Van Gogh Travels

The Vincent van Gogh Gallery, in association with California Traveler (an experienced travel agency for nearly thirty years), presents the first in a new series of vacation packages specifically tailored to travelers with an interest in Vincent van Gogh.

Over the course of fifteen days you and fellow travelers and Van Gogh aficionados will see hundreds of Van Gogh works in some of Europe's most scenic and memorable capitals. Over the next few years I'll be working with California Traveler to design several tours with a focus on the life and extraordinary art works of Vincent van Gogh.

This fifteen night visit to beautiful Northern Europe will begin with three nights in Amsterdam, followed by a cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises' Century for twelve nights. Ports-of-call include the Baltic Capitals of Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn and Copenhagen, with two days in spectacular St. Petersburg.

The Amsterdam package will include three nights at the Schiller Hotel at Rembrandtplein. A hosted cocktail party the first night, followed by two guided day-long visits to include the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, historical Amsterdam, and the usually-missed and incredible Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo.

The Century is a beautiful ship, featuring an on-board gourmet dining experience created by internationally acclaimed Master Chef Michel Roux. Dining at sea doesn’t get any better. On board activities include nightly entertainment, salon and spa, state-of-the-art fitness center, lectures, wine tastings, Photoshop and computer lessons, art auctions, even golf lessons!

All of the ports-of-call are interesting, with the following highlights:

The Celebrity Cruises Motor Vessel Century at sea. 70,606 tonnage, 815 feet long, 105 foot beam width, 22 knot top speed, 14 decks, 1750 guests and 868 crew.

Destination	Description	Van Gogh Works To See
Amsterdam, The Netherlands	For 500 years and still a bustling commercial capital on the North Sea, as well as a cultural center and home to Rembrandt, the Rijksmuseum, the Vincent Van Gogh Museum and the world famous Anne Frank House. During our three night visit we will get to know and appreciate this “Venice of the North.”	205 Van Gogh works on display.
Otterlo, The Netherlands	This village In the Dutch countryside is home to a national park and the Kröller-Müller Museum. This is the second largest collection of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings in the world, and includes the incredible Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum at Night. After we enjoy the paintings we can walk around the grounds or use the complimentary bicycles to enjoy the park and sculpture garden.	87 Van Gogh works on display.
St. Petersburg, Russia	The Century visits St. Petersburg for two full days, which allows enough time for the best of Peter the Great’s now 300 year old Window-to-the-West. Visas are required, but not if a visitor arrives by ship and takes the tours offered by the cruise line and a few select tour operators. Stop number one is usually the Hermitage at the Winter Palace, with its 3,000,000 piece collection, including a dozen rooms of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces. Other favourite stops include the Peter and Paul Cathedral--where the royal crypts are located, St. Isaac’s Cathedral--a magnificent monument that can accommodate 10,000, and the Yusupovs’ Palace--where Rasputin met his end. Two areas in the suburbs shouldn’t be missed: Pushkin – home of the Catherine Palace, and Peterhof – a czar-founded town of parks, palaces and fountains. The Lower Park is the jewel of Peterhof – with 150 fountains, cascades, pavilions and small palaces.	Boats on the Beach of Saintes-Maries
		Lilacs
		Memory of the Garden at Etten
		Morning: Peasant Couple Going to Work (after Millet)
		Portrait of Madame Trabuc
		Spectators in the Arena at Arles
		Thatched Cottages
		Valley with Ploughman Seen from Above
		The White House at Night
Stockholm, Sweden	The Vasa Museum is the most visited museum in Scandinavia – and home to the Vasa, a ship that sank during its first voyage in 1528. It was found in 1950 in remarkably good condition, later restored, and now sits proudly in a museum built for it. The museum also houses over a hundred displays of Vasa artifacts and scenes of shipboard life in the 16th century.	Blossoming Acacia Branches
Klaipeda, Lithuania	Klaipeda is Lithuania’s most important port. At various times since 1252 it has been under the rule of Sweden, Russia, Prussia, Germany, and now Lithuania. Heavily Germanic in language and architecture, it is a favorite destination for German visitors. You’ll have time to see the penguins at the Scandinavian Sea Museum and Aquarium and the Watch and Clock Museum, and bargain shoppers may find Klaipeda to be the Jewel of the Baltic.	No Van Gogh works.
Copenhagen, Denmark	The Little Mermaid, Hamlet's Kronberg Castle, the flowers of Tivoli Gardens, and the changing of the guard at Amalienborg Palace. You can even tour Copenhagen by bicycle!	Mountainous Landscape Behind Saint-Paul Hospital
		Portrait of Père Tanguy
		Still Life: Pink Roses
Tallinn, Estonia	Estonia’s quaint capital was founded in 1154, and its Old World charm welcomes visitors to architectural marvels of centuries past.	No Van Gogh works.
Helsinki, Finland	Beautiful bays and churches, a stunning meld of old and new architecture combine to make Finland's capital city a popular destination.	Village Street in Auvers

The price includes the Amsterdam 3-night package as noted, transfers to the ship, the cruise and all taxes. Air is extra, and insurance is recommended. The prices are per person double occupancy. Single and triple rates are available.

$2,896.00 inside stateroom
$3,386.00 ocean view stateroom
$3,966.00 private verandah stateroom
$4,116.00 concierge class private verandah stateroom.

Please call Patrick Teutschel at California Traveler (phone 800-336-9830 or e-mail: Pat@greatmuseumtours.com) for further information or to confirm your reservation. Mention the Vincent van Gogh Gallery website and you will receive a $50 per person shipboard credit!