France, Belgium & Netherlands Performance Tour

Canals and crocuses. Bicycles and bluebells. With more canals than Venice and countless flower merchants, downtown Amsterdam bursts with color and light reflecting off the water. Take a canal boat ride for the best views of gabled houses and nearly 1,200 bridges. Note: Cruises may be guided by a local or pre-recorded audio.

Take a tour of Anne Frank's house, where three Jewish families hid for more than two years during World War II and where Anne’s famous diary was written. Explore the secret annex where her family lived before being betrayed and deported to concentration camps.

Enjoy performances at churches (some have restricted sacred repertoire and others allow secular,) temples, museums and cultural centers, significant historic sights or exchange concerts with local schools, universities or community groups. For all performances we work closely with each group to ensure the perfect venue to meet their vision. Speak with your WorldStrides representative about what options would be best for your group.

Experience the Van Gogh Museum that houses the largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh in the world. Witness the artist's developments and compare his paintings to works by other artists from the 19th century in the collection.

Explore Brussels with your Tour Director, from the cobblestone Grand-Place with its gilded façades and 15th-century Town Hall to the playful Manneken Pis. Visit the Cathédrale des Sts-Michel-et-Gudule, then enjoy the city’s mix of Art Nouveau, history, and Belgian treats.

We will visit the Maison Du Roi, which houses the Museum of the City of Brussels, and whose collection spans the history of the applied arts in Brussels.

Enjoy performances at churches (some have restricted sacred repertoire and others allow secular,) temples, museums and cultural centers, significant historic sights or exchange concerts with local schools, universities or community groups. Participating in a choral or cultural festival can also be a rewarding experience. For all performances we work closely with each group to ensure the perfect venue to meet their vision. Speak with your Worldstrides representative about what options would be best for your group.

Marvel at the intricate Romanesque and Gothic architecture and stunning stained glass windows as you explore this landmark cathedral known as the original home of the famous Bayeux Tapestry.

Explore the remains of this World War II German defense battery, which played a key role on D-Day. Visit the original gun emplacements, tour the bunkers, and learn about the site’s strategic importance.

Visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer that honors American troops who died in Europe during World War II.

Take in Paris on foot, strolling wide boulevards, manicured parks, and lively streets filled with cafés and flower stalls. Cross to the Île de la Cité to view the storied Notre-Dame Cathedral, centerpiece of French history, then wander the charming Île St. Louis and the vibrant Latin Quarter, rich with student life and culture.

The world’s largest art museum, the Louvre, is housed in a former medieval fortress and entered through I.M. Pei’s striking glass pyramid. Inside, discover masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory, along with vast collections of Egyptian antiquities, Greek ceramics, and works spanning seven departments. Please note: The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.

Tuileries was originally the name of an old tiles factory. Yet, in the sixteen century, the queen of France, Marie de Medicis, ordered to build a castle with a long French garden at this place. Parisians used to call this new building the Tuileries Palace. During three centuries the garden was exclusively reserved for the court and the King. During the nineteen century, the Tuileries palace became the residence of Napoleon I, Louis XVIII, Charles X, Louis-Phillipe and Napoleon III. In 1871, Parisians burnt down the castle of Tuileries, during the last French Revolution and the insurrection of Paris. However, the garden kept its 17th-century design and became a popular place, always crowded in summer time.

Tonight we will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant in the Latin Quarter, a section of the city that dates back to the Roman times; it is generally associated with artists, intellectuals, and political unrest.

Line up to climb to the top floor of this iconic landmark for a spectacular bird’s-eye view of the glittering City of Light.

Visit the Musée d’Orsay, housed in a former railway station on the Seine. The museum showcases French art from 1848 to 1915 and is renowned for its Impressionist masterpieces by Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Cézanne.

Potential venues include (but not limited to): La Trinité, where Messiaen served as organist and where Hector Berlioz had his funeral, Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, The American Church in Paris, and the Église de la Madeleine, which is another of our most popular venues for attracting good audiences. Finally, the Église St-Roch regularly hosts concerts. It is an excellent venue for visiting choirs and has good facilities and very organized publicity.

Discover Montmartre on a Tour Director-led walk through the hilltop neighborhood that inspired artists like Picasso and Van Gogh. Stroll the lively Place du Tertre, where painters still work today, see the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret, and climb to the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur for sweeping views over Paris.