Kaatsheuvel: Efteling, Trails and Shoe History

Holiday apartment in Kaatsheuvel between Efteling and the countryside

The Efteling theme park is located in Kaatsheuvel and was officially opened on 31 May 1952. Efteling offers attractions for the youngest visitors, the whole family and adventure-loving visitors. In Efteling’s Fairytale Forest, visitors walk from one fairy tale to the next and encounter, among others, gnomes, princesses, enchanted swans and dancing fairies.

Walking trails through drifting sand, heathland and forest

Those who want to experience Kaatsheuvel on foot will find several trails with different characteristics. The 5.5-kilometre Roestelberg walking route near Kaatsheuvel, marked with yellow arrows, leads through drifting sand, heathland and forest. Rondje Efteling is a walking trail around the Efteling theme park and leads through Het Loonsche Land. The Oude Eftelingsestraat walking trail runs along a stately, tree-lined avenue. The scenery therefore ranges from open drifting sand via heathland and forest to a tree-lined path.

Historic paths are also among Kaatsheuvel’s special features. The Eftelingsestraat is many centuries old; the hamlet of Efteling, located south of the road, has existed there since the 14th century, and the road was named after it. The old Kerkpaadje once served as the shortest connection to the church and led through fields and polders. St. Janskerk is one of Kaatsheuvel’s Rijksmonumenten, national heritage monuments. These specific local features connect the landscape, the history of the paths and a preserved church building, without requiring nature and cultural experiences to be separated.

Culture and the shoe industry in Kaatsheuvel

The history of the town is also reflected in museums, walks and former factory buildings. The Efteling Museum displays objects from the past and present, as well as sketches by Efteling designers. The “13 Blokskes om” collection comprises five walks; one leads through a town centre and past three churches. A guided tour of Kaatsheuvel covers the history of the leather industry. The old Stocko shoe factory on the Rechtvaart is the only preserved factory of this size in the town of Kaatsheuvel. Schoenfabriek Stokkermans is one of the last surviving testimonies to Kaatsheuvel’s shoe industry history.

Information for your stay

The Toeristisch Informatiepunt Kaatsheuvel in the Primera offers visitor information, tips, brochures, magazines and various cycling and walking maps. Efteling has ample parking spaces directly at the entrance. The Spreekwoordenroute Kaatsheuvel is aimed mainly at groups with children between 6 and 12 years old, is free of charge and is suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

Efteling offers a broad thematic range, from the Fairytale Forest to attractions for adventure-loving visitors. The Roestelberg route, Rondje Efteling and the Oude Eftelingsestraat add different accents to the landscape. The museum, churches, leather industry and historic paths complement this selection with cultural themes.

For further travel planning, you can also discover Loon Op Zand and De Moer.

To the higher-level travel overview: Loon Op Zand.