Holiday apartment in Almen: Culture, the Berkel and donkey trekking

Almen combines village history, the Berkel landscape and special activities. In the village and its immediate surroundings, you will find opportunities for cultural discoveries, paths along the river and experiences with children. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Almen, you can first determine your preferred focus when planning: Should the village history take centre stage, would you like to plan hikes, or would you like to combine water with an unusual activity?

Culture and history in Almen

The Dorpskerk Almen is generally dated to the 14th century and is a Rijksmonument. At the same time, it is the oldest surviving village church in the municipality of Lochem. The church thus places the historical side of the village centre stage and complements activities focused more on the landscape or exercise.

Museum STAAL in Almen is dedicated to the landscape, history and culture of the Achterhoek. A visit to the museum therefore directs attention to the region’s identity, while the Dorpskerk provides a more locally focused historical accent. To the east of Almen, in the nearby area along the Berkel, you will also find the Staringkoepel. The historic tea pavilion offers a view of the Berkel valley and can be reached from the south by passenger ferry.

Hiking along the Berkel

The Almen–Lochem stage of the Berkelpad runs along the green edges of Almen. It starts at the “De Hoofdige Boer” bus stop in Almen and ends at Stationsweg in Lochem, near the railway station. From Almen, you can also hike along the Berkel to Lochem or Zutphen. This provides both a stage with a set start and finish and hikes with Lochem or Zutphen as the destination direction for your planning.

Near Almen, the restoration of the Berkel riverbed helped flora and fauna return. The river landscape is therefore one of the natural features that shape the village. For days by the water, Almen has an outdoor swimming pool with canoe rental on the Berkel. This allows you to choose between hiking, nature and canoeing as different focal points.

Donkey trekking with your own planning

Another special activity is donkey trekking. The donkey trekking route is approximately 5 km long and takes around 2.5 hours. Advance reservation is required for the donkey trek, as the donkeys are only out once a day. In the area around Almen, children can walk on the back of a rented donkey. This gives the activity a clearly defined time frame and makes it easy to schedule as part of a stay.

More places for planning your trip

If you would like to discover more destinations in addition to Almen, you can also include Laren, Kring Van Dorth, Barchem, Eefde and Gorssel in your travel plans.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lochem.