Three nights dinner bed & breakfast
Located near peaceful woodland, this modern hotel boasts well-appointed rooms and stylish public areas. Facilities include large restaurant; bar; terrace; gardens and indoor swimming pool. All rooms have walk in showers, and there is a lift to all floors.
SATURDAY A very early morning departure as we make our way to Dover for the channel crossing to Calais, taking a break en route, and continue to our hotel and arriving in time for dinner.
SUNDAY We head north through the lovely Dutch countryside to Enkhuizen. We board the museum ship Friesland for a cruise across Lake Ijsselmeer to Medemblik, with coffee and apple pie on board. Arriving in Medemblik there will be some time at leisure, before our onwards journey via the heritage steam tram to Hoorn, skirting coastline, and passing tulip fields and windmills as it meanders along the pretty Dutch route. From Hoorn we return to Utrecht.
MONDAY A morning visit to Zaanse Schans, a living museum with original buildings dating back to the mid-19th century. Visit the working windmills and see local crafts being made. In the afternoon we visit Simonhoeve Cheese & Clog Farm for a tour. Have a go at walking on clogs, and sample the delicious cheeses. We round off the day with some time at leisure in Utrecht, with its two-tiered medieval streets, canal ways, a 19th-century observatory and the tallest church tower in the Netherlands.
TUESDAY We retrace our steps to Calais (with a short break in Bruges en route) for the return ferry to Dover and continue homeward.