A perfect day in Medieval Amersfoort

Amersfoort is our hometown. Thus, of course, we wanted to write about it. But even if we wouldn’t live here, Amersfoort would be one of the first cities we would recommend to visit outside of Amsterdam. Funny thing, in reality it's the least visited of the old cities in Holland, while it's only 30 minutes from Amsterdam and easily accessible.

It’s a city full of surprise and wonder. Its perfect old city center makes you feel you’re almost literally inside a postcard.

Amersfoort is full of atmosphere and history. And because the city center is compact, it’s perfect for exploring on foot. Stroll past the “Muurhuizen” (wall houses). Or marvel at the Koppelpoort, once an entry point in the city wall. Climb the famous “Onze Lieve Vrouwe Tower,” take an open boat sighting tour of the old town, explore the city’s many unique stores, and the countless restaurants and cafes.

You most likely arrive at Amersfoort central station, which is just outside the old town. When you exit the station, you’ll see modern office high rises. However, don't worry after just a 10-minute walk, you enter a completely different world.

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Onze Lieve Vrouwe tower or Lange Jan (Long John tower)

The Lange Jan, as we locals call this beautiful tower, is officially called "Onze Lieve Vrouwe tower." You can see the tower from everywhere in the city.

Did you know the tower is the exact middle point of the country. Not many people know this fact. The tower was completed around the year 1500. It’s been standing tall over the city for over 500 years!

It’s possible to climb the 346 steps of the 98 meters (320ft) tall tower for truly amazing views, not only of the city but also of the beautiful surroundings. On a good day, you can see the National Park the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. And the cities of Utrecht, Hilversum, Almere, and Amsterdam.

Climbing is only possible on a guided tour. Click here for more information about times, prices, and availability. The website is in Dutch only, but if you use Google Translate in Chrome for automatic translations in English it should be possible to complete a reservation without too much trouble.

Krankeledenstraat 30, Amersfoort

Muurhuizen (wall houses)

Just like many other medieval cities, Amersfoort also had a city wall. When its function was lost, the wall was demolished, and the stones were used to build the houses now following the city wall lines. These wall houses are a magnet for many artists. We guarantee plenty of photo opportunities for you here!

City convent Mariënhof and have cake at “Buuf in de Serre”

On your way to the Mondriaan house (see below), you’ll pass the city convent Mariënhof. A former convent, now a congress center. It’s a beautiful building to see, but the main reason to visit is “Buuf in de Serre,” a cafe inside a glasshouse.

They’re known for their cakes (Stewed Pear Custard Cake sounds delicious to us! Even better they sell a tasting platter with samples of everything.) They now also started to serve lunch (try for example the Dutch speciality Ossenworst (raw beef sausage). It’s an excellent place for a pitstop.

Kleine Haag 2, Amersfoort

Visit the Mondriaan huis

From the Mariënhof, it’s only a short walk to the Mondriaan House, the birthplace of the world-famous abstract painter Piet Mondriaan. On display are some of his early works (when he still painted also naturalistic paintings), as well as temporary exhibitions by artists who have been inspired by Mondriaan. If you’re a fan of his work, then this is a must-visit. Visit the museum's website for more information.

Kortegracht 11,  Amersfoort

Shopping in Amersfoort

The old town of Amersfoort is blessed with a large shopping area in a beautiful backdrop. The “Langestraat” is the main shopping street running through the whole city center. The Langestraat is home to most chain stores and department stores. It gets much more interesting when you venture out into the side streets. Here you'll find the real one of a kind stores. The “Krommestraat” is one of the more famous streets for its diversity in stores.

Weekly Markets in Amersfoort

A real tradition in Dutch cities and villages is the outdoor weekly fresh market - A place where to buy produce, cheese, flowers, fresh fish, and more from one of the many market stalls. Amersfoort has not one, but two market days. Both are distinct in their own way.

On Friday, you can find three smaller specialty markets around the city center. At the foot of the “Onze Lieve Vrouwe tower” you will find a fresh flower market, at the “Groenmarkt” you can buy fresh fish, and at “Eemplein (just outside the city center, about a 5-minute mark from the Koppelpoort) you'll find the weekly organic market. Market hours for all three markets on Friday are from 8 am till 1 pm.

Saturday is the primary market day. It's located that day on the largest square of the city, de Hof. Every Saturday, the square fills up with dozens of market stall selling everything you can imagine.

The surrounding outdoor terraces belonging to the many restaurants, bars, and cafes on this square make this a perfect stop. Take a seat, enjoy a drink, and see the world pass by.

Since Amersfoort is almost entirely of the tourist map, you can get a real peek in local Dutch life.

Sightseeing Boat tour

Museum Flehite

Another great museum is the Flehite museum, housed in three medieval wall houses since 1890! It’s a perfect place to learn more about the history of this beautiful city.

Besides fixed collections on display, the Flehite also always has exciting temporary exhibitions. You can easily reach the Flehite museum from the Krommestraat. Just continue walking along the water for a few more minutes.

Westsingel 50, Amersfoort

The iconic "Koppelpoort"

When you continue along the water from the Flehite Museum, you’ll quickly see the “Koppelpoort.” If the Dutch think about Amersfoort, they instantly conjure up the Koppelpoort in their mind.

This monument is unique in the country because it’s a medieval gateway to the city with both a water and a land entry point in one building. It’s a gorgeous structure. It still makes us pause for a second to admire it, even after calling this city home for over ten years.

