Holiday apartment in Hattem – culture between the Veluwe and the IJssel

Between the Veluwe and the IJssel lies Hattem, where historic urban culture, forests, heathlands and floodplains are all closely connected. Just south of the town is Landgoed Molecaten, located where the Veluwe massif transitions into the IJssel Valley. Hattem offers direct access to the Veluwe; numerous paths lead through forests, heathlands and drifting sands. The IJssel floodplains near Hattem provide a habitat for flora and fauna, and also offer numerous opportunities for birdwatching.

Nature

Landgoed Molecaten is open to the public and can be explored. The estate’s spring-fed streams power one of the best-preserved watermills in the Netherlands. The Molecaten grounds include an area surrounded by a moat, with a late-medieval house on the south side. The earliest recorded mention of Molecaten dates from 1348; around 1500, the first fortified Molecaten house was built there.

History

The Watermolen Molecaten also reflects changing functions: originally it was a paper mill, but it was later converted into a grain mill. Today, it primarily serves a heritage and educational purpose. Molen De Fortuin has also shaped Hattem’s skyline for more than 200 years; the windmill is still fully operational. Visitors can have volunteers explain how the mill works and how wheat is turned into flour.

One of the town’s most prominent buildings is the Grote of Andreaskerk. Its tower was completed around 1225 together with the Romanesque church; from May to September, the church is open to visitors. The Dijkpoort in Hattem is a 14th-century town gate. Inside, visitors can climb the stairs, see three rooms and look out over the town and surrounding area from above. Stadhuis Hattem hosts changing exhibitions by local visual artists, admission to which is free.

Culture

The Voerman Stadsmuseum Hattem combines art, history and archaeology. The core of the collection consists of works by Hattem painters Jan Voerman senior and Jan Voerman junior. The museum also provides information about de Dikke Tinne Castle and displays 4,000-year-old beakers and a beaker bowl. Another extensive collection can be found at the Anton Pieck Museum in Hattem: it houses the largest collection of the Dutch painter, draughtsman and graphic artist Anton Pieck. Pieck’s original workspace is also on display there, including a 1,500-kilogram etching press with which he printed his own etchings.

Food and drink

The Nederlands Bakkerijmuseum is housed in four buildings connected by a tunnel beneath the street and presents the history of bread and fine pastries. The museum includes a Poffertjes salon styled after the days of our grandmothers; treats prepared according to an old family recipe are served there. For children, the museum offers baking activities, a treasure hunt and family performances in the museum theatre on Saturdays and daily during school holidays.

Activities

Those exploring the countryside around Hattem on foot will find two Klompenpad trails through the surrounding area. The paths lead across extensive meadows and quiet unpaved roads. Guided walks in Hattem can be booked through the Toeristisch Informatiepunt. Cycling also opens up different types of landscape: bicycle route junctions 58, 59 and 60 are located in or near the centre of Hattem and make it possible to take tours to the IJssel floodplains and into the forests and heathlands of the Veluwe.

A guided bicycle tour through Hattem to scenic and historic places takes about two hours. Vadesto offers outdoor activities on land and water, which can also be combined. Thus, alongside routes through the surrounding area, water-focused activities are also part of the local range of things to do.

Getting there

Hattem’s town centre is car-free or has traffic-calming measures. Free parking is available within a short walking distance. At the Centrum De Bleek car park, De Bleek 2 in Hattem, free parking is available without a maximum time limit; the town centre can be reached on foot from there in three minutes.

To the higher-level travel overview: Gelderland.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Maasdriel, Groesbeek, Ubbergen, Doetinchem, Scherpenzeel, Overbetuwe, West Maas En Waal.