Belgium Self-Guided Tours and Trips

Well planned and had a good pace.

I had a wonderful time on this trip exploring and venturing out in the different countries. We had an amazing tour director that kept us engaged and help us navigate activities and independent exploration. We were disappointed when optional experiences, like the Anne Frank Museum, were not available due to the fact that tickets were not available. In regards to our hotel rooms, one hotel was filled with bugs. They was true multiple rooms. Another hotel has several of us placed on the 3rd floor which had a broken air conditioning unit. This was during the heat wave. We asked for a fan and did not receive one and we were told to open the window. In doing so, our room reached 95 degrees and I was covered in bug bites due to having the window open.

This trip was packed with a great itinerary and lots of beautiful sights and views. The canal cruises, the cathedrals, the loches were all so interesting. The optional experiences tied in well with what we were seeing. It was so special that Ilja could get us tickets to see the Anne Frank House - what a historical, sad and moving experience that I’m glad I saw. Overall 10/10

As with our 2025 trip which was supposed to begin in Madrid, our hotel in Amsterdam was very far away from the city center, in a residential neighborhood. Upon arrival in Madrid in 2025, we were taken to a location outside of the city due to the fact that the hotel in Madrid could not accommodate the number of travelers Trafalgar wound up booking on that particular trip. Therefore we lost a day in Madrid. Based on these two trips, as well as the fact that this last group was so slow moving, we have decided to not book any 2027 trips with Trafalgar.

I will start by saying both Maastricht and Luxembourg were lacklustre. A memorial plaque to Andre Rieu at Maastricht was a highlight.

It follows closely the original itinerary with some exceptions. Some original online advertisements for tour offerings needs to be updated. The Tulip Fields don't bloom in June, so our tour did not go there as advertised. Also, there is no Trappist Beer Brewery as advertised for trying Orval beer. Completely misleading advertisements. We only saw ruins and a gift shop. This is my second time with Trafalgar, and I like their tours, but I am becoming leery. Why not update information before actual tours so clients aren't blindsided while on the tour? I called Trafalgar twice to make sure I knew the itinerary times so I could make use of my free time wisely. They were most helpful with feedback, so customer service is great. I am currently waiting to hear back from them about missing a day and a half of the start of this tour due to their choice of United Airlines to work with, with their confusing and poorly scheduled ground operations. To clarify, I never received a gate change update through United, nor a boarding pass on my phone--that was my own. Therefore I missed flights and the start of the tour. The internet will tell one about United Airlines' poor economy, but I only learned this after the fact. It was a hard lesson to learn, and I'm surprised Trafalgar has chosen to work with them, if they want return business. (Let the buyer beware) I prefer their choice of American and British airlines if I am going to book flights through Trafalgar. However, I enjoyed both of my actual tour experiences and would be sorry to have to choose a different tour company. I await hearing from them as to reimbursement for the day/times missed of the tour. I had their trip insurance.