Holiday apartment in Kesteren – Trails, Fruit Growing and History

Kesteren appeals to travelers who want to combine activity, landscape and history in a single stay. The Marspad crosses the Nederrijn by ferry and returns to its starting point in Kesteren in a loop. It is joined by the Laanboomroute Betuwe, historic buildings, Roman traces and the village’s fruit-growing culture. Choosing a holiday apartment in Kesteren therefore provides a varied setting for active, historical and culinary day trips.

Between the Nederrijn and Tree Nurseries

The western loop of the Laanboomroute Betuwe is 28 kilometers long, starts at junction 93 in Kesteren and ends there again. The route passes businesses specializing in avenue tree cultivation. While cycling along the Laanboomroute or visiting open days at the tree nurseries, visitors can learn more about avenue tree cultivation. Van Arkelen Tweewielers rents city bikes, e-bikes and electric cargo bikes for this purpose. The Marspad is connected to public transport via the Dorpshuis bus stop in Kesteren and the Kesteren and Rhenen railway stations.

The Rijnbandijk between Kesteren and Lienden adds a distinctive landscape to these routes. The old dyke is accompanied by several listed buildings. Curving between the floodplains and riverbank embankments of Neder-Betuwe, it shapes the local landscape.

Holiday Apartment in Kesteren between History and Discovery

The Kesteren railway station complex was built between 1885 and 1890 and includes a former ticket office and a former stationmaster’s house. At the same time, it is the only double station building designed by M.A. van Wadenooijen. The Hervormde Kerk can be traced back to 1395; its tower dates from the 14th century. After the church was so severely damaged by the effects of war in 1944 that rebuilding was not possible, a new nave was attached to the old tower in 1951.

Today’s Hervormde Kerk still contains an oak pulpit from 1684 decorated with cherub and lion heads, as well as a copper chandelier from 1650, both from the church’s former furnishings. The Roman past is also present in the built-up area: Numerous Roman finds indicate a military presence, and Kesteren also has several Roman burial grounds. This makes it possible to combine active days with historical observations without reducing the village to just one travel theme.

Fruit Growing and Regional Products

Fruit growing is part of the village’s distinctive character. Kesteren belongs to an old center of fruit and avenue tree cultivation around Opheusden and Kesteren, whose origins date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Capel Fruit has been growing cherries, apples and pears for four generations. At Capel Fruit’s cherry stand at the Betuwestraatweg/N233 intersection in Kesteren, cherries from its own cultivation are sold. The De Zwaluw mill regularly grinds flour for a restaurant, a bakery and a mill shop. At the Pitstop orchard, visitors can eat the products they have purchased.

Dates and Choice of Location

The Streekfair Kesteren takes place on the second Saturday in September and can therefore provide a fixed date for planning a stay. Depending on the preferred daily schedule, a holiday apartment in Kesteren can be combined with routes, landscapes, architectural history or regional products. For further location options, Echteld, Ochten and Opheusden are available.

For the broader travel overview: Neder-Betuwe.