The Newark Museum
GALA NEW YEAR’S TOUR IN BRUSSELS
December 27, 2011-January 2, 2012





Brussels, known for its vibrant, cosmopolitan atmosphere and multicultural beat make it the perfect destination for our annual holiday tour.  Enjoy a day trip to Bruges & Ghent and of course sample the gastronomic delights of world famous beers, mussels and chocolate.  Ring in the New York at a gala evening of fine dining and music.  



Spend a gala New Year’s holiday in Brussels, the vibrant, cosmopolitan hub of Europe. You’ll relish its beautiful architecture and landmarks and world-class museums.  This five night trip explores “The "Capital of Europe", host to the European Union.  Also considered by many as the chocolate and beer capital of the world- this trip will surely be fun and you will want to reserve your place quickly. You must be a member of the Newark Museum.  Contact Merle Lomrantz, Director of Member Travel Services, at (973) 596-6643 for membership and trip information and registration forms.






1.  Tuesday, December 27     Departure
Spend a gala New Year’s holiday in Brussels, the vibrant, cosmopolitan hub of Europe. You’ll relish its beautiful architecture and landmarks and world-class museums.  This five night trip explores “The "Capital of Europe", host to the European Union.  Also considered by many as the chocolate and beer capital of the world- this trip will surely be fun and you will want to reserve your place quickly. You must be a member of the Newark Museum.  Contact Merle Lomrantz, Director of Member Travel Services, at (973) 596-6643 for membership and trip information and registration forms.



2.  Wednesday, December 28     Brussels
You arrive in the morning at the Brussels airport and travel directly to the city where we have a panoramic overview tour and lunch. As the European capital, the 1000-plus year old city of Brussels is home to the European Union (EU). It’s the bilingual capital of Belgium, where both French and Dutch are the official languages of the city. Many people consider Brussels the chocolate capital of the world, and you will have a chance to sample this delicious Belgian confection. We have lunch in the heart of Brussels.  Called Grand Place, this jewel box square is the best place to start any visit to the city. Heralded as the most impressive square in Europe, the Grand Place inspires with the captivating towers of the historic Town Hall and the signature architecture of its splendid Baroque guild houses.  Check into the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, and relax until the Welcome Dinner. Nestled in the heart of the city's lively centre, the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in Brussels offers guests the perfect location to discover local culture, shopping and attractions. The hotel features 281 luxury hotel rooms, each designed to provide a modern, artistic retreat from the bustling city. Enjoy a Welcome Dinner nearby tonight. (L1/D1)



3.  Thursday, December 29     Brussels
Tour the Royal Museum of Fine Arts.  The collections of modern masters from the 19th century are exhibited in a neoclassical building overlooking the place Royale. The paintings and sculptures on display are arranged on a thematic and chronological basis and are spread over six floors. Those of the 20th century are grouped together in the rooms which were opened in 1984. In part underground, these are arranged around a light shaft which gives the architectural structure a special identity.  Later  tour the new Magritte Museum which displays the works of the surrealist artist.  This multidisciplinary collection is the richest in the world. We visit the Jewish Museum, whose collections mainly reflect the life and history of Jewish populations in the region since the eighteenth century. There is  an extensive collection  of Jewish  artists.  Dinner tonight is planned nearby. (B/L2/D2)  



4.  Friday, December 30     Ghent and Bruges
Travel through the lovely Flemish countryside on a day trip to Ghent and Bruges. In Ghent you see all the important buildings from the Middle Ages, and visit the St. Bavo's Cathedral where the altarpiece is considered to be one of Belgium's masterpieces and one of the world's treasures. Continue to the almost perfectly preserved city of Bruges where you feel you have stepped back in time. From its 13th-century origins as a cloth-manufacturing town, Bruges seems to have changed little. You’ll appreciate its well preserved architecture which spans from Medieval Gothic to Art Nouveau and Art Deco.  At Our Lady's Church the altarpiece enshrines the most celebrated art treasure of the church—a white marble sculpture of the Madonna and Child created by Michelangelo around 1504, probably meant originally for the Siena Cathedral. The sculpture was twice recovered after being looted by foreign occupiers—French revolutionaries circa 1794 and Nazi Germans in 1944. Visit the Groening Museum, one of Belgium's leading traditional museums of fine arts, whose collection covers paintings in the Low Countries from the 15th to the 20th centuries. The Gallery of Flemish Primitives holds some 30 works, many of which are from painters such as Jan van Eyck.  Tonight you have a free evening and our guide will have suggestions for dinner. (B/L3)



5.  Saturday, December 31     Brussels
Visit the Royal Museum for Central Africa, one of the world’s most fascinating and visually striking institutions devoted to Africa. The Museum is showcased within a beautiful listed building, surrounded by a vast park with ponds and formal gardens, and employs its unique collections to raise the awareness of a large and diverse audience.  
The remainder of the day is free to shop or visit another nearby museum, such as the Royal Museum of Ancient Art, or the Museum of Comic Strip Art.  Tonight “ring in the New Year” with your Museum friends and enjoy a gala New Year’s Eve with dinner and music.  (B/D3)  



6.  Sunday, January 1     Brussels
Relax and have a late breakfast. In the afternoon visit the  David and Alice van Buuren Museum. The collection of paintings runs through five centuries of art history, with works from Italian and Flemish masters from the 15th to the 19th century. The most important museums of the world benefited from donations van Buuren, who was personally acquainted with artists, curators, experts and dealers. Bid farewell to this sophisticated capital at Dinner tonight.   (B/L4/D4)



7.  Monday, January 2     Departure
After an early breakfast, depart from the Brussels airport at 9:50am and fly non-stop to Newark Airport, arriving at 12:30pm. (B)





This engaging experience includes:

  • Round Trip non-stop int'l air transportation (coach) on United Airlines from Newark
  • 5 nights in Brussels at the 5* Hotel Radisson Blu Royal
  • Breakfast daily
  • 4 dinners including New Year’s Eve Gala with entertainment
  • 4 Lunches
  • Porterage in the hotel
  • Private bus according to above mentioned itinerary
  • Local guide for tours, entrances as per itinerary
NOTES AND PRICING  
Round Trip non-stop international air transportation (coach) on  United Airlines from Newark  
5 nights in Brussels at the 5* Hotel Radisson Blu Royal  
Breakfast daily  
4 dinners including New Year’s Eve Gala with entertainment  
4 Lunches  
Porterage in the hotel  
Private bus according to above mentioned itinerary  
Local guide for tours, entrances as per itinerary  
 
PROGRAM PRICES : Per person (double occupancy).  
$2999.00*  Single supplement.$575..00  
(*tour cost based on a minimum of 20 people)  
 
TERMS: $100 administrative fee per person for ALL cancellations  
In addition, the following penalties apply:  
September 1 – November 1, 2011 $400 additional penalty  
After November 1, 2011 NO REFUNDS