TRIP PROGRAM

At the indicated time, group meeting at Madrid Barajas T4 airport. Departure to take the Iberia flight to Brussels.

                         09.05:11.25h Madrid XNUMX:XNUMXh Brussels

Arrival at the airport and transfer to Groot-Bijgaarden to visit FLORALIA.

We begin our Flemish journey with a visit to the Groot-Bijgaarden Castle park, founded in the 14th century, but remodeled during the following centuries. During the month of April, the owners, the Pilgrims family, open the doors to the spectacular 14-hectare park that the castle's gardeners turn into a wonderful carpet of colors by hand-planting more than a million bulbs. During the month of April, the owners, the Pelgrims family, open the doors to the spectacular 400-hectare park, which the castle's gardeners have turned into a wonderful carpet of color with more than a million hand-planted bulbs. The protagonists of this floral exhibition, named Floralia, are tulips represented by almost XNUMX varieties, accompanied by hyacinths, daffodils and other bulbs.

Next, lunch at a local restaurant.

Transfer to Antwerp, arrival and accommodation at the Franq**** hotel, a member of the prestigious Relais Chateux luxury hotel chain for three nights with breakfast included.

The vibrant city of Antwerp, the second in Belgium, with a very important port, is characterized by combining tradition with avant-garde while breathing a great multicultural fusion.

Depart from the hotel for a brief walking tour of the historic center of the city. We will visit its iconic train station, known as the Railway Cathedral, the emblematic Line chocolate store - located in an 84th century building, the Sint Andries neighborhood, where the passion for Antwerp fashion is palpable, home to one of the most important design academies today. We will also pass by one of the many jewelry stores in the city, since Antwerp is the world's diamond capital (XNUMX% of rough diamonds pass through this city). We will also visit its Plaza Mayor, the Grote Markt with its traditional Flemish architecture. Accommodation.

 Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure from the hotel for a walking tour of the historic center of the city.

We started the morning with a visit to the Plantin Moretus museum; the first museum inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. A printing press and publishing house from the Renaissance and Baroque, of exceptional architectural value, containing numerous testimonies of the life and work of the printing press. We admire the oldest printing presses in the world, its library, a magnificent art collection and a wonderful garden.

Next, we will visit the grandiose Antwerp Cathedral, one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in Flanders. Built between the 14th and 16th centuries, it houses some of the most famous paintings by Rubens, the most famous artist of Antwerp: The triptychs “The Raising of the Cross”, “The Descent from the Cross”, “The Resurrection of Christ”, in addition to the altarpiece “The Assumption of the Virgin”.

Next we will make a brief stop at the lavish baroque church San Carlo Borromeo, which was designed by Rubens.

Lunch in a gastronomic restaurant.

We then immersed ourselves in 17th-century Antwerp by visiting the Rockox-Snijder Museum, two adjacent historic buildings - one that belonged to mayor Nicholas Rockox (which has a beautiful garden) and the other to his neighbor Frans Snijders, a painter of still lifes and animals. The museum has a very good collection of Flemish painting including Rubens, van Dyck, Jordaens, Teniers... As well as tapestries, sculptures and other pieces. Accommodation.

breakfast at the hotel

Transfer to Ghent.

The city of Ghent, located at the confluence of the Lys river with the Scheldt, boasts the largest number of historic buildings in the entire region of Flanders. At the end of the Middle Ages and for a couple of centuries, much of European trade passed through here. Ghent owes its appearance as a fairy-tale city and its great heritage to this period of splendor. After a guided walking tour of the historic center where we can admire the Castle of the Counts of Flanders, the Graslei and Korenlei docks, the Korenmarkt Square and the Belfort Tower, we will visit the Cathedral of Saint Bavo, which houses one of the most famous in all flamenco art: “The Adoration of the Mystical Lamb” by the van Eyck brothers.

Lunch in a gastronomic restaurant.

Transfer to Deinze

Visit to Oidonk Castle, an old medieval fortress. The current building dates back to 1592, when it was transformed into a Renaissance-style pleasure castle. Ooidonk, which is known as the most beautiful castle in Flanders, is undoubtedly an authentic jewel of Flemish-Spanish architecture of the 45th century. Surrounded by XNUMX hectares of manicured parkland, Ooidonk is the residence of the XNUMXth Earl of t'Kint of Roodenbeke and his family. We will visit the interiors dating from the late XNUMXth century when the current owner's ancestor acquired the castle. The great interior designer Alberto Pinto was responsible for some of the exquisite interiors of the XNUMXth century.

Transfer to Antwerp. Free dinner

Breakfast at the hotel.

