Tulips and Taittinger on a Rhine river cruise

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Amsterdam’s canals are fed by the waters of the Rhine, where my cruise on board Riverside Debussy began. Just like the gentle piano in Clair de Lune, a piece by the ship’s namesake composer, these waterways are serene and reflective – a welcome contrast to the Dutch capital’s busy streets.

 

On my first evening on Riverside Luxury Cruises’ Romantic Rhine itinerary – one of the line’s most popular routes – we were welcomed into Amsterdam with an evening excursion on a traditional canal boat.

 

Delectable desserts and seemingly bottomless flutes of Taittinger were served as we sailed, while a guide pointed out the sights, an accordion player kept the mood lively and the dozens of bridges we passed beneath lit up as dusk descended.

 

The line makes a point of serving local produce, so the canal boat briefly stopped to collect bitterballen, delicious Dutch meaty croquettes that taste best when dipped in sweet mustard. Having missed dinner, I impressed the guide with my appetite.

 

Tulips at Keukenhof

 

As enticing as Amsterdam’s nightlife might be, our alarms were set for a 7.30am departure to see Keukenhof, a former aristocratic hunting ground turned into a 79-acre tulip garden. Thanks to our comfy coach transfer, we arrived shortly after the 8am opening, so the gardens were peaceful and quiet.

 

“The tulip originally comes from Central Asia,” said our guide, Bert. “There are over 3,000 varieties of tulips, and the bulbs at Keukenhof are hand-planted.”

 

That’s quite a task, considering Keukenhof gardeners plant around seven million tulip bulbs every year. The gardens are open from March to May, but the best time to see the tulips is the middle of April, Bert explained.

 

Spring departures get booked up far in advance, so clients wanting to see this next year would do well to book sooner rather than later.

 

For just over an hour, I roamed the dazzling gardens before people started streaming in. I found a sense of tranquillity on long, winding gravel paths that offered plenty of photo stops, including a windmill embraced by bright beds of tulips. Blossom drifted from the trees like snow and all around there were bursts of colour set against fresh spring grass.

 

On board the Riverside Debussy