November 11, 2004 -- Spend even a few moments in Holland during the chilly months and you'll discover the mastery of Rembrandt and Vermeer. The diffused light so prominent in their best works hugs the landscape and brushes interiors at every turn. In a country so compact, you can visit several of Europe's better museums to view their paintings moving from town to town easily by short train or car rides.
For a shorter-term stay, you can look to a couple other stalwarts of budget travel. Gate1 Travel (tel. 800/682-3333; www.gate1travel.com/Destinations/British_Isles/2004/amsterdam-budget-travel-value6.asp) is currently selling a six-day/four-night air and hotel package to Amsterdam that starts from $389 for departures from December 1-15, then from $399 for trips from December 25, 2004 -- March 11, 2005. The base prices are for flights out of New York's JFK, but you can fly out of numerous other US and Canadian gateways at varying additional costs based on destination. Accommodations are in the 600-room, tourist-class Novotel Amsterdam, but upgrades to other hotels are available, of course. You can add a few days and split your time between Amsterdam and nearby Brussels (with three days in each city) starting from $589 as well. These prices do not include taxes and fees ranging upwards of $200.
Finally, Go-Today has an array of off-season trips to The Netherlands that include air and hotel packages and nifty fly and drive combos. The "Amsterdam Super Sale" provides you with roundtrip airfare and four nights' accommodation starting from $399 for travel through December 15, then again from January 6 through March 15. Flights are out of the usual suspects of Boston, Newark and New York (with other gateways available at additional costs), and accommodations are at the Tulip Inn Amsterdam Art Hotel. An eight-day/seven-night "Holland Fly and Drive" starts from the same price of $389 for the same travel periods and gets you roundtrip air (from Newark and New York this time) and seven day's car rental from Hertz. For more information, call Washington State based Go Today at 425/487-9632 or go online to www.gotoday.com/site_gtweb/pub_search.asp?p=984&t=p&h=2 for all current offers to The Netherlands.
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