NETHERLANDS GUIDE

Discover Benelux | Top Places to Visit in the Netherlands in 2020 | The Ultimate Destination
against intruders was the beer they were
brewing at that moment. Inside the walls,
there are old mansions that are still being
lived in. The surroundings are a lovely spot
for a walk.” One of the top attractions in
Amersfoort is the old tower. “In the old
days, a church was connected to the
tower. However, the gunpowder that was
being stored there caught fire and burned
down the whole church. Nowadays, only
the contours of the church are visible, but
the tower is still standing. From the top
you can admire a great view across the
centre of the Netherlands.”
Lively squares
“The old town of Amersfoort housed
a lot of waterways in earlier days,”
Overeem continues. “On the nodes you
can find squares that now offer restaurants,
bars and terraces. With the first
rays of sunlight people can be found on
one of the many terraces. But also in
colder weather they are equally inviting,
with heaters, candles and a roof protection
formed by beach umbrellas. The first
places open in the morning for coffee
and breakfast, and then the last places
for drinks and dancing close when the
first places are almost ready to open
again.” The squares are car free and even
cyclists need to walk alongside their
bikes. Every now and then, the terraces
have to make room for a market, or a cultural
event with live performances.
Hip hotspots
Just a short walk from the city centre,
a whole new centre can be found. Old
warehouses are now being used for crafts
and hospitality. According to Overeem,
the old fabrics are still visible. “An old
toothpaste factory at a hotspot called ´De
Nieuwe Stad´ (The New City) is now the
home of different restaurants. One has
even mounted a pizza oven in the old factory
chimney.” The ´Wagenwerkplaats´ is
another hotspot – this was once a maintenance
centre for the Dutch railroad
company. Behind the yellow and black
shutters, many different activities are constantly
taking place, yet everything is visible
and transparent to visitors. Overeem:
“The hotspots are mostly visited by couples
and young families who come here
for a lunch or dinner.”
Muurhuizen. Photo: Bianca van der Aalst-Koedijker
Kortegracht.
Koen Overeem. Photo: Robin Joshua
Issue 71 | November 2019 | 41