Windmills and tulip fields make for pretty postcards, but the real story of Belgium and the Netherlands is told in butter, malt and cacao. Here’s how to taste it, one canal-side stop at a time.
Sample a local treat in Zierikzee, The Netherlands.
A Trip Built Around Food
There’s a version of Europe where the scenery is the whole point. Then there’s the Low Countries, where the scenery is really just the appetizer. Along the rivers and canals of Netherlands and Belgium, food is the main story. Windmills turn, tulip fields go by and somewhere between Amsterdam and Antwerp, a warm waffle ends up in your hand before you even asked for one.
Try a handcrafted beer in the heart of Antwerp.
Chocolate and Beer in Belgium
Belgian chocolate is a good place to start. In Antwerp and Ghent, small family-run shops still make chocolate the old way, melting and mixing it slowly and by hand. Pair a chocolate tasting with a beer tasting and the picture gets even clearer. Belgium’s brewing tradition goes from Trappist ales, made by monks inside historic abbeys, to newer craft beers made by young, creative brewers. Ghent and Bruges are the best places to slow down with a glass and take it all in.
Simple Comforts in the Netherlands
Cross into Netherlands and the food turns cozier. Dutch fries, fried twice and served in a paper cone with mayonnaise, are a real part of daily life in Amsterdam. Stroopwafels — thin waffles with caramel syrup pressed inside — taste best warm, straight from a street stall. And a stop at a cheese market is a must, where big wheels of Gouda and Edam are still stacked, weighed and sold the traditional way.
Dine on locally inspired flavors at Chef’s Table.
Dining Onboard
AmaWaterways builds its menus around wherever you’re cruising, so dinner always connects to what you saw and tasted that day. Expect fresh, local ingredients, a wine and beer list that reflects the region and a breakfast spread with its own take on the classic Dutch waffle. Onshore experiences follow the same idea — guided beer tastings in Ghent or a walk through Antwerp’s chocolate district are part of the included daily activities.
Add a cheese market visit to your day in Delft.
Planning Tips
- Best time to go: Spring cruises (April-May) combine great food with tulip season. Later sailings mean fewer crowds at chocolate shops and breweries.
- Where to focus: Visit Ghent and Bruges for beer and chocolate; Amsterdam and Hoorn for cheese, fries and stroopwafels.
- Dietary needs: Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available on every AmaWaterways ship in Europe, so no one has to miss out.
Solo travelers shouldn’t think twice about this trip. River cruising through Belgium and Netherlands is one of the easiest ways to travel on your own and feel connected. Shared dinner tables, small-group tours and a smaller ship all make it simple to strike up a conversation over a plate of frites or a Trappist beer. AmaWaterways regularly offers solo traveler deals and reduced single-supplement pricing on select sailings.
A trip like this has a lot of moving parts — the right season, the right ports, the right ship, the right cabin for the way you like to travel. That’s where we come in. As your travel agency, we don’t just book the cruise; we match it to you, whether that means finding the sailing with the best food-focused excursions, securing a solo traveler rate or building in extra time in Amsterdam or Bruges before you set sail. We know these itineraries firsthand; we stay on top of AmaWaterways’ current promotions and we’re here for questions before you go and to support you while you’re away. Let us handle the details, so all you have to do is show up hungry.
