Unveiling the Charms of a Dutch Delight
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The vibrant city of Breda in the Netherlands beckons travelers with its picturesque canals, historic architecture, and lively atmosphere. Breda is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by those seeking a genuine Dutch experience.
The modern world of travel has a problem: overtourism and crowded cities, too many people packed into one place. But not in Breda, a prime example of a city off the beaten track yet loaded with historic attractions, outdoor restaurants and a large pedestrian zone. While tourists do come here, it does not get overrun, so it retains an authentic character.
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Grote Markt, Historic Center, Pedestrian Zone, Valkenberg Park, Grote Kerk, Castle, River Mark.
This small Dutch city is friendly and peaceful, with lots of things to see. Whether you're interested in pedestrian lanes, shopping, fine dining, casual eating, people-watching, or simply enjoying the pleasant ambiance, Breda has something for everyone.
Our website presents a logical sequences of places in Breda you can visit, to help create your own walking tour. The page explains how to get from one location to another and shows what to see, with detailed description, pictures, video and map to add more information.
You might not have even heard of Breda. It's close to Rotterdam, just 30 minutes by train. There is direct rail service to Amsterdam and Brussels, each just over one hour away. Located just 15 kilometers from the Belgian border, Breda is a popular destination for day trips from Antwerp and Brussels.
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Like many Dutch cities, it's a relatively small place with a great history, pubs everywhere, and with sidewalk restaurants galore. This is not a very touristic town. There's a lot of things to see, of course, plenty to keep the visitor busy. And yet, primarily you see local people walking around and at the restaurants.
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These restaurants will offer a good deal, good food at a fair price because they count on repeat customers, not just a one-off tourist place. This is a really special city that also has a modern side to it. There are several a small shopping malls, many streets lined with retail, and a number of beautiful hotels, up to 100 rooms in size.
You'll find that the people of Breda and the Netherlands in general are friendly, and they speak English. So it's very easy to strike up a conversation. You can ask somebody where's a good place to eat, have a beer, or just say hello.
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No matter what time of day that you are out, you will always find that Breda is a walkable city. It is compact in size, about one kilometer wide, so you can easily explore Breda on foot, walking around. You don't need to take any public transportation. You don't need a bus. There's no subway, no tram. You don't need a taxi or bicycle. Just walk.
Begin your visit at the Grote Markt, Breda's central square lined with attractive places to eat and drink. The Grote Markt is the main square, and throughout the day and into the evening you'll see it's filled with people. They're crazy about their sidewalk tables here, a good place to just sit down and have a beer, or a full meal. People love to flock here just for conversation.
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Sitting in the Grote Markt restaurants in the morning at about 10:30 is quite an experience. Some of the restaurants are open, but not very many customers arrive at this hour. They will come in for lunch, stay for the afternoon and right on into the evening until after dark, it is going to be very busy, always a fascinating place.
Grote Markt is the best location in town to find a wide variety of high-quality restaurants, such as Mr. Moo's, where I had a delightful dinner, salmon and red wine at a ringside table for people-watching, followed by a large cheese platter.
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Another popular restaurant is Boterhal, which brews their own beer in the basement. It is a full-service restaurant upstairs and downstairs, the original barrel-vaulted medieval cellar with a brewery inside. First built in 1483 as home to one of the guilds in Breda, then a museum, with a statue of Saint George and the dragon on the facade.
Or have a couple of sandwiches with pasta salad for lunch at the casual Colonie restaurant. Seating indoors and out there. Open every day from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. Pizza, Kabobs, vegan, Mexican, Italian, morning brunch, afternoon tea you can find practically any taste you desire here at the square.
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In the evening, the marketplace is even busier when more locals come out to eat, drink, talk or maybe just take a stroll. People love to sit outside in the warmer months, but the Grote Markt is alive throughout the year, including a Christmas market with an ice-skating rink.
This has always been a marketplace, ever since 1321, originally for selling grains primarily. And now, once again, every Friday and Tuesday morning, it's a lively outdoor market selling food and clothing and hardware and all kinds of miscellaneous items.
