Held every ten years at a different venue in The Netherlands, Floriade is one of the premier events of the horticultural world. In 2022 the spotlight falls on Almere, a new city near Amsterdam, where a purpose-built site has been created to provide a ‘living laboratory’ with inspirational and innovative exhibitions by countries, cities and businesses. There will also be a host of impressive attractions, heaps of art and culture and a unique collection of trees, shrubs and flowers. The theme of this, the seventh iteration of the event, is ‘Growing Green Cities’. With the world’s urban population expanding to 70%, cities will have to find creative, green and sustainable solutions to remain safe, healthy and attractive and these proposed solutions will be central to the exhibits at the 2022 Expo. In addition to our day at Floriade we have arranged an exciting series of transport-themed excursions. We spend a day in north Holland travelling first on a vintage steam tram and then on an elegant 1950s ferry on the Ijsselmeer, plus some free time in the popular picturesque town of Volendam. There are more trains to admire at the national Rail Museum in Utrecht followed by some ‘Queens of the Sky’ at the Aviodrome Flight Museum at Lelystad (these visits are replaced with a day at the magnificent gardens of Keukenhof in May). Finally we cruise the waterways of Amsterdam, admiring the magnificent canal-side residences. We are based at the 4-star Best Western Plus Plaza Hotel, conveniently situated in the centre of Almere, with many shops, cafés and restaurants just a stone’s throw away. The hotel is close to central railway station and is a just a short drive from the Floriade site. All rooms in the hotel are spacious and fitted with a desk, coffee and tea making facilities and a flat-screen TV with cable channels. Dinner supplement - £120.00