High Art in the Low Countries

The tour starts at 4.00pm on Friday 2 May, at the Novotel Brussels City Centre, Brussels.

The tour ends after breakfast on Thursday 15 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 of Brussels’ historic centre, first visiting the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula before making our way to the World-Heritage listed Grand Place 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 lunch in a restaurant inside one of Brussels’ most striking Art Nouveau buildings. In the afternoon, there will be free time to visit the renovated Magritte Museum, which holds the most comprehensive collection of the surrealist artist’s work, and the reopened Fin-de-Siècle Museum located in the Royal Quarter. The evening is 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 treasury. 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 the luminous use of oil paint and other techniques used by the two brothers, especially Jan van Eyck. 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, Gerard David and Hans Memling. After a talk this morning, we explore Bruges’ historic cityscape, visiting the excellent Groeninge Museum which has two of Van Eyck’s paintings, including the celebrated Madonna of Cardinal van der Paele, and works by Bosch and Gerard David. Later, there will be a guided tour of St Salvator Cathedral and Treasury, followed by afternoon tea. Before returning to the hotel we explore the tranquil Begijnhof, offering a glimpse into the lives of the beguines and the role they played in Bruges’ history. Evening at leisure. 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 painter 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 the paintings by Rubens, displayed in the magnificent cathedral. Our tour of the city also includes a visit of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA) housing a collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings from the 14th to the 20th centuries. In the afternoon, we continue on to Delft, our base for the next three nights. Dinner this evening is in a local restaurant. Overnight Delft (B, D)

Delft was a prosperous town in the 17th century, today 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 Vermeer Centrum – highlighting the life and works of the 17th-century master of light. After a break for a leisurely lunch, we visit Hofwijck, the 17th-century estate of the poet, composer and secretary of state, Constantijn Huygens. The evening is at leisure. Overnight Delft (B)

Today we visit The Hague, a city whose fascinating history is inseparable from the House of Orange and 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 before visiting the Panorama Mesdag – an extraordinary 120m-long painting depicting the Dutch coastline at Scheveningen. Our final stop is the Kunstmuseum, housed in an impressive Art Deco building and home to the word’s largest collection of Dutch artist Piet Mondrian. In the late afternoon we return to Delft, with the evening at leisure on arrival. Overnight Delft (B)

This morning we depart Delft for the sophisticated city of Haarlem, our base for the remainder of the tour. Our first stop is Kasteel Duivenvoorde, one of the oldest castles in South Holland. We learn about its history and inhabitants, before continuing to Leiden, a beautiful university town with a rich history as a centre of printing and textiles. A walking tour uncovers the history and architecture of the town, followed by a break for lunch. In the afternoon we continue to Haarlem, with a talk in the hotel this evening, followed by dinner in one of the city’s Michelin-star restaurants. 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 Dutch Golden Age, starting at the Rijksmuseum. This most extensive collection of Dutch painting includes Rembrandt’s Nightwatch and Vermeer’s Milkmaid. After our guided visit, we make our way to the 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. Returning to our hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Haarlem (B)

This morning we return to Amsterdam and stroll along the city’s World Heritage-listed canal belt, its series of timed locks and sluices a new model of rational town planning for a burgeoning city. Our tour takes in the Oude Kerk, one of Amsterdam’s oldest buildings, and the Koninklijk Paleis, still in use by the royal family. We then visit Museum Van Loon, an impeccably preserved 17th-century canal house that still exudes the wealth of the Van Loons, who co-founded the Dutch East India Company, followed by coffee and cake in the garden’s coach house. The afternoon is spent in 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. Returning to our hotel, the evening is at leisure. 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 the 16th century, 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 make our to the Hof, dating back to 1609 and now home to the superb museum devoted to Frans Hals, one of the most endearing portraitists of the Golden Age. Lunch is enjoyed in the museum’s excellent cafe before touring the collection. This evening we enjoy a farewell meal at a local restaurant. Overnight Haarlem (B, L, D)

The tour ends after breakfast this morning. 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, Novotel Brussels City Centre (3 nights)

• Bruges, Grand Hotel Casselbergh (3 nights)

• Delft, Hotel Arsenaal Delft By WestCord (3 nights)

• Haarlem, Grand Hotel Frans Hals (4 nights)