Amsterdam and Paris

Canals and crocuses. Bicycles and bluebells. With more canals than Venice and countless flower merchants, downtown Amsterdam bursts with colour and light reflecting off the water. Take a canal boat ride for the best views of gabled houses and nearly 1,200 bridges. Note: Cruises may be guided by a local or pre-recorded audio.

Take a tour of Anne Frank's house, where three Jewish families hid for more than two years during World War II and where Anne’s famous diary was written. Explore the secret annex where her family lived before being betrayed and deported to concentration camps.

Rijsttafel, meaning “rice table,” is an elaborate Indonesian meal of many small plates served with rice. Popularized in the Netherlands during the Dutch colonization of the East Indies, it remains a celebrated dining tradition.

Amsterdam’s most popular art museum, opened in 1885 to house William V’s collection, now displays masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and other Dutch masters, along with Asian and decorative arts. Highlights include 17th- and 18th-century dollhouses furnished like real homes of the era.

Embark on a cultural excursion to The Hague and Delft. Visit the Mauritshuis Museum, a 17th-century mansion showcasing Dutch Golden Age masterpieces like Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson. Then enjoy a Delft Blue pottery workshop, learning the artistry behind the Netherlands’ iconic blue-and-white ceramics.

Explore Paris with a licensed local guide on a sightseeing tour of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Admire the Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Élysées, stroll the grand boulevard lined with shops and cafés, and see the ornate 19th-century Opera House. Look up at the Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World’s Fair, and visit Les Invalides, Napoleon’s military refuge, along with other historic sites.

The ultimate palace, Versailles was built by Louis XIII and housed the royal family and its groveling court from 1682, when Louis XIV, the Sun King, moved in, until the French Revolution. Everything in Versailles is worth a look, from the 250-foot-long Hall of Mirrors, with themed salons "War" and "Peace" on either side, to the opulent State Apartments that once hosted lavish royal ceremonies. Step outside to explore the magnificent Gardens of Versailles, a masterpiece of landscape design with fountains, sculptures, and grand vistas. Don’t miss Marie Antoinette’s faux country hamlet, where she would escape court life by pretending to be a commoner, tending sheep and wearing peasant clothes. Please note: Versailles is closed on Mondays.

A lively role-play puts you in the shoes of the monarchy, clergy, nobility, bourgeoisie, or peasantry to explore the issues underlying the French Revolution.

See the city from the water on an hour-long cruise along the River Seine. The Seine cuts right through Paris, dividing the city in half. Spot the Eiffel tower rising up on the Left Bank, the walls of the Louvre on the Right Bank. A guide will point out other monuments and architectural marvels as you pass, many of which are illuminated by clear white light at night.

Take in Paris on foot, strolling wide boulevards, manicured parks, and lively streets filled with cafés and flower stalls. Cross to the Île de la Cité to view the storied Notre-Dame Cathedral, centrepiece of French history, then wander the charming Île St. Louis and the vibrant Latin Quarter, rich with student life and culture.

The world’s largest art museum, the Louvre, is housed in a former medieval fortress and entered through I.M. Pei’s striking glass pyramid. Inside, discover masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory, along with vast collections of Egyptian antiquities, Greek ceramics, and works spanning seven departments. Please note: The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.

Discover Montmartre on a Tour Director-led walk through the hilltop neighborhood that inspired artists like Picasso and Van Gogh. Stroll the lively Place du Tertre, where painters still work today, see the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret, and climb to the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur for sweeping views over Paris.