Excursion tour to Belgium and France: Christmas in medieval Flanders

Departing in the morning, we will start our journey through Flanders in Maastricht, the oldest city in the Netherlands. Today, the city on the Maas River, whose history dates back to Roman times, is the most "non-Dutch" city in the Netherlands. On the tour we will see the oldest church in the Netherlands, the Basilica of St. Servatius, admire the Baroque town hall and Flemish mansions. By evening we will go to the "diamond capital" of the world Antwerp, learn what inheritance Rubens left, see the masterpiece of flaming Gothic - the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp. It's time to go to the hotel.

In the morning, the capital of East Flanders awaits us - the austere beauty of Ghent. It is impossible to remain indifferent to truly beautiful old buildings, alleys, cobbled streets and marvelous embankments. From St. Michael's Bridge we admire one of the most beautiful cityscapes in Europe - the towers of Belfort and St. Bavon Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church. In the cathedral we admire the unique Ghent altar of Van Eyck brothers. And by lunch we move to the capital of West Flanders - fabulous Bruges, as if frozen in XIII-XV centuries. In its historic part, fully included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, there are more than two thousand sights, including the Basilica of the Holy Blood, the Cathedral of Our Lady and the Gothic City Hall. At the cathedral, stand in awe before the marble statue of the Madonna, the only creation of the genius Michelangelo outside Italy. In the evening we transfer to French Flanders. Overnight at the hotel.

Let's start with a short excursion in Arras, whose prosperity is literally created by its inhabitants - skillful weavers - with their own hands. We will see the lace of mansions on the Great and Small squares of the city. And to finish, the former capital of Flanders, Lille. We will see the pearl of modern architecture - the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Vine, General de Gaulle Square with the Goddess Column, the Theater and Palace of Rioure on the square of the same name. Return to Germany in the evening.