic almshouses and the Cathedral of St Bavo. We then visit the superb museum devoted to Frans Hals, one of the most endearing portraitists of the Golden Age, follwed by lunch in a nearby restaurant. This evening we enjoy a farewell dinner with matching wines at Ratatouille, a Michelin-Starred restaurant with a marvelous riverfront canal setting. Overnight Haarlem (B, L, D)

The tour ends this morning after breakfast. Please consult your individual travel documents for your ongoing journey. (B)

Throughout the tour we stay in central 4-star hotels in the city. The hotels combine modern comforts with easy access to major sites.

• Brussels, Renaissance Marriott (3 nights)

• Bruges, Grand Hotel Casselbergh (3 nights)

• The Hague, Mövenpick Hotel (3 nights)

• Haarlem, Grand Hotel Frans Hals (4 nights)