River cruises offer guests the chance to get up-close and personal with their surroundings. Land is never out of sight, and the beautiful passing countryside combined with the “unpack once” convenience of a cruise has made river cruising one of the most popular ways to explore Europe.

One itinerary in particular has proven to be exceptionally popular, especially for beginning river cruisers: the famous springtime Tulips and Windmills voyages.

Typically operated between late March and early May, these river cruises sail throughout the Netherlands and Belgium, and offer guests the chance to experience the rich history of these regions along with their natural springtime beauty and famous flowers. In fact, more than 70 percent of the world’s flower supply comes from this one region alone; impressive if you consider how many flowers there are.

So popular are these cruises that they’re offered by nearly every river cruise line, including AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Tauck World Discovery, Uniworld, and Viking River Cruises. If you’ve never been to this region of Northern Europe before, or have never taken a river cruise, these voyages are the perfect starting point.

Not into flowers or windmills? There’s still plenty to enjoy here. The Netherlands is famous for its cheese, and there’s nothing like “real” Belgian chocolate to stimulate the taste buds.

So what does a typical Tulips and Windmills itinerary look like? Have a look at this itinerary operated by AmaWaterways [read more]