09.30 Depart the hotel with luggage.

On our last day we will visit the KMSKA, Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp. The museum celebrated its reopening in 2022 after eleven years of remodeling work. History, art and beauty come together in its renovated and expanded galleries. Its new design facilitates an exciting temporal journey, the old masters are gathered in the historical part of the building, while the modern artists are found in the new volume. The innovative proposal offers two museums in one, whose turning point is the Ensor wing, where you can admire the largest collection of the Belgian painter James Ensor.

Before saying goodbye to Antwerp, we will admire some of its acclaimed avant-garde buildings, including the impressive MAS building (Museum aan de Stroom) which is located where the city meets the port, the second most important in Europe. We were also surprised by the bold and futuristic work of Zaha Hadid, the Antwerp Port Offices.

Lunch in a gastronomic restaurant.

Transfer to Bornem. Visit to Bornem Castle, on the banks of the Scheldt River, which at first glance seems to be floating on the water. Founded in the 16th century, it was transformed at the end of the 19th century into a romantic Neo-Renaissance castle by an ancestor of the current owner, the 14th Count John de Marnix de Sainte Aldegonde. After crossing the moat that surrounds the castle, we will visit the sumptuous interiors, where the lace cabinet, the library and, above all, the exceptional collection of engravings by Pieter Brueghel the Elder stand out. It also has a Carriage Museum.

After the guided tour, transfer to Brussels airport to take the Iberia flight back to Madrid.                     

                         19.40:22.10 p.m. Brussels XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. Madrid

                                                                                                             *** END OF OUR SERVICES ***

“I am fascinated by Flanders, this small region in the north of Belgium, which in a very small space houses countless treasures of universal art, vibrant cities where ancient and modern go hand in hand, not to mention its castles, which seem to have come straight out of a fairytale. My favorite is the Groot-Bijgaarden, which at this time displays an exhibition of more than 400 varieties of tulips. It is called Floralia in honor of the Goddess of flowers, gardens and spring. Come with me to explore this flowery heart of Europe!”

Anneli Bojstad, art historian.

Price per person in a double for a group of 15 people………………………………………………. €2.185

Price per person individually for a group of 15 people…………………………………………. €2.590

Request a supplement to fly business and, if you wish, an upgrade to the room type.

• International flights with the Company. Iberia in tourist class with 1 piece of checked luggage per person.
• Accommodation in the indicated hotel or similar hotel of the same category, with breakfast included.
• Coach transfers according to program.
• Spanish-speaking guides according to the program and guides from the indicated museums.
• Lunches in gastronomic restaurants, according to the program (without drinks included).
• Visits with tickets to the museums and monuments mentioned in the program.
• Accompaniment and explanations by Professor Anneli Bojstad.
• MODULAR PLUS EXCELLENCE travel insurance.

• Drinks with meals.
• Tips.
• Any other service not specified in the “price includes” section.

We need a transfer to this account number of €950 per person, the rest of the payment will be requested 1 month before the trip and a copy of the DNI valid for at least 6 months on the return date.

• ENTITY: LA CAIXA – Office 2121 – AV. DE FELIPE II, 18 28009 MADRID
• BENEFICIARY: VS IN AND OUT, SL
• CURRENCY: EUROS
• IBAN: ES33 2100 2121 2102 0041 3147
• BIC (SWIFT): CAIXESBXXXX

(Please indicate as the concept: “CULTURAL TRIP TO FLANDERS APR 2024” with full name and send it by e-mail, to the attention of: belenparpal@viajessingulares.com).

• The order of the visits can be altered respecting the content, if the guide considers it appropriate, for the best development of the trip.
• Prices are calculated based on the rates and their conditions in force. Any change in rates or introduction of new taxes, significant changes in currency exchange, etc., may cause our quotes to vary.
• Any additional service during the trip must be paid by the client.
• To make reservations correctly we need the names and surnames of the passengers, as well as a copy of their valid ID or passport.

(applied after confirmation/payment):

In the event that the client wishes to cancel travel plans, the following penalties will apply (the percentages indicated below are percentages of the total cost of the travel plans, not the amounts paid to date) All dates that The following are working days, that is, from Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 18:00, calculated according to the date and time in Spain:

• 20% from confirmation until 45 days before the first service provided
• 40% from 44 to 25 days before the first service provided
• 60% 24 to 15 days before the first service provided
• 80% 14 to 7 days before the first service provided
• 100% if there are 6 business days or less from the first service provided.

If some hotels/services' cancellation policies are more restrictive than ours, theirs will apply.