Discover Putten: History, Nature and Family Experiences

Putten is a destination for anyone who wants to combine their stay with history, landscapes and a wide range of activities. A holiday apartment in Putten can serve as a base for a variety of holiday days: you can discover archaeological finds, walk through tree gardens, watch birds, visit historic estates or enjoy water attractions with the family.

Experience history and regional culture

Museum De Tien Malen presents the history of Putten through archaeological finds. In an exhibition, you can see historic household, craft and agricultural objects from the area surrounding an earlier Putten farming culture. A dedicated archaeology room displays prehistoric pottery and stone tools. The museum therefore offers insights into both the everyday life of past generations and much older traces of human settlement.

Museum Farm De Mariahoeve is a completely authentic farm on the Veluwe dating from 1907. Guided tours and a multilingual audio tour present the site in different ways. The focus is on the sisters’ almost completely self-sufficient way of life: butter was made in the butter churn, vegetables came from the vegetable garden, and meat and dairy products came from their own animals.

The history of the Second World War has also left visible sites in Putten. Since 2016, there have been three listening stations of the Liberation Route Europe here. An audio play can be played at each station. De Vrouw van Putten is a sandstone statue depicting a grieving woman in traditional dress. The Memorial Room presents the history of the raid in words and images; plaques bear the names of the deported men who lost their lives. The Memorial Room has been open to the public since 1992.

Oldenaller includes a 17th-century castle. Kasteel Oldenaller was built in 1655 on the orders of Johan van Wijnbergen and has a landscaped park with winding paths and bodies of water. Oldenaller is an estate near Putten where heathland, woodland, streams, hedgerows and agricultural land meet. A heron colony has also been breeding there for many years.

Forest, water and marked trails

Landgoed Schovenhorst was established in 1848. The estate has five tree gardens that originated in the 19th and 20th centuries from nursery and forestry experiments with conifers. Visitors can explore these tree gardens on themed walks or take part in guided tours. Family activities such as themed days, workshops, children’s treasure hunts and theatre performances take place indoors and outdoors.

A striking feature of Schovenhorst is the Bostoren. The tower is 40 metres high and is climbed via 235 steps. From the top, the view extends across Amersfoort and the Veluwe. The Bostoren is connected to marked walking routes of 8.5 kilometres, 4 kilometres and 2.5 kilometres. In addition, De Boswandeling is a 4-kilometre marked walking route through Landgoed Schovenhorst that passes four tree gardens. The cultural and historical route Wandelen op Schovenhorst is approximately 8 kilometres long and marked in red. The different route lengths make it easier to adapt your daily plans to your interests and fitness level.

From Putterbos, a walk can be extended towards Krachtighuizerheide and Landgoed Schovenhorst. Delta Schuitenbeek offers opportunities for wildlife watching: a large bird hide stands on the edge of the nature development project. The area combines the purification of water flowing in from the Schuitenbeek with the creation of new nature for numerous birds.

Family time and regional specialities

Bosbad Putten has a subtropical swimming pool with a 110-metre-long wild-water ride and a slide with light effects. The outdoor pool includes diving boards and another slide. Younger children have access to a toddlers’ pool and a spray park with various water features. This means that a day in Putten can also be planned independently of a purely cultural or hiking programme.

At Pluktuin het Platteland, visitors can pick their own vegetables, fruit and flowers. The site also includes a coffee garden and a shop selling regional products. The location combines independent discovery with a break and offers a direct experience of regional produce.

Pumping station, windmill and railway station

The Putter Stoomgemaal is the most recently restored scoop-wheel pumping station in the Netherlands. It can be visited during maintenance work on Wednesday mornings and on special operating days; the stoker and engineer then explain the history and operation of the steam engine. The Korenmolen 't Hert still turns regularly and offers guided tours.

Putten railway station is outside the centre; from there, you can continue by bus or OV-Fiets.

Other locations to choose from include Putten, Doetinchem, Culemborg, Nunspeet, Brummen, Ubbergen, Oldebroek and Bronckhorst.

To the overarching travel overview: Gelderland.