The Dutch province of South Holland is where Delft is situated. It is situated halfway between Rotterdam and The Hague, two well-known cities. This charming tiny town is renowned for its canal-lined ancient center. Johannes Vermeer, a relatively well-known painter, was born and raised in Delft.
Ancient History
Since receiving a city franchise from the Dutch Earl William II in 1246, Delft has been recognized as a city. The new city started to expand, reaching the size it would remain at until the 19th century by 1355.
Delft has a long history of being linked to the House of Orange, and it housed the resistance movement in the Netherlands during the Eighty Years’ War. The descendants of William of Orange decided to bury him at Delft because the Spanish had taken over their usual burial site when Balthazar Gerards killed him in 1584. Due to this funeral, Delft has been chosen as the family’s official site of internment, which inspired the House of Orange to start a new custom.
Delft’s transportation
West of Holland is where the lovely town of Delft is located. It is manageable in size and simple to navigate. Delft’s city core is so small that walking or cycling are the primary modes of transportation.
How to reach Delft
The renowned Schiphol airport in Amsterdam is where many travelers fly into Holland. By changing in Leiden Centraal, you may easily take the train in around three and a half hours to reach the town. The connection is more difficult if you fly into Rotterdam Den Haag Airport, which is closer. To go to Delft, you must take a bus to Rotterdam Centraal station, where you must change to a train. Or you may choose the simpler route and pay roughly 35 euros to get a cab from the airport.
How to Get Around
Delft has a quick and effective transportation system that includes buses, trams, trains, and taxis. The buses are dependable, cozy, and clean. It is simpler to acquire an OV-chipkaart if you want to remain and explore the town for more than a day. You just load money onto the card at a railway station, a visitor center, or a participating hotel or store, then swipe it at the terminal as you board and disembark the bus. The appropriate amount will be immediately taken from your card as a result. If you’re only staying for the day, you can pay the driver or purchase tickets at the train stations’ coin machines.
In Delft, there are just two tramlines, making it difficult to get lost. If traveling to or from The Hague, you should board the number 1 tram, which passes through the town’s heart. The trip is quick, and you’ll reach your destination in a flash.
Tourism in Delft
The charming ancient town of Delft still has many of its unique characteristics. It is a city in the west of the Netherlands best known for its huge university, the renowned ceramic Delftware, and for being the birthplace of the painter Johannes Vermeer.
A charming and modest town center can be found in Delft, which is adjacent to The Hague. Because so much of the town center is accessible by automobile, it is much more pleasant to stroll around. Since most attractions are less than 20 minutes from the town center, getting around and seeing them all is simple. If you want peace and quiet, you can meander along the canals because this is Holland.
Old and New Churches
Strangely enough, a church, Nieuwe Kerk, or the new church, is closed on Sundays. On any other day, though, it is well worth seeing. The church has a tower almost 100 meters high, and for an additional 3 euros and a little more work, you can obtain some fantastic views over the town and The Hague.
The oldest building in Delft is the Oude Kerk, an old church dating back to the 13th century. Again, Sundays are a holiday. The artist Vermeer was the most well-known local to be buried here.
Events and Museums
A fantastic destination to visit for a fun day out is the Science Centre Delft. It is managed by the institution and contains a lot of interactive elements. Anyone interested in the history of the tobacco industry should visit the Delft Historic Tobacco Museum, which houses a sizable pipe collection. The Paul Tetar van Elven Museum features lovely oriental objects and a respectable collection of Delftware from the 1800s.