Holiday apartment in Hoogeveen: discover forests, water and history

Hoogeveen combines nature, urban history and a variety of routes. During a stay in a holiday apartment in Hoogeveen, you can combine these different aspects according to your preferred daily rhythm.

Forests and nature areas

Spaarbankbos is a more than one-hundred-year-old nature area rich in species, with avenues of oak and beech trees, dark coniferous forests and winding woodland paths. It is freely accessible via roads and walking paths; a route marked with purple signs leads through the forest.

The signposted “Oude Diep” walking route starts at Hoogeveen railway station and leads through Spaarbankbos and the Boerenveensche Plassen nature area. This means that around Hoogeveen you will find both woodland paths and a walking connection through two nature areas.

Historic routes and cityscapes

The Historische Kring Hoogeveen organises guided city walks for groups along historic buildings and monuments. A guided city walk starts at the historic junction of the waterways Hoofdstraat, Haagje, Alteveerstraat and Schutstraat and ends at the Hoogeveense Kei at the present-day beginning of Hoofdstraat. In addition, the signposted Hoogeveen city walk is 3 kilometres long.

Individual buildings also tell the story of the town's development. The main structure of Grote Kerk Hoogeveen dates from 1652. A church has stood on the current site of Grote Kerk Hoogeveen for almost as long as Hoogeveen itself has existed. The Old Cemetery in Hoogeveen was established in 1829. Hoogeveen Market has been a cultural meeting place and social gathering point for people from Hoogeveen and the surrounding villages since earlier times.

The mobile experience route “Hoogeveen: vaart door de tijd” covers the vanished Kruis, the city's major markets and the era of the Pullevaarders. The history of the waterways and the city also includes the Hoogeveensche Vaart with its three locks: Rogatsluis, Ossesluis and Nieuwebrugsluis.

Museum, art and local history

The Verhalenwerf tells the story of Hoogeveen through selected items from the museum collection, including sculptures, photographs, memories and multimedia. It offers exhibitions, lectures, guided tours, table discussions and other activities. The permanent exhibition and the temporary exhibition at the Verhalenwerf can be visited without an appointment during library opening hours.

The “Kunst in het Spaarbankbos” art route takes place every two years during the summer months in Spaarbankbos. Along a route of approximately one kilometre, it presents works by professional artists. This allows you to combine a day in nature with a recurring art experience.

Routes for different daily schedules

The “Nieuw begin” Van Gogh walking route is 12 kilometres long and starts in Hoogeveen. The “Vincents Aankomst” Van Gogh cycling route is 50 kilometres long and starts at Hoogeveen railway station. Along this route, information panels tell you about Vincent van Gogh and his time in Drenthe; at some locations, there are viewing panels and audio stories. The different route lengths help you choose a daily schedule with more or less exercise.

Orientation for your excursions

Tourist Info Hoogeveen is located in the central hall of De Tamboer theatre and provides information about routes, attractions, day trips and events. Bicycle maps and routes, maps of walking trails and junctions, as well as the Drenthepad guide and Van Gogh cycling and walking guides, are sold there.

When choosing your holiday apartment in Hoogeveen, you can use this variety as a planning consideration: would you like to include short city routes, forests and nature areas, cultural activities or a longer cycling route in your stay?

For further regional orientation: Tiendeveen, Elim, Nieuwlande, Pesse, Hollandscheveld, Nieuweroord, Stuifzand and Fluitenberg.

For the broader travel overview: Hoogeveen.