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Even though we live only a short half-hour drive from Dordrecht, it's a city we don't visit much. A shame, because Dordrecht is an incredibly beautiful city where you can also do and experience a lot. The center of Dordrecht positively surprised us, both while walking through its streets and from the water. Did you know that Dordrecht is the oldest city in Holland? You will find many historic buildings, beautiful sights, cozy terraces and nice stores. In this article, we share the best tips for what to do in Dordrecht!
Discover beautiful sights in Dordrecht
The centuries-old South Holland city of Dordrecht has many beautiful sights and fun activities to do. But did you know that Dordrecht also has a beautiful waterfront location. There are namely three rivers together. So a fun fact is that this is one of the busiest inland shipping routes in Europe.
The Grand Main Gate
On the quay where the three rivers (the Oude Maas, Beneden Merwede and the Noord) meet dominates the imposing Groothoofdspoort. This is one of the beautiful sights of Dordrecht. The Groothoofdspoort is the city gate where people used to have to report to enter the trading city of Dordrecht. You will now find cozy catering establishments where you can sit and enjoy a beautiful view of the rivers.
The Great Church
The Great Church, also called Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk, can be seen towering over the city from afar. The church is located centrally in the historic center of Dordrecht, and it is a picture to see (especially from the water!). The imposing church tower immediately attracts our attention, not only because we would like to stand at the top of the tower, but especially because the tower is pretty crooked (2.25 out of plumb). Also inside the church we feast our eyes, what impressions. And then of course the climb up: 275 steps to the top and then you can enjoy a phenomenal view of the city!
Museum van Gijn
Dordrecht breathes history. And so does the monumental building where Museum van Gijn is located. Taking a look at life in the past is therefore something we are curious about. Unfortunately we do not have a time machine, but during a visit to Museum van Gijn there is no need for one. Here you step back in time 100 years and take a look at the family home of Simon van Gijn. A family who lived on upscale in beautiful Dordrecht.
Dordrecht city hall
Dordrecht's magnificent city hall quickly catches our eye as we walk along the Grotekerksbuurt from the Grote Kerk. The building of the city hall looks sleek and fairly modern, nothing suggests that this building was built in 1383. In fact, here's the thing: the front facade of the city hall is a "new facade" that was put against the original building. When you take a boat through the canals, for example with SiBarone, and come out at the back of the city hall, you will see the original building style of the city hall.
The Wolwevershaven
In our opinion, one of the most beautiful harbors in Dordrecht is the Wolwevershaven. From the Roobrug, you have a good view of the historic ship elevator and look out over each of the beautiful monumental buildings. Also be sure to stroll over to the Damiatebrug at the beginning of the Wolwevershaven. From this bridge you overlook the harbor with the historic center of Dordrecht in the background.
Eating at cozy hotspots in Dordrecht
As we already wrote, in Dordrecht you will find atmospheric terraces and nice restaurants. Places where you can have a nice lunch or a luxurious dinner. These are our tips:
Remise: lunch with a view of the Grote Kerk and Dordrecht City Hall
The Warehouse: socializing in the courtyard garden
Bluebirds in the Backyard: enjoy lunch and browse around a mini department store
Villa Augustus: an attractive hotel, café and restaurant
Plan an outing: these are fun activities to do in Dordrecht
Dordrecht has many beautiful monumental sights, but there are also plenty of things to do in Dordrecht. What we find a tremendously nice start to the day is a visit to National Park De Biesbosch. Especially on sunny days it is lovely here. Then you can go boating and enjoy the peace and quiet around you. And that on the outskirts of the beautiful city of Dordrecht!
Explore the city by e-chopper
Since our visit to the village Yerseke we love e-choppers. For those not yet familiar with an e-chopper, this is an electric scooter with a cool look. Renting an e-chopper is ideal for when you want to discover a city or area in a fast and comfortable way. While cruising around on these fun e-choppers, we pass the most beautiful sights of Dordrecht. Wherever we want to take a look, we lock the e-chopper. Good to know: the e-chopper can be used on all cycle paths and in the center of Dordrecht. You can hire the e-chopper from Dordt-E. Benefit? No tired legs at the end of the day!
Admiring Dordrecht from the water
Give us a boat and we are happy! From the moment we saw the beautiful boat from Si Barone saw a smile from ear to ear appeared on our faces. With a touch of Italy, we sailed in an hour along the quays and through the canals and harbors of Dordrecht. Si Barone had three Italian water cabs brought over from Venice, the Elena, Fraternita and Talamod. Of which the Elena is a real official water cab. With this you can sail through Dordrecht in style and you can also sail through National Park De Biesbosch in a unique way.
Discover the Biesbosch National Park
National Park De Biesbosch can be found op about a 10-minute drive from the center of Dordrecht. A wonderful location to start or end a visit to Dordrecht. If you find that you do not have enough time to combine the Biesbosch and a visit to the city of Dordrecht, this is a good reason to make it a multi-day city trip Dordrecht.
We kicked off our day in Dordrecht with a very fun activity in the Biesbosch: sup-yoga. We had done yoga before, but never before on a sup-board. Jolande van Lifestyle Studio from Dordrecht often organizes sup-yoga in the Biesbosch during the summer. It is a wonderful place to unwind and start your day relaxed. By the way, Jolande also has a beautiful studio in the center of Dordrecht.
You may also be able to rent sup boards separately at Drive Dordrecht.
Stay a night in Dordrecht
As you have read in this article, Dordrecht is an interesting city to visit. Especially if, like us, you love cozy hotspots, beautiful buildings and moreover: discovering a new pearl in your own country. To get the most out of your visit and to see as much of the city as possible, it is recommended to spend two days in Dordrecht, and thus stay one night.
One of our favorite addresses, which we also shared previously, is Villa Augustus in Dordrecht. You can stay here in stylish rooms in a former water tower. It is a 15-minute walk from here to the city center of Dordrecht. Another unique overnight stay in Dordrecht is staying in a Wrap House by StayOkay near the Biesbosch. Now that's a great way to wake up in nature!
Wrap House by Stayokay Dordrecht
A wrap house is a unique cottage made from recycled cardboard. On the grounds of Stayokay Dordrecht, you will find 4 of these cool accommodations. The cottages can be booked for up to 4 people. For an overnight stay, you pay on average between €75.00 and €170.00 per night (this depends on the number of people).
Tip for parking in Dordrecht
Are you traveling to Dordrecht by car? Then we have some handy tips for you. You can park for free in the Weeskinderendijk parking lot. From here, you can walk to the city center in 15 minutes.
Travander
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