De nieuwe stad - The New City

Just outside the old town (only a few minutes by foot from the Koppelpoort) is a unique area called the “Nieuwe Stad,” which means the new city. It's a former toothpaste factory turned into a buzzing center of creativity.

The city council repurposed the buildings and the grounds with all kinds of innovative and sustainable companies. It’s such a dynamic and fun place to be.

A few of our favorite spots to visit:

Het lokaal

“Het lokaal” is a natural market with organic and or locally produced products (preferably both). This store and cafe offer some incredible products. We love their mustard offering, advocaat, cheeses, and especially their bread! The loaves of bread, in particular, are delicious. "Het Lokaal" also has a cafe with homemade specialties. It's always a pleasure for us to visit this place.

Oliemolenhof 90, Amersfoort

Zandfoort aan de Eem

For the Dutch "Zandvoort" is a synonym for the Beach. (Zandvoort is one of the main beach resorts on the Dutch coast.) The naam is fun reference to Zandvoort and Amersfoort. This bar brings an artificial outdoor beach to Amersfoort. A perfect spot for a warm summer day to enjoy a drink!

Eemlaan 100, Amersfoort

Restaurant Hoog Vuur

“Hoog Vuur” is a modern industrial restaurant where fire takes the central stage. You can warm yourself in front of the flames on a cold day. And enjoy a meal of pure and local ingredients, traditionally prepared on wood-fired ovens.

Oude Fabriekstraat 26, Amersfoort

Restaurant Dara

Another great restaurant we can highly recommend is Dara. It’s located on the corner of “Eemplein” right next to the “Nieuwe Stad.” This airy restaurant is a local's favorite.

When you enter, it feels like you arrived in the story of 1001 nights. The menu is Middle-Eastern based. And the concept is sharing portions. Perfect to taste your way around the continent and share with everyone in your party. All at very reasonable prices.

We highly recommend making reservations, especially during weekends and when the weather is warm (if you want to sit outside.)

Grote Koppel 5, Amersfoort

Get old fashion quality Ice Cream at IJs VanVitelli

Close to Dara, on the "Kwekersweg," you'll find "IJS VanVitelli" (Ice Cream). IJs VanVitelli uses as much as possible sustainably and locally sourced ingredients in their products, like milk from local dairy farmers. You will not find anything artificial here. Its location is also unique, housed in a former gas station, now restored to its vintage glory.

Kwekersweg 7, Amersfoort

Amersfoort concentration camp National Monument

A much more serious topic, but very much worth a visit, is the concentration camp Amersfoort. One of the three best-known remembrance centers in the Netherlands.

We all know about the concentration camps in Germany and especially Poland. But before that happened, prisoners where put in local holding camps. The Netherlands had five of these, including camp Amersfoort which was used mainly for political prisoners.

What sets camp Amersfoort apart was that is was not just used as a holding place like Westerbork. Here prisoners where also directly punished and killed. It was known for its terror and hunger—an exception in the Dutch camps.

Thirty-five thousand people were imprisoned at camp Amersfoort, and 300 of them were executed, while many more died of exhaustion. Very quickly after the war, people have torn the camp down. They wanted to forget as soon as possible.

Today what’s left are the foundations, remembrance artworks, and an excellent visitor center/museum. Even with the absence of the barracks, it still feels oppressive here. It’s a place for reflection and learning.

Must see places of remembrance here are:

The Bunker cells

All prisoners to be executed the next day were placed in these cells. All they had was a bed of steel, a straw bag, and a bucket to be used as a toilet.

Kopinsky’s Stone

Kopinsky's Stone is a piece of art made by a former prisoner named Kopinsky. The curve in the path symbolizes the fact that many prisoners were psychologically broken, during their time in this camp.

The shooting range

At first sight, a beautiful lane in the forest. However, this path was dug out by the prisoners themselves. After it was finished, it served as a path to kill prisoners. Some got killed at the beginning, some in the middle, but most at the end. Right at the point when it looked like they had reached freedom. It makes you sick just reading this. It has an even more significant impact when you're walking here in person.

The Stone Man

The monument "The Stone Man" is made by the sculptor Fritz Sieger (a prisoner of war himself). It’s a memorial to all victims who died here. The man is facing where the firing squad would have stood.

The Rose Garden

This "rose" garden wasn’t a garden at all. It was just a nickname given by the prisoners instead. In reality, it was a patio enclosed by barbed wire. Prisoners had to stand inside it as punishment for hours, sometimes days, no matter the weather. Prisoners imagined the barbs were roses, hence the name.

Practical information camp Amersfoort:

How to reach camp Amersfoort:

How to get to Amersfoort

It couldn’t be easier to travel to Amersfoort. The best way to go is by train. Amersfoort is well connected to every corner of the country since Amersfoort is the official middle point of the Netherlands.

The direct Intercity train from Amersfoort and Amsterdam takes just 30 minutes (leaving twice per hour in each direction, from early morning to late at night, seven days per week.)

From Utrecht, it’s less than 15 minutes to reach Amersfoort on a non-stop direct Intercity train. Trains depart up to 6 times per hour in each direction.

Cities like Zwolle, Deventer, Gouda, and Apeldoorn (for the famous royal palace Het Loo) are also all 30 minutes or less from Amersfoort by train.

Where to stay in Amersfoort

Using Amersfoort as your base can be a smart idea. Hotels are cheaper than in Amsterdam. Staying in Amersfoort is also perfect for day trips to nearby cities, or just to spend more time in Amersfoort itself.

Amersfoort city center hotels:

Amersfoort hotels outside the city center: