Dordrecht: Vacation Apartments and Holiday Homes

Dordrecht is a center for water sports and is situated on three rivers. At the same time, the city combines significant cultural history with natural areas, hiking trails, regional products, and special insights into crafts and everyday life. The city is therefore home to museums, historic sites, and culinary addresses alongside the Biesbosch and diverse landscapes.

Culture and History

The Dordrechts Museum was founded in 1842 and is one of the oldest museums in the Netherlands. Behind a historic façade, it displays six centuries of painting. The permanent exhibition ranges from 16th-century altarpieces to contemporary art. The museum thus spans a period that brings together different eras within a single building.

Huis Van Gijn is the former home of Simon van Gijn (1836–1922) and his wife Cornelia Agatha Vriesendorp (1840–1889). The house offers an insight into the everyday life of a wealthy family around 1900. Hof van Nederland presents a different historical focus: Dutch history of freedom is conveyed there through important historical events, most of which took place in Dordrecht. The First Free Assembly of the States was held in 1572 at the present-day site of Hof van Nederland in Dordrecht.

The Grote Kerk is also one of the city’s notable historical experiences. Its tower can be climbed via 275 steps; this is possible from April through October inclusive and offers views over the city and the surrounding area. Rondje Dordt, a 5 km city walk, is also available for a tour along Dordrecht’s harbors and numerous monuments.

Water and Nature

Biesboschcentrum Dordrecht is a starting point for visiting the Hollandse Biesbosch. The exhibition there covers the water, plants, beavers, birds, and the history of the natural area. Biesboschcentrum Dordrecht also makes it possible to explore the Biesbosch on foot or on the water. For exploring from the water, it offers the rental of whisper boats and canoes.

Nieuwe Dordtse Biesbosch is a new, diverse nature and recreation area near the city of Dordrecht. It forms a buffer zone between De Biesbosch National Park and the city of Dordrecht. In another part of the natural area, the Griendmuseumpad combines nature with cultural history. The route includes a 5 km hike and a shortened 1.5 km route. The Griendmuseumpad passes the Stenen Keet and the Schrankkeet, where the reed workers used to spend the night. It can only be reached by Zonnepont 7.

Biesboschcentrum Dordrecht offers seven hikes ranging from 1.5 to 5 km in length. Thus, routes of varying lengths are part of the local offering, as is the opportunity to get to know the area on foot or on the water.

Traveling Between the City and Its Surroundings

The location on the rivers is also reflected in public water transport. From Dordrecht, the Waterbus can be used without restrictions to travel to Zwijndrecht, Papendrecht, Sliedrecht, H.I. Ambacht, Rotterdam, Krimpen aan den IJssel, Ridderkerk, and Alblasserdam.

Weizigt offers another facet of the city area. It features an urban farm, gardens, a climate greenhouse, and a bee house. Each of the different facilities represents its own themes within this location.

Culinary Delights and Local Production

Since 1872, Distilleerderij Rutte has produced gins, genever, and liqueurs in Dordrecht using traditional craftsmanship. A tasting offered there combines a tour along the stills and barrels with samples of various genevers, gins, and liqueurs. Stadsbrouwerij Dordrecht also offers tours of the brewery. The brewing process is explained during the tour, which ends with a beer tasting.

At the Boerenstreekmarkt Dordrecht, vegetables, wine, honey, cheese, tea, jam, and other products from farmers and producers in Dordrecht and the region are offered. The market brings farmers, shops, and producers together, allowing visitors to taste, buy, and learn about food from the surrounding area.

In Dordrecht’s city center, Food Design Playground organizes pop-up dinners, exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and tastings. Four times a year, it also hosts a small bean festival with workshops, lectures, tastings, a celebration, and experiments; admission tickets include lunch.

More Destinations

Other destinations you can discover from here include Bovenpolder, Dordtse Biesbosch and Dordrecht.

To the overarching travel overview: South Holland.

More Travel Destinations

Other places within the same destination:

Nederlek, Katwijk, Teylingen, Westvoorne.