16-Day / 15-Night Stay & Explore Belgium & Southwest France – Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Kinderdijk, Toulouse, Carcassonne, Albi & Pyrenees Villages

Destinations: Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, Kinderdijk, Toulouse, Carcassonne, Albi, Cordes-sur-Ciel

Duration: 16 Days / 15 Nights
Tour Type: Stay & Explore – Small Group with Optional Excursions
Ideal For: Culture Enthusiasts, Culinary Lovers, History Buffs, First-Time Europe Visitors

This Stay & Explore Tour combines the comfort of a central base in Antwerp and Toulouse with immersive cultural experiences. Discover Belgium’s medieval cities, world-famous chocolates, windmills of the Netherlands, and the scenic Pyrenees. Perfect for travelers who prefer leisurely mornings, optional excursions, and deep local experiences.

🛫 Day 01 – Tuesday: Depart for Belgium

• Board your flight to Belgium and begin your European adventure.

🏨 Day 02 – Wednesday: Arrive Brussels & Transfer to Antwerp

• Arrive in Brussels and transfer to Antwerp

• Check into your hotel and relax

• Evening orientation with your Belgian Tour Manager at 6 PM, followed by a welcome reception

Overnight: Antwerp

🍫 Day 03 – Thursday: Chocolate Nation & Antwerp Walking Tour

• Visit Chocolate Nation, Belgium’s ultimate chocolate experience: see live demonstrations and savor samples

• Guided walking tour of Antwerp: Diamond District, Renaissance Town Hall, Cathedral of Our Lady, and the unique marketplace

• Afternoon at leisure to explore this historic port city independently

Overnight: Antwerp
Meals: Breakfast

🏰 Day 04 – Friday: Medieval Bruges & Ghent

• Explore Bruges, the “Venice of the North”: Beguinage Convent, Market Square, Belfry, Chapel of the Holy Blood

• Afternoon visit to Ghent: St. Bavo Cathedral, Church of St. Nicholas, Belfry, Cloth Hall

• Return to Antwerp for overnight

Overnight: Antwerp
Meals: Breakfast

⛴️ Day 05 – Saturday: Free Day or Optional Half-Day Ghent with Traditional Dinner

• Free day to explore Antwerp at leisure

• Optional: Afternoon tour to Ghent with guided walking tour, St. Bavo Cathedral, and a traditional Belgian dinner

Overnight: Antwerp
Meals: Breakfast
Optional: Half-Day Ghent with Dinner

🌬️ Day 06 – Sunday: Dutch Windmills & Historic Dutch Towns

• Visit the UNESCO Kinderdijk Windmill Park, featuring 19 windmills from the 1700s

• Explore Dordrecht’s maritime heritage

• Visit Willemstad: Mauritshuis, De Koepelkerk, d’Orangemolen, and Old Town Hall

• Return to Antwerp for overnight

Overnight: Antwerp
Meals: Breakfast

🏙️ Day 07 – Monday: Free Day in Antwerp or Optional Brussels City Tour

• Leisure day in Antwerp or join the optional Brussels city tour: Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Royal Palace, Museum District, Palace of Justice

• Explore at your own pace and enjoy local cuisine before returning to Antwerp

Overnight: Antwerp
Meals: Breakfast
Optional: Brussels City Tour

🍺 Day 08 – Tuesday: Optional Mechelen Brewery Visit or Keukenhof Gardens

• Optional Mechelen with Het Anker Brewery: Palace of Margaret of Austria, St. Rumbold’s Cathedral, Beguinage, sample Gouden Carolus ales

• Seasonal optional: Keukenhof Gardens (March 20–May 11), Europe’s largest flower gardens

• Return to Antwerp via Rotterdam panoramic tour

• Farewell dinner in Antwerp

Overnight: Antwerp
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Optional: Mechelen Brewery Visit or Keukenhof Gardens

🛫 Day 09 – Wednesday: Flight to Toulouse

• Transfer to Brussels Airport for your flight to Toulouse

• Afternoon at leisure

• Evening orientation with your French Tour Manager at 6 PM

Overnight: Toulouse
Meals: Breakfast

🚶 Day 10 – Thursday: Toulouse Walking Tour

• Explore Toulouse: Capitole Square, Capitole de Toulouse, Opera House

• Stroll through the city’s pink-hued architecture

• Visit UNESCO-listed Saint-Sernin Basilica, an important stop along the Camino de Santiago

Overnight: Toulouse
Meals: Breakfast

🏰 Day 11 – Friday: Carcassonne Excursion

• Travel through the Languedoc region to Carcassonne

• Explore the medieval citadel: St. Nazaire Basilica, ramparts, defensive towers

• Taste local specialties like cassoulet and sample regional wines

• Return to Toulouse for overnight

Overnight: Toulouse
Meals: Breakfast

🌄 Day 12 – Saturday: Free Day or Optional Lourdes & Pic du Jer Funicular

• Optional Lourdes Tour: Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, sanctuary, grotto

• Ascend Pic du Jer via funicular for panoramic views of the Pyrenees

• Optional Traditional Southwestern French Dinner at a local restaurant

Overnight: Toulouse
Meals: Breakfast
Optional: Lourdes Tour & Funicular, Traditional Dinner

🎨 Day 13 – Sunday: Albi & Cordes-sur-Ciel

• Visit Albi: Sainte-Cecile Cathedral, Palais de la Berbie, Toulouse-Lautrec Museum

• Explore medieval Cordes-sur-Ciel and Saint-Michel Church

• Enjoy local cuisine specialties, including duck confit

Overnight: Toulouse
Meals: Breakfast

🏘️ Day 14 – Monday: Free Day or Optional Mirepoix & Pyrenees Villages

• Optional day tour: Mirepoix farmers market, Gothic Cathedral, Montbrun-Bocage & Carla Bayle villages

• Discover local crafts, culinary delights, and picturesque village life

Overnight: Toulouse
Meals: Breakfast
Optional: Mirepoix & Pyrenees Villages

🐴 Day 15 – Tuesday: Free Day or Optional Auvillar & Donkey Farm / Traditional Crafts Experience

• Optional Auvillar Donkey Farm Experience: Learn about donkeys, soap-making, and farm life

• Seasonal alternative: Traditional Crafts & Trades Museum Experience, exploring woodworking, blacksmithing, and weaving

• Farewell dinner in Toulouse

Overnight: Toulouse
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Optional: Auvillar Donkey Farm / Crafts Museum Experience

🛫 Day 16 – Wednesday: Depart France

• Transfer to Toulouse Airport for your departure flight

• End of tour

Meals: Breakfast

✅ Stay & Explore Package Includes

• Flights: New York–Brussels, Toulouse–New York; intra-flight Brussels–Toulouse

• 14 nights First Class accommodations: 7 nights Antwerp, 7 nights Toulouse

• 16 meals: 14 breakfasts, 2 dinners

• Modern air-conditioned motor coach sightseeing

• Services of 2 English-speaking tour managers (Belgium & France)

• Local guides in key cities

• Hotel taxes, fees, porterage, and wireless earphones for enhanced touring

• Balance of included and optional tours for flexibility

🌟 Tour Highlights

• Explore Belgium’s chocolate heritage at Chocolate Nation

• Medieval Bruges and Ghent walking tours

• UNESCO Windmills at Kinderdijk

• Toulouse’s pink architecture and Saint-Sernin Basilica

• Medieval Carcassonne, Albi, Cordes-sur-Ciel

• Optional Lourdes pilgrimage, Pyrenees funicular, Auvillar Donkey Farm, and Mirepoix Village

• Enjoy local Belgian and French culinary experiences, including traditional cassoulet and craft beers