Holiday apartment in Laren – art, heathland and history

Laren and Blaricum have been known as artists’ villages since the late 19th century. Their landscapes and authentic rural life attracted painters and creative professionals from the Netherlands and abroad. The Laren–Blaricum Kunstbordenroute makes this history visible in public spaces: 16 information panels display works by artists who lived and worked in the villages. The route includes a 5.5 km walking route and an 8 km cycling route.

Culture

The present-day Sint Jansbasiliek was built in 1924/25 based on a design by architect Wolter te Riele. Its stained-glass windows were created from designs by Han Bijvoet; the windows above the main altar tell the story of John the Baptist. In connection with its longstanding procession tradition, the church was granted the title of basilica in 1937.

The Hofland Geological Museum provides insight into the history of the Earth through a large collection of minerals, rocks and fossils. A permanent exhibition explores the formation of the Gooi region and the earliest settlement history of the area. Under the guidance of expert guides, visitors can saw open geodes and take the finished geode home with them.

Singer Laren brings together a museum, a theatre, a sculpture garden and a café. It presents an extensive art collection and changing exhibitions. The sculpture garden was designed by landscape architect Piet Oudolf. The Rosa Spier Huis is also one of Laren’s cultural venues: residents, family members, local people and other interested visitors can attend exhibitions, concerts, theatre performances and lectures there. Musicians, photographers, painters, sculptors and philosophers live in the house and can continue their work there.

Nature

The 344-hectare Westerheide is located in Hilversum and Laren and offers heathland and woodland landscapes for walking, cycling and horse riding. On and beneath the Westerheide are old Doodwegen, an urnfield and burial mounds, indicating that people have used the area for thousands of years. The Westerheide also features diverse heathland vegetation and birds of open heathland.

On the Zuiderheide, the transition from the ridge to the Eem Valley is clearly visible. There are prehistoric burial mounds dating back around 4,000 years. The landscape therefore combines clearly perceptible landforms with traces of human use dating far back into the past.

History

De Lindenhoeve is one of the oldest longhouse farmhouses in Laren. The barn section is used for changing exhibitions, while an archive is located in the cellar. Laren also has the Wandelroute Oorlogsmonumenten Laren walking route. The garden of Landgoed Nardinclant is open to visitors; guided tours are available for groups.

Events and food

Concerts, art exhibitions, markets and other events take place at Papageno Huis Laren throughout the year. Visitors are welcome at events in the concert hall of Papageno House Laren, including weekly coffee concerts on Sunday mornings. Papageno Huis Laren has a restaurant serving lunch, coffee with fresh apple pie and high tea. Since 2015, Papageno House Laren has been located in a former villa dating from 1870.

The Brinkhuis Theater is a cosy, intimate theatre auditorium in the heart of Laren. A special culinary tradition is the old Dutch poffertjes stall, which has been an institution in Laren for more than 100 years and is located at the Brink.

Those comparing holiday apartments in Laren can check the specific listing pages for the exact location, type of accommodation and occupancy. Included services, individual price components, and booking and cancellation conditions are equally important. Such a comparison keeps the differences between the offers visible without attributing local features to a specific holiday apartment. Before booking, you should carefully check the details of the selected offer and the conditions applicable to your own stay. This keeps the decision focused on the features actually stated for each offer.

For more destinations in the same broader area: Laren, Wijdemeren, Andijk, Zaanstad, Purmerend, Diemen, Edam-Volendam, Hilversum.

To the broader travel overview: North Holland.