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Most of this square was built after 1534 because in 1419 and 1534, it and the whole city burned down. At that time 90% of the houses were wooden, but from 1534 there was a rule that only stone houses were allowed. There is some tragic history here, but they no longer perform executions. Instead, it's a bustling hub of activity teeming with life. City Hall is in prime location on the square, but in its early days, it was a courthouse, as the statue of Lady Justice above the entry shows.
Its central location makes Grote Markt an ideal starting point for exploring the city. More than half a dozen streets in the historic center are reserved for pedestrians and bicycles only, and no cars are allowed. However, many other streets do allow a mix of people and cars, which are carefully managed by a type of traffic control called pedestrian-first. This allows motor vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians to share the same street, but the cars must drive slowly, with a speed limit of ten miles per hour, and the right of way belongs to pedestrians and bicycles.
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This results in a friendly traffic pattern that enables people to walk everywhere, while providing mobility and access for motor vehicles. Pedestrians can walk down the middle of a street and not worry about getting run over, because any car that shows up has to drive very slowly.
This is a grand compromise also found in most cities in the Netherlands. It can be a model for other places that do not have enough streets to completely close them off for pedestrians. Instead, they could slow traffic down, provide a bicycle lane, and create wide sidewalks for people, satisfying everyone's need to get around.
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During the day the city center is a busy area with lots of people out walking. But if you go in the morning, right after your breakfast, you'll find the streets can be pretty empty. Walking around in the morning, say before 10:30 or 11, gets a little busy with trucks and deliveries. So just be aware. Shops don't open until 10:00 or maybe 11:00. So, relax in the morning at your hotel with a leisurely breakfast. It's more interesting to get started by mid-morning, but when you're traveling you want to see as much as possible. And sometimes that means getting out early in the day and dodging the delivery action.
A favorite activity for locals and visitors is shopping in the city center, or at least, window-shopping. Breda has a wide variety of stores, most of them independent, not part of the big chains you find everywhere. From ordinary to fancy boutiques, big department stores and shopping, you will find numerous places to spend those euros.
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No visit to Breda is complete without indulging in its culinary delights. The city's diverse dining scene caters to every palate, from traditional Dutch fare to international cuisine. Savor a meal at one of the city's charming bistros or explore the vibrant food markets that offer fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, and local specialties. Be sure to sample Breda's Beer, which is brewed locally and celebrated with pride.
Several major streets lead out from Grote Markt, including Veemarktstraat, which just might be the nicest street in town. Just 300 meters long, you'll enjoy walking from one end to the other and perhaps back again. Take a look at the outdoor cheese market, which has a wide variety of products, and do some people-watching.
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The street name means cattle market street because in the early days, this was a cattle market. Of course, there are no cattle anymore, it is a walking street for shopping. It is such a classy street that it has its own website with a rather extensive list of all the businesses, including 17 restaurants and cafes, along with 40 stores, including well-known Dille and Camille with gadgets for home, garden, and kitchen.
You'll find outdoor cafe tables, a daily market for fresh produce and various historic sites, including a grand old mansion, the Bishop's Palace, originally constructed as a courthouse in the 16th century and purchased by the church in 1859.
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At the end of the street we have a little plaza, and you'll find some side alleys that are quite lovely and have some history to them. A short pedestrian lane is called Wijngaardhof, or Vineyards Alley, with outdoor dining.
The short street also has a little bit of a history. A very famous guy was born here, called Dries van Kuijk. He fled to America, changed his name to Colonel Tom Parker, and later on he started with helping new artists. He found a big one and it was Elvis.
Continue for two blocks east beyond Veemarktstraat, crossing Vlaszak, a modern street with lots of traffic. In the early days, this was the location of part of the city wall, so we are now outside the historic center into a more modern part of town.
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Vlaszak leads to another big street, Kloosterplein, where you'll find a major entertainment complex with one of Europe's largest casinos and Chassé Theater, one of the biggest theaters in the Netherlands. This sprawling modern structure also includes a movie theater and restaurant.
