Waddinxveen: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Straight-lined polders, woodland, marshes and untouched peat meadows come together in Waddinxveen with a lively village centre. Between these diverse landscapes lie water-rich areas, paths, historic buildings and places of remembrance that give the town its distinctive character.

Nature and Paths

Along the Zuidelijke Rondweg, the Vredenburghzone contains a water-rich area where various bird species can be observed; nature trails lead there. Along the section by Vredenburghlaan, there is also a walking path with platforms for resting. It can be accessed from Plasweg and IJsermanweg. The Vredenburghzone is being developed into a nature and recreation area in several phases. This area also includes a fenced dog exercise area with water and play equipment for dogs.

’t Weegje is located in the south of the municipality of Waddinxveen. The approximately 60-hectare, water-rich and green peatland area is enclosed by the Gouwe, the Ringvaart and the railway line. The large peat lake that characterises ’t Weegje is surrounded by walking paths, pollard willows and marsh vegetation. In the area, you can walk, go boating, play and fish. The marked “Groen Voor Iedereen” route has wide, easily accessible paths that can also be used in wet weather and by people with disabilities, including wheelchair users. It includes an easily accessible boardwalk leading to a birdwatching hide with several observation levels.

In the vicinity of Waddinxveen, five named walking routes are marked on the Bentwoud map: “Rondje Driehoek”, “Kinderbomenroute”, “Laarzenpad”, “Woudloperspad” and “Kabouterpad”.

Green Spaces and Activities

Gouwebos is a green area created in the 1980s between Boskoop and Waddinxveen, with plenty of woodland, lawns for relaxing and nature-oriented play areas. In the nature play area in Gouwebos, stepping stones cross the water; there is also a water pump. Older children can use a climbing structure with an observation tower and a zip line. The signposted “Groen voor iedereen Gouwebos” route is 1.5 kilometres long and offers benches for breaks as well as opportunities for birdwatching.

Culture and History

A prominent structure is the lifting bridge in Waddinxveen. It is a riveted steel bridge with an associated bridge keeper’s house and was built over the Gouwe in 1935–1936. Due to its prominent position in the landscape from an urban-planning perspective and its high rarity value, it is significant as one of the few well-preserved lifting bridges. At the same time, it has cultural-historical and architectural-historical value as a representative example of a riveted steel lifting bridge from the mid-1930s.

The municipality has also established how other historic buildings are to be handled: the municipal executive designates buildings as municipal monuments if they are rare within the municipality or region, fulfil or have fulfilled a special local function, or possess high architectural value.

The De Naald monument was erected in 1947 in memory of all civilians and military personnel who lost their lives through acts of war and terror since the outbreak of the Second World War. Every year on 4 May, residents gather at De Naald for a commemorative ceremony. In 2022, the Historisch Genootschap Waddinxveen published a route along local war memorials for the first time.

Numerous local features are also reflected in murals, poems, story benches, art routes and “De Vergeten Plek”.

Cycling through Waddinxveen

The “Parel aan de Gouwe” cultural route passes through Waddinxveen. The cycling route can be divided into a northern section of 12 kilometres or a southern section of 13 kilometres. The start and finish are at Waddinxveen Centrum railway station.

You can also find additional local information via Waddinxveen and Waddinxveen.

For the broader travel overview: South Holland.

More Destinations

More places in the same destination:

Boskoop, Korendijk, Zuidplas, Molenwaard, Leiden, Schiedam.