Art History in Belgium and Holland

This program was a delight that let me learn about a time and place (and the art of that time and place) in the company of expert and passionate guides and with great traveling companions!

This was a fabulous trip! The people who traveled with us were like family soon after we met. We shared ideas and knowledge about art. Our hearts beat faster as we stood in front of paintings from the 17th century and earlier that were not destroyed by wars or vandals and we mourned those that were. Food was a delight as in every Road Scholar tour. Many new tastes! And the various guides procured at last minute due to Covid were excellent. That brings me to our leader, a Nederlander himself, who led a tour for the first time and was very very special to each person traveling with him! I would love to go back to the first day and relive it all!

I enjoyed the trip overall. The location of the Brussels hotel in the train station was very convenient to get to, but the neighborhood was not so great. Less to see around there than most of the other cities. The hotel food was pretty good. The hotel was good. Ghent was nice. The food was pretty good. The hotel was nice. Amsterdam was nice. The hotel and the neighborhood were very nice. The two group dinners at the hotel were very disappointing. It seemed as if the restaurant was closed and they did not have enough staff on hand to prepare the food properly or give adequate service. The food was stunningly bland for those two meals. The breakfasts at all the hotels were very good. I don't know much about Belgian and Dutch art, but I did enjoy the lectures and the museums. The guided city walks were good, but the rain didn't help much. Something I would like to see in the future is more of a focus on local foods in different countries. As a specific example from past trips, I did not go to Madrid to eat Chicken Tikka Masala.

Marvelous! Enjoyed it immensely.Great immersion into art.Ronald,was particularly helpful,great guide!

This trip is a major lifetime experience.

This art program was enjoyed by the many participants with art/art history backgrounds, also by the few participants like me to whom everything was new.

A whirlwind tour of a center of culture. I could see myself repeating it in the future.

I learned SO much about Flemiah art on this trip. I really liked all the places we visited, even though I had been to most of them before. Group leader and experts were all outstending. I'm so glad I went. After I got home, I signed up for RS Spanish Art trip in the fall.

With a lifelong interest in painters and art history I loved this tour. It focused on the classics of western two dimensional art which was fine enough, but another really fun part was the free time when I went to see contemporary art. The trip to the Kroller muller museum in the countryside was great, they have a lot of contemporary sculpture on their beautiful grounds.

If you love art history and want to see an amazing grouping of Old Masters, this is the trip for you. I had wanted to see the Ghent Altarpiece for 50 years, and we had plenty of time to see it in person and also parts under restoration at the Museum. Road Scholar engaged an amazing art historian to teach us in Amsterdam, take us to the Rijksmuseum and provide us with multiple lectures. If you love art, you will enjoy this trip.

Got a great overview of the development of art of the low countries.

I am still making up my mind as to whether the art and museums (magnificent) were worth the discomfort and inadequate meals. So far it's a draw. We were left to our own devices for more meals than I would have preferred. At one scheduled group meal, I and another traveler were left waiting for our plates - the restauranteur had miscounted the number of orders and two of us got our plates noticeably later than the others. I may be influenced by having gotten covid, perhaps partly due to being cold, damp and hungry. But the art was magnificent. As a single traveler, it was not easy to find meals by myself, and Belgian waiters were reluctant to give separate checks to groups of singles.

A wonderful trip. Glad I got to participate.

This is a great program if you like being good people who share your interests, art, food, new cultural experiences, chocolate and learning. What more can one want?

This program is packed with Art History and provides exceptional guidance, lectures, personal guided tours (using Whisper electronic devices in Museums). Every day was a feast for the eyes and it is quite amazing the number of cities covered, Museums included (some of which would not be easily reached if not for the coach and planning) I can't imagine wasting a moment without the careful planning, transportation arranged, wonderful lectures and tours. The flight was the worst ever, the weather was good/bad, but the program itself is something I'll continue to cherish as I continue to study and read about this very important part of the world

If you’re looking for more than an introduction to the art history of Belgium and the Netherlands, this tour will not disappoint. Beautifully orchestrated to lay before you a broad perspective on this region and its fascinating art collections.

Great program, if you love art and art history this program is for you, you will not be disappointed!

I enjoyed a wonderful trip to Belgium and the Netherlands. The lectures, guides, museum visits and outings to many places in both countries were very enjoyable. Our guide Carmen was wonderful. She was great in making last minute changes when necessary to ensure that we had the best trip ever! I highly recommend this trip!

I have just gotten back from this wonderful trip! The itinerary was perfect for me for I have painted in oil for the past 12 years, painting in the technique of underpainting and glazing, as the Old Masters did. It was a very special trip for me to go to these museums I have heard so much about and be able to see the works of Vermeer, Rembrandt, Rubens, Hals, Steen, Bruegel the Elder and so many more. A side day trip to an old preserved Dutch village on the sea was an added bonus and we all loved it. Our program was very well guided by our program leader Carmen, who not only is a native of Amsterdam who was extremely familiar with the area, but also a very kind person who made sure we were comfortable and enjoying the program. Our other guides were very knowledgeable with one being so skilled in his presentations, (Max) that I think he should have his own TV show! And I got to see the Anne Frank house in my free time, which was really a lifelong dream for me. In addition to many canal rides and going to the Dutch village, I would add one more relaxing day learning about Dutch people, habits, lifestyles, etc. My only complaint was the hotel food for our dinners. Very heavy on beef/meat. From Jennie

This tour is an awesome opportunity to see and learn about wonderful art and culture whether you are new or experienced in art! However, I would caution you to believe the level of activity needed on this trip and be prepared!!!

This is a wonderful trip for people who wish to learn about Flemish art. The art historians and docents were, for the most part, not only very knowledgeable but able to impart great enthusiasm. Christine, the art historian in Ghent, discussed the Ghent Altarpiece so eloquently! Max, the art historian in Amsterdam, was a great story-teller and had an infectious energy. I particularly appreciated their discussions on some of the lesser known artworks by artists who are not renown but were nevertheless talented. It introduced a pool of artists that I’d like to learned more about. The opportunity to examine the masterpieces up close was a real treat! It was a bit disappointing that the Ghent Altarpiece was kept away from visitors at a slight distance behind plexiglass enclosure. That, plus its size, made it more difficult to see parts that Christine highlighted in her lecture. However, it was made up by the close access of “Madonna with Canon van der Paele”. A breathtaking piece that fully displayed the magic Jan van Eyck could create with his paintbrush! Seeing the masterpieces in person evoked in me a stronger appreciation for these masters’ genius than reproductions. Our tour leader, Carmen, was able to adapt quickly to any unexpected situations, making sure the solution would work for everyone in the group. Very thoughtful! The two hotels we stayed at were both conveniently located. Some in the group were lucky to get river-view rooms at Ghent River, while some others, including myself, had the inner rooms. The issue with the inner rooms was a choice had to be made between privacy and natural light, since they faced patio/parking area that allowed people to walk right up to the windows and peer in. Not all rooms had all the same amenities. Park Plaza also had a similar issue with some rooms being brighter and better than others. Overall, I would give the program content, the tour leader, and experts, a 5 but accommodation a 4.

I loved participating in this program. I learned so much about the art and history of the Low Countries and got to see so many different cities. The hotels were wonderful. The food was amazing and there was so much of it! I highly recommend this program.

If you like art, this is a wonderful trip. I learned so much which added to my enjoyment of seeing the actual paintings. And I learned that seeing a reproduction is not comparable with seeing the actual art work. They are so much more beautiful in person. The instructors and museum guides were very knowledgeable. Our group guide was excellent. And staying in only 2 towns, traveling from them to other sites was very nice.

If you're interested in the history and art of Belgium and The Netherlands, this program provides an excellent introduction.

I loved this trip! We stayed one week in Belgium, and one in the Netherlands, and we really got a feel for each country. I loved being based in Ghent the first week, and exploring Belgium from there. Then we stayed near the Vondelpark in the Netherlands which was another great location. We got to see so many paintings in both countries. We also had some outstanding lecturers including: Max, Feddie ( in Rotterdam, and Robert in Belgium. Carmen was a fantastic leader who helped us so much along the way. This was my third RS trip. My last trip was to Italy, and this trip complements that one perfectly. Road Scholar makes me feel like a better educated human being, after I complete my journeys. Thank you Road Scholar! Nancy

I enjoyed the museum visits in various small cities with a guide and met a group of people I would not have met in my everyday life course. We all appreciated the art and good food; everyone in the group was friendly and courteous. Rate above outstanding rating: 1. Carmen, the team leader, caught the problematic situations quickly and tried to compensate for whatever she could to accommodate. She is an asset to the RS and future RS participants. 2. Museum guides in Brussels (Joe) and Amsterdam (Max) are excellent art historians. Rate below average rating: 1. Ghent River Hotel: The air conditioner in the room didn't work well. 2. Ghent River Hotel: dinner menu could improve. 3. Lecturer in Ghent: Her presentation skills could improve. 4. Ascension Day in Bruges, Belgium: We didn't have seats to watch the parade. So it was impossible to see. 5. Royal Delft Museum visit: the objective of the visit was not clear. I wish I had: 1. A list of various good restaurants in town. 2. Fewer dinners at the Ghent River Hotel. Overall, it was a great trip with good people. [4 stars!]

One-star. Heartbreaking, dismal and disappointing with a lot of missing content, day trips structured so that we were in cities on days when their museums were closed although important sights elsewhere were open. It seems as if the organization has collapsed in the Netherlands and at the "RS Europe office" one of the leaders referred to. I did NOT experience this with my extremely well-run RS trip in France Oct. 2021 where there still seems to be a strong, highly functioning organization in place. I very sadly do not recommend this program for 2022. Perhaps they will be back on track in 2023 with this formerly wonderful itinerary and experience.

This trip was a terrible disappointment. I know there are post-pandemic challenges but Road Scholar should have cancelled this trip because they were not prepared and the program planning was awful. We missed two major art museum visits because Road Scholar scheduled our tour on the one day of the week when the museum was closed. The schedule could have been arranged so we would see all of the museums that were in the program. When we called Road Scholar to ask if the problem could be corrected (there was time to re-arrange two days late in the trip so this did not happen a second time), they told us they could do nothing yet our trip leaders told us that Road Scholar was responsible. This was my 10th Road Scholar trip and I had so many great memories of traveling with RS. But after this experience I do not plan to travel with Road Scholar in the near future.

I recently completed the first offering of this tour since the CoVid 2 year interruption. This trip itinerary has been adversely affected by the losses of the CoVid years. Whereas hotels were of good quality and location, daily content was often not as described in itinerary and final packet. 50% of art history specialty lectures were missing, all those of the first week. 2 field trips to museums, Bruges/Groeninge & Haarlem/Hals were absent content since trip was made on a Monday when museums were closed. And, the group expressed general dissatisfaction with half the included dinners, all the one’s at hotel in Amsterdam and one local restaurant in Ghent which was an inappropriate selection, Amadeus All You Can Eat Ribs which seemed to be temporally related to illness in at least one group participant. This has been a long running tour and highly sought after in the past. I would recommend that anyone interested wait a year or two for this program to be rehabilitated. Andrea, May 2022

I write this review with mixed feelings. This trip gave me the opportunity to travel again. I visited excellent museums, gained new knowledge via lectures and tour guides, and connected with other travelers. I was very impressed with our leaders, Nemanja and Carmen. Because of Covid, there were some changes in our schedule and personnel, but I did not find these changes difficult. On day #1 a museum staff and a walking guide had to cancel because of Covid. This is when the trip took a turn. In our group of 18, there were 5-6 who complained incessantly about the schedule changes, even though Nemanja diplomatically explained the situation. From our first day-- to the last, this group complained or should I say ranted. It was difficult. In spite of this situation, I will continue to make Road Scholar my choice for group travel! Judy Diehl

We couldn't have been happier with our recent Road Scholar trip to Ghent and Amsterdam for the art, history and culture. The leaders were fabulous, well organized and the other participants were easy going and interesting.

A thorough & fascinating look at Dutch & Flemish art, art history and culture with enjoyable visits to a variety of picturesque cities.

This itinerary is perfect for tracing how art in the Low Countries developed from the late medieval time in Flanders through the Dutch Golden Age, while spending enough time in both Belgium and Holland enjoy their separate characters.