Breda has made a big effort to encourage the creation of giant outdoor murals they call the Blind Walls Gallery, such as the large nearby painting of Catharina from Alexandria, a patroness of plague victims, next to a Protestant orphanage.
Two blocks away, you'll find the Stedelijk Museum with an extensive collection of art and objects illustrating the history of Breda and the region. Originally it was a hospital about 500 years ago, a fine example of Dutch Renaissance architecture, and then it became an old age house for men, as commemorated by two large statues above the doorway. The old men's house closed in the 1950s and the State Museum opened in 2017, making it the youngest city museum in the Netherlands. An added wing greatly expanded the collection.
The Stedelijk Museum Breda showcases a diverse collection of art and artifacts, offering a journey through the city's artistic evolution. From contemporary works to historical pieces, the museum provides a glimpse into the creative spirit that has shaped Breda's identity.
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A popular pub is next door, de Beyerd, a famous beer cafe. The original pub was founded in the 16th century and is almost 190 years in the same family now. It was one of the first in Holland to start importing beer from Belgium, and now has about 300 different kind of beers in bottle and 14 on tap.
Crossing back over in the historic center to Molenstraat, we find another modern building: the public library. This facility provides internet access, printing, quiet study rooms, and many books.
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The library is also a community gathering place and center of the arts. The library offers educational programs, workshops, courses, and dance classes.
Sint Janstraat is a good example of a street for pedestrians and bicycles only, but it was not always that way. A few years ago it was just an ordinary street with traffic. Breda is trying to keep the traffic out of the city. Now it is a promenade lined with shops, and terraces with people dining outside, and lots of places for food and drinks.
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There's also a spectacular church on this street, Saint Anthony, the Catholic cathedral of Breda, built in 1837 in a neoclassical style. Breda has two cathedrals. This one is Catholic and later we will bring you into the Protestant cathedral, the Gothic Grote Kerk.
Huis Ocrum (Niewe Veste) was constructed 500 years ago and served as a monastery, embassy, orphanage, and military warehouse. Later, it was an art school, and now it's a music school.
Sint Annastraat dates back to the 16th century, giving it a lot of character. And yet the shops are very much up to date. There's Ja'Dour, a hip clothing store specializing in vintage with second-hand clothing. Fewer new items need to be manufactured, reducing that industry's ecological footprint.
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There are a few alleys and courtyards, then Sint Annastraat connects with Catharinastraat, a pedestrian-friendly street that is shared with bicycles and some cars, where people can walk in the street knowing that any cars that might show up will be driving slowly.
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The Walloon Church on Catharinastraat is a Protestant place of worship founded in 1590. The Walloon community of Breda still meets here for services held in French.
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Behind the church we find an amazingly beautiful garden courtyard with homes around it. This is the Begijnhof of Breda. It's a green Paradise in the middle of the city. The Begijnhof is an old Dutch tradition that provided housing for elderly, single religious ladies and continuing today, but no longer religious and now open to all single women, who pay a modest rent.
Historic residential buildings surround a lovely garden courtyard, with flowers and extensive herb gardens, growing 300 types of herb, tended by a gardener. This is a convenient place to live, right in the center of town, two blocks from the Grote Markt. Residents don't need to drive or take a bus — just walk. The atmosphere is quiet and peaceful. I ran into a friendly cat while visiting who wanted to be petted so much, I could hardly get away.
Across the street you'll find another green oasis, a charming and serene garden adorned with sculptures, lush greenery, benches for sitting and surrounded by historic buildings. The garden is named after Willem Merk, who retired as Mayor of Breda after serving from 1967 to 1983. It was his desire to turn the vacant lot behind the courthouse into a beautiful garden. As a parting gift, the people of Breda offered him this sculpture garden with 12 works of art and a sundial.
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It's a relatively small but meticulously maintained garden featuring a variety of trees, shrubs and flowers. The design is simple but elegant, with winding paths and cozy seating areas perfect for relaxation.
Upon exiting the garden back on Catharinastraat, you can walk right into the main city park, Stadspark Valkenburg, Breda's largest and most famous park. The park is called Valkenburg because the royals trained their falcons there for hunting in the past.
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This was originally a forest, and in the 17th century it was turned into a French-style park with 17 statues in flower beds. Until 1812, the Valkenburg served as a private garden to Breda Castle, which is on the park's edge. In those old days, the garden was only open to the Lords of Breda and their guests.
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An impressive monument commemorates that Royal Dutch Nassau family. This large, decorated pillar is encircled by coats of arms and statues in relief, supporting a lion on top with a royal crown, sword and shield, with the miniature castle and heroic figures down below. The River Mark runs alongside the park, with a striped watchtower, a public art installation.
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The castle is still standing on the west side of the park. Occasional private tours of the grounds are available. However, the castle and surrounding area is a military base for training soldiers.
The castle's origin traces back to the 12th century, when a fortress stood on this site. Breda itself grew around the stronghold. In the 16th century, the castle was rebuilt into a Renaissance palace. It's still protected by a moat and by the river Mark.
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On the west side, we see an old wall and two towers, which are remains of the city walls of Breda. Most of the wall was torn down in 1860, but this impressive section is still still standing. The tower on the right is the Pigeon Tower, now a Protestant chapel, and on the left side, the Grenade Tower, now a Catholic chapel, crowned by a terrace cafe on top where you can have a very nice beer.
This grouping of towers and wall is called Spanjaardsgat, or Spanish Gate, because of the large opening in wall for boats, built in 1610 as a defensive measure to prevent Spanish attack.
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The area in front of the wall is a small boat basin in the River Mark, referred to as the Haven. A boat called Spinola had been a floating cafe. Now it's a place for private events. You can rent a small boat to explore the waterways or take an organized public tour on a canal boat. A leisurely boat ride along the water offers a different perspective of the city, with picturesque bridges and waterfront cafes inviting you to pause and savor the moment.
This part of the river had been covered over with concrete for automobile traffic until 2007, when major renovations took place. These revealed the river once again and created a waterfront promenade, which has greatly enhanced life on the west side of the city.
A block from the river, you'll find School Street, one of the oldest roads in Breda, filled with historic charm. Along the street you'll find the Synagogue, built in 1845, but damaged in World War Two, then was restored and re-consecrated with services held there regularly.
That street leads to Havermarkt plein, one of the most popular gathering places in the city. It has several bars and restaurants around a large outdoor plaza with lots of dining tables. It's a good place to participate in authentic Dutch life right in the very center of town, next to the cathedral, with lovely streets all around it. It is one of the best places in town to take a stroll and explore those little lanes. Go grab a bite, do a little shopping.
Nearby we find one of the most important attractions of the city, the Grote Kerk, Breda's cathedral with its great tower rising high above the city.
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The 15th century church is the Pride of Breda. Originally built as a Catholic church by the ancestors of the Dutch royal family, but was converted to Protestant during the Reformation.
The church was built by the Nassaus, who were the ancestors of the Dutch royal family. Engelbrecht I ordered the construction of a large church with a burial vault, in keeping with the status of the Nassaus.
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Nine members of the Nassau dynasty were buried in the church, showing the incredible importance of not only the church but Breda at the time. The showpiece is the Prinsenkapel with the tomb of Engelbrecht II of Nassau.
Construction of the church lasted from 1410 all the way up to 1547, and since then they have maintained the beauty of this spectacular place, built in the Brabant Gothic style. The 97-metre-high tower was completed in 1509 after forty years of construction. The imposing architecture, the monuments, royal history, burials and wall paintings make the Grote Kerk the most important monument of Breda.
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The west side of town is even less touristic than areas just visited. It is a neighborhood with more pedestrian streets and lots of shops for the locals, a good place to get beyond the typical visitor sights and dive into a popular part of the city.
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Take a little detour across the Tolbrug over the River Mark to see Haagdijk, another very interesting street for strolling, with some typically Dutch rules for the traffic. It's designated a bicycle street, with wide sidewalks for the pedestrians who must stay out of the bicycle lane. Automobiles are allowed if they drive very slowly.
Cross back across the river to the main side of town, walking along Nieuwstraat, a beautiful old street with classic Dutch architecture. There is a fascinating hotel here in several old historic brick buildings, the Hotel Nassau, operated by Marriott, four-star deluxe with 94 rooms, making it one of the largest hotels in town.
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The building was first constructed in 1849 to house Franciscan nuns, who then constructed a neo-Gothic chapel as part of their complex, which grew to three different buildings. The Franciscan Sisters departed in 1992, and the complex stood empty until its restoration, then opening in 2016 as this hotel.
Then you bump right into the modern world at De Barones, a very sleek shopping center. For most visitors, shopping malls are not that exciting.
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The mall is just another slice of the modern life you can find anywhere in the world. Convenient for locals, but visitors are more interested in being out in those streets, and as you've seen, Breda has a lot of them.
Water Street is another one of those old historic lanes. Originally, it led down towards the river where the old harbor was located.
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The wide, busy Karnemelkstraat is a major artery for bus traffic, lined with contemporary buildings -- despite modern appearance, has a long history going back 500 years.
Be sure to walk along Ginnekenstraat, another of the main shopping streets in the historic city center. This street also has a small, modern shopping arcade, Houtmarktpassage, and Breda's oldest chapel, St. Joostkapel, constructed around the year 1436. It served various purposes over the years, including as a prison and a stable, and in 1947 was rededicated as a Marian chapel.
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Then wrap up your exploration of this west side of the city center with a stroll along two more streets that do prohibit automobiles, only for bicycles and pedestrians, Karrestraat and Halstraat.
Well, it's time to head over to the train station. I've been getting around the Netherlands by train, and stayed in Breda for two nights to get a good look at the city. You could do it as a day trip from Rotterdam, as mentioned earlier, about half an hour away by train, but hopefully you've seen enough to realize that Breda is a wonderful place to spend some time, getting away from those crowds of overtourism found in so many of the big popular cities of Europe now.
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With its captivating blend of history, art, and culture, Breda invites travelers to step into a world where old and new converge in perfect harmony. Whether you're meandering along its canals, admiring its architecture, or immersing yourself in its artistic offerings, Breda promises a journey that delights the senses.
For more information see the Tourist Information page.
| Hotel | Website | |
|---|---|---|
| Amrath Hotel Brabant | http://www.amrathhotels.nl/brabant/welcome-de.html | info@hotelbrabant.nl |
| Bastion Hotel Breda | https://www.bastionhotels.com/en-gb/hotels/hotel-breda | info@bastionhotels.nl |
| Bliss Hotel | http://www.blisshotel.nl/ | reception@blisshotel.nl |
| Golden Tulip Keyser Breda | https://www.hotel-keyser.nl/en | info@hotel-keyser.nl |
| Hotel de Klok | https://hotel-de-klok.nl/ | info@hotel-de-klok.nl |
| Hôtel Première Classe Breda | https://www.premiereclasse.com/en/hotels/premiere-classe-breda | breda@premiereclasse.com |
| Hotel Sutor | https://hotelsutor.com/ | info@hotelsutor.com |
| Leonardo Hotel Breda City Center | https://www.leonardo-hotels.nl/breda/leonardo-hotel-breda-city-center | info.breda@leonardo-hotels.nl |
| Mastbosch Hotel Breda | http://www.mastbosch.nl/ | info@mastbosch.nl |
| Nassau Breda | https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/glzak-hotel-nassau-breda-autograph-collection/overview | welcome@hotelnassaubreda.nl |
| Nouveau van Ham | https://www.nouveauvanham.nl/ | info@nouveauvanham.nl |
| Novotel Breda | https://www.novotel-hotel-breda.nl/ | frontoffice@novotelbreda.nl |
| Onderwijshotel De Rooi Pannen Breda | https://gastvrijderooipannenbreda.nl/ | info.hotel.breda@derooipannen.nl |
| Stadshotel De Klok | https://www.hotel-de-klok.nl/en | info@hotel-de-klok.nl |
| The Monastery | https://www.hetkloosterbreda.nl/ | info@hetkloosterbreda.nl |
