Information about Delft

Delft is a city definitely worth visiting for a day out. It is the city of origin of the world famous Delft Blue pottery and the artist Johannes Vermeer. The historical city centre offers much in the way of interest for culture lovers, fun shoppers, historians and tourists. The shady squares, peaceful inner courtyards and romantic canals make time stand still. Delft is a lovely place for a stroll. It is atmospheric and picturesque with its traditional building fronts. Nevertheless, the city has moved with the times and nowadays has the reputation as an academic city, thanks to the TNO University of Technology and research institute.

History

The history of Delft spans centuries. It was once the residence of King William of Orange, and the members of the house of Orange-Nassau were traditionally entombed in the royal crypt of the Nieuwe Kerk church. No wonder the city is also referred to as ‘the city of Princes’.

Location and surrounding area

Delft is a city in Zuid-Holland, located on the Schie waterway. Delft is easy to reach by car, and The Hague and Rotterdam are about 15 kilometres from this city. The historical city centre of Delft is mainly a car-free zone. The easiest and cheapest option for parking is at one of the multi-storey car parks or other car parks.

Delft has a beautiful nature area called De Delftse Hout. The area has a recreational lake with a small beach where you can enjoy the sun during the summer months. The lake is a great place for fishing, as well as for swimming, surfing and rowing.

Places of interest in Delft

In Delft, there are many places of interest to visit and admire, almost too many to mention, so you would need more than one day to see everything. For example, there are various monumental buildings such as the Delft Town Hall, the Kruithuis gunpowder house, Molen De Roos windmill, the St. Huybrechtstoren tower and the Watertoren tower. The city also has many churches, such as the Genestetkerk, the Maria van Jessekerk, the Nieuwe Kerk, the Oud Katholieke kerk on the Bagijnhof, the Oude Kerk, and other places of worship such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, and many more.

Take a trip down memory lane and visit the museum shop, Winkeltje Kouwenhoven, which sells old-fashioned and nostalgic products, such as soap, traditional Dutch candy, brushes, scrapbook pictures, oil lamp parts and religious souvenirs.

To take in everything Delft has to offer, order the Freebee Map brochure from this site by means of an SMS service.

Art and culture in Delft

Delft has numerous museums and galleries, as well as different exhibitions every week. The city has certainly earned the title of City of Art 2010. As a result of a form of cooperation with a female Chinese artist and the Royal Delft factory, the Sint Agathaplein now boasts a new artwork, a lamppost made from porselein.

The Zuidpoort area in the south of the city is referred to as the cultural centre of Delft.

Museums

Delft has many interesting museums that are certainly worth a visit. The Freebee Map lists some of them for you:

At the Vermeer Centrum Delft, you can find out everything there is to know about the amazing Johannes Vermeer, a world-famous artist, who was born and bred in Delft;
The military museum, that brings the Dutch military history to life – from prehistory, the age of chivalry, the world wars, to the present UN missions;
Royal Delft (Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles), the only remaining earthenware factory out of approximately 32 factories to be found around the mid-17th century in Delft and the surrounding area;
Museum Nusantara, to find out all about the history and culture of Indonesia.

Shopping in Delft

Delft is a Walhalla for the fun shopper, with beautiful shops in historic buildings, boutiques and galleries where you can spend time browsing.
In and around the Markt market square, there are speciality shops, boutiques and galleries. The shops are of a particularly unique kind. Near the Zuidpoortgarage car park is the most recently built shopping area of Zuidpoort, with the main department stores. The shopping area De Klis, on the Nieuwe Langendijk and in the Breestraat is home to numerous speciality shops and stylish clothing boutiques. The many markets held in the city centre add to the charm of Delft.

Eating out in Delft

Burgundian gastronomy can be found in Delft too! The inhabitants of Delft love good food and drink. You will soon notice that when you walk through the city centre, with its many attractive restaurants and atmospheric Grand Cafés.

Attractions and nightlife in Delft

Delft is a student city so there is also plenty to do here in the evening. The city is beautifully lit up, which adds to the atmosphere. Enjoy a delicious beer in one of the many pubs, traditional to the city. In the summer, you can enjoy a drink or a bite to eat at the outside cafés in the centre of Delft. The Beestenmarkt is the most popular square in Delft. As well as at the Markt square, there are plenty of other places for a bite to eat or a drink, in particular at Burgwal, Brabantse Turfmarkt, Kromstraat, the Markt area and the Nieuwstraat. To enjoy a film, go to the MustSee, a large cinema complex outside the centre of the city.

Fun activities for young children

The new Science Centre Delft is part of the Delft University of Technology and located in the traditional building of the former mining faculty dating from 1911.

Events in Delft

In Delft, various annual events are organized, such as:

Delft Chamber Music Festival, held in the Van Mandelezaal room of the Prinsenhof museum;
Street theatre, in the month of June;
Westerpop, a free pop festival, in the month of August;
The Military Tattoo, a two-yearly event held at the Markt square in the month of September.

The events calendar in the Freebee Map gives an overview of events going on in Delft.