Alphen Aan Den Rijn: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Along the Oude Rijn lies a landscape where Roman history, waterways, nursery horticulture and different forms of travel exist in close proximity. The Oude Rijn crosses the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn. At the same time, the Roman Limes runs through the municipality for a length of 17 kilometres and is also known here as the Oude Rijn. In and around Alphen aan den Rijn, estates, bodies of water, expansive views and a diverse wildlife population shape the landscape.

Water and Landscape

On the eastern shore of the Zegerplas lies the Zegersloot Underwater Nature Park. Visitors can snorkel and dive there. Social Club Wet ’n Wild offers a special combination of water sports and learning: at a cable ski facility, visitors can learn to water-ski and wakeboard.

Rietveld is also closely connected to the water. The village was a water village where all traffic took place on the water. In the water village of Rietveld, you can take a boat trip or rent a rowing boat at Lena’s Hoeve. Historical transport conditions and present-day opportunities on the water thus stand side by side in the same local history.

Walking and Cycling Routes

There are dozens of cycling routes in and around Alphen aan den Rijn. One of them is the Hollandse-Limes cycling route, which connects Alphen aan den Rijn with the excavations in Westvaartpark, Leiden, Hazerswoude, Archeon and Zwammerdam.

The Boerenlandpaden in Alphen are unpaved paths across agricultural land. They are accessible with the consent of the landowners. Walkers must follow the signposted route; dogs are not allowed. Since September 2025, the publicly accessible Wandelpad Kroft has also formed a new circular walk. Among other places, it connects Zegerpark, Westkanaalweg, a farm walking path across the Kroft family’s land and Windepad.

On the Albaniana walking route, visitors encounter the remains of a fort, a vicus, a bathhouse and a sanctuary dedicated to Venus. Another historical route is the Boerenlandroute – Westvaartroute: it is a one-hour circular route through the Gemenewegse Polder along the historic Westvaart, starting and ending in Hazerswoude-Dorp. On the “Boskoop wandelt” route, the nursery horticulture area experienced there is recognised as intangible cultural heritage.

Roman Times and Regional History

At Museumpark Archeon, reconstructed buildings and houses show Dutch prehistory, the Roman era and the Middle Ages. Visitors can also take part in activities from the Roman era there, including drilling, a Roman massage, making a fibula and searching for herbs. The Romeins Museum at Archeon uses numerous Roman finds from Alphen aan den Rijn to tell the history of the soldiers and the local population.

The Archaeology Museum presents archaeological finds from various periods, from the distant prehistoric era to the early modern period. The Historisch Museum Hazerswoude displays finds from the Roman era. A replica of a tabula ansata, a wooden Roman writing or name tablet with its nail still present, can also be seen there. The original was excavated in Westvaartpark in 2023.

Avifauna opened in Alphen aan den Rijn in 1950 as the world’s first bird park. Thus, alongside the archaeological collections and reconstructed sites, the bird population is also one of the town’s notable attractions.

Mills and Nurseries

The De Eendracht grain mill is open to the public on Saturdays and for groups by appointment. At De Eendracht, the miller explains the milling process; from the gallery, there is a view over the Oude Rijn and Alphen aan den Rijn. The mill shop offers an extensive range of bread-baking products and advice.

Another special feature of water management is the Molenviergang Aarlanderveen. It is the only still-functioning chain of mills in the world that drains a polder. One of the mills of the Molenviergang Aarlanderveen can be visited by appointment.

The Boomkwekerijmuseum presents the present and history of the Boskoop nursery sector. Volunteers tell stories about nursery entrepreneurs. During the summer months, the museum offers excursion trips in a Boskoopser Schouw; a guide explains the nurseries and other special features along the route.

Plantentuin Esveld is a traditional Boskoop nursery with a history reaching deep into the 19th century. Plantentuin offers boat trips and guided tours through the nursery. In this way, the region’s horticultural history is conveyed both through its long development and through a present-day visit.

Visitor Information

The VVV, centrally located in Alphen aan den Rijn, offers visitor information, flyers, route maps, gift cards and souvenirs.

More local pages: Alphen Aan Den Rijn, Zwammerdam, Aarlanderveen.

To the higher-level travel overview: South Holland.

More Destinations

More places within the same destination:

Gorinchem, Krimpen Aan Den Ijssel, The Hague, Zoetermeer, Vlaardingen.