I was on Kim’s amazing six-day tour of the Asheville area. We covered so much ground in that time. You really need that time to see the city and the highlights of the surrounding area, which I would never have found on my own. It amazed me that she was able to coordinate the touring part with meals, events, and activities. Our van driver was very knowledgeable too. Scheduling of activities ran very smoothly and not rushed, yet we got to do and see so much. I can’t imagine how much planning goes into this trip. Thank you, Kim.
Rotterdam’s Modern Architecture
Kinderdijk’s Historical Windmills
Quaint Towns and Canals
8 Nights in Two Lovely Countries
Walk, Eat, and Explore on this Vegan Tour of Two Historic, Eco-Friendly Countries
When it was my 60th birthday last year I wanted to celebrate in The Netherlands and Belgium, two areas I had visited briefly years ago, but not as a vegan, and with not nearly enough time spent. As the blockbuster cities in Europe become overtouristed, we’ve found the joy of traveling in the lesser known “second” cities such as Rotterdam, with its modern architecture and terrific vegan scene, while the nearby smaller cities such as Delft and The Hague offer a completely different and historical vibe. And Belgium? It’s surely one of the most underrated countries in Europe. Bruges is well-known, but I adored Ghent. Excellent train connections throughout this area will allow us to pack in many sights. The vegan scene is wonderful and the historic buildings sitting on canals are breathtaking. We’ve planned a full trip, but with some down-time for you to take it easy or go exploring on your own.
Please note this tour does NOT visit Amsterdam. Should you wish to visit, it would be easy to go on your own before or after our tour.
Why You’ll Love This Tour!
Dine in an exquisite vegan restaurant, situated in an historic train car
Explore several small historic cities by boat
Feast during a vegan food tour in Utrecht
Click the Tabs to Find Out More
Essential Info
Essential Info
Price
$4625 USD/per person
*A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the tour cost, along with a registration form, are required in order to join the tour. Your space is not guaranteed until both of these are received.
Dates
May 17-25, 2025
Tour duration
8 nights/9 days
Group size
10-12 people
Included
- 8 nights accommodations (your own hotel room)
- 8 breakfasts
- 7 lunches
- 7 dinners
- All activities
- Arrival transfer
- Transportation between cities
- Everything is taken care of for you
Not included
- Airfare
- Travel insurance
What to bring
- Comfortable shoes
- Travel insurance is highly recommended for any unexpected emergency expenses.
About your guide
This tour will be led by Kim Giovacco
Trip Overview
We will meet at Amsterdam airport and take the train to Utrecht, where we’ll enjoy a vegan food tour before training to our hotel in Rotterdam.
Our first full day will be spent in Rotterdam and its environs. On Day 3, we’ll have a walking tour of Rotterdam and also see the oldest part of the city.
Day 4 will take us on day trips to the quaint cities of Delft and The Hague. The next day we’ll visit Rotterdam’s new modern area before transferring to our hotel in Ghent.
On Day 6 we’ll explore Ghent with two walking tours. A day trip to Bruges will happen on Day 7, and there will be some free time there.
Day 8, our last full day, will have a walking tour in Ghent, and then some time to explore on your own. Our tour will end the next day after breakfast.
Itinerary
Please arrive at Amsterdam airport by noon. We’re going to hit the ground running by taking the train to the lovely Utrecht, known for its Medieval buildings, the largest university in the Netherlands, and cool canals. We’ll enjoy a vegan food tour, which will serve as our dinner. Then we’ll train to Rotterdam, where our rooms will be waiting for us after a busy start to the tour.
On our first full day, pay a visit to Miniature World Rotterdam, where the miniature cityscape will give you an overview of the city and its countryside. Think of a model train setup on steroids to grasp the size of this exhibit. After lunch, we’ll take a leisurely boat ride to Kinderdjik, the UNESCO site comprising 19 iconic 18th-century windmills. Dinner will be back in Rotterdam, at a very special vegan restaurant located in an historic train car.
Meals Included
Day 1: Dinner
Day 2: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
The next morning will take us on an art and architecture tour through the city. After Rotterdam was heavily bombed during World War II, it was rebuilt with some dramatic modern buildings. There is also a treasure trove of outdoor art blended into the fabric of the city. After lunch, we will visit the historic quarter of the city that survived the bombing. Dinner will be at one of the city’s many fabulous vegan restaurants.
Day trips to the charming small cities of Delft and The Hague will be on our agenda the next day. Delft is strewn with canals and was the home of Dutch Master painter Johannes Vermeer, and we’ll discover the area with a walking tour. We’ll then take a short train ride to The Hague, where we’ll have lunch and another walking tour, before visiting Mauritshuis, a small world-class art museum showing the works of Rembrandt and Vermeer, among others. Dinner will be in The Hague before training back to Rotterdam.
Meals Included
Day 3: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 4: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
On the next morning, we’ll be led by an architect to Rotterdam’s very cool new city, where former industrial areas are being converted into new sustainable buildings and projects. After a last meal in Rotterdam, we’ll take the train to Ghent, a gorgeous university town with medieval architecture and a pedestrianized center. After checking into our hotel we’ll have a boat tour of the city, and then dinner. After dinner we’ll take a walk to see the city’s historic and picturesque buildings all lit up.
Ghent is known as a very sustainable and green city, and the next morning we’ll embark on an eco tour, which will visit several vegan-friendly local businesses. After lunch, we’ll have a walking tour of two beautiful medieval districts in Ghent. Before dinner, you’ll have a bit of time to explore on your own.
Meals Included
Day 5: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 6: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
The next day we’ll take the train to famous Bruges, another beautiful, medieval, and canal-filled small city. We’ll have a private walking tour followed by lunch, and then a relaxing canal boat ride. You’ll then have a few hours to explore on your own. After dinner in Bruges, we’ll take the train back to Ghent.
On our last full day, we’ll have a tour of one of Ghent’s beguinages. Beguines were dedicated, single women who formed a community together. They took vows of obedience and chastity and were able to provide for themselves by sewing, weaving, and knitting. The beguinage we will visit was built in 1662. After lunch you will have an afternoon of free time to explore, or pack for tomorrow’s departure, before we gather for our last dinner of the tour.
The tour will end after breakfast on the final day.
Meals Included
Day 7: Breakfast and dinner
Day 8: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 9: Breakfast
Good to Know
Amount of walking: 5-8 miles per day (approximate)
Please fly into Amsterdam (AMS). We will meet at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. You may wish to fly home from Brussels (BRU).
NOTE: THIS TOUR DOES NOT VISIT AMSTERDAM, EXCEPT FOR MEETING AT THE AIRPORT.
Previous Guests Praise Veg Jaunts and Journeys
A little extra payment for your time! Thanks so much for all the help and research, it decreased my stress a lot to work with you. Our trip was so great! Excellent recommendations, and we can’t thank you enough! The resort was a real treat, very very nice. La Gomera was the perfect counter balance. Our stay at the inn was magical-charming, cozy and perfect. Thank you so much for the great recommendations!! It really did make for an amazing vegan honeymoon and vacation!
I love having a vegan travel agent. Thank you so much for thinking of these details. It will be great to have this all planned out and all I have to do is execute the plan.
