Delft is a gorgeous town situated in between The Hague and Rotterdam, roughly an hour by train from Amsterdam. Regardless of its little size, Delft is a crucial historical and cultural centre in the Netherlands. The birthplace of Johannes Vermeer, among the Dutch masters, Delft is likewise the last resting location of the Dutch Royal Household. There are many things to see and perform in Delft and the best method to explore the town is on foot– the town centre is extremely compact and the majority of the important sights are located here. Here’s a self-guided walking tour that covers the top attractions in Delft:
< img src= "https://velvetescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/affiliate-links-disclosure.jpg"alt =""width= "1838"height ="150"/ > The best method to experience Delft is to go on a leisurely stroll around the town centre. This will take you past gorgeous lily-filled canals, quaint squares, stunning churches, manors and other historic monoliths. Delft This walking tour starts and ends at the Delft train station. Nevertheless, if you’re visiting Delft by automobile, I advise parking at the Phoenix Garage (likewise pinned on the map). Start this strolling route from the Delft train station or the Phoenix Garage and make your method down the stunning Oude Delft canal. Oude Delft with the tower of the Oude Kerk
1. Oude Delft canal
This lovely canal is among the oldest in Delft and is lined by various essential monoliths. As you stroll along the canal, watch out for the St. Hippolytus Chapel, a 14th century chapel. Further down the canal, you’ll certainly find the imposing façade of the Gemeenlandshuis, a 16th century Gothic home that’s the oldest stone house in Delft. The workplaces of the Delfland Water Authority have been based here since 1645.
Gemeenlandshuis 2. Prinsenhof A historical destination in Delft that is closely tied to the history of the Netherlands is the Prinsenhof. Initially built in the Middle Ages as an abbey, Prinsenhof later on acted as the palace of William I, the Prince of Orange(or William the Silent), who is considered the creator and’daddy’ of the Netherlands. William I was assassinated here in 1584 and the holes made in a wall by the bullets can still be seen. The Prinsenhof is now a museum with, among others, a collection of Vermeer paintings. 
Prinsenhof( image courtesy of Wikimedia Creative Commons )3. Oude Kerk (Old Church)A short walk from the Prinsenhof is the 13th century Oude Kerk(Old Church), the earliest church in Delft. Lots of popular citizens of Delft were buried here, including Johannes Vermeer. The entryway ticket likewise includes the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church). 
< img src="// www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20600%20800'%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="leading destinations in delft"width="600"height="800"/ > Oude Kerk Vermeer burial place in the Oude Kerk 4. Lambert van Meerten Museum Just throughout from the Oude Kerk you’ll find the Lambert van Meerten Museum, a magnificent 19th century manor house with an interesting collection of
furnishings from the Dutch Golden Age. Continue this strolling route along the Hippolytusbuurt canal. A great location for lunch is’t Postkantoor, a lovely café with canal-side seating and a garden terrace in the back.
< img
src =”// www.w3.org/2000/svg’%20viewBox=’0%200%20640%20481’%3E%3C/svg%3E”alt=”where to have lunch in delft “width=”640″height=”481″/ >’t Postkantoor 5. Voldersgracht Then continue along Voldersgracht, a stunning canal with many stores and cafés. There are different antique and art shops along the Voldersgracht to browse around.< img src="// www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20600%20800'%3E%3C/svg%3E"alt="what to do in delft" width="600" height="800"/ > Voldersgracht 6. Vermeer Centre Our next stop is the Vermeer Centre. Delft is the birth place of Johannes Vermeer, a Dutch painter who lived throughout the nation’s Golden Age in the 17th century. Possibly most famous for his painting, ‘Lady with the Pearl Ear Calling’, Vermeer utilized the town and surrounding countryside as the background in much of his paintings. A check out to Delft wouldn’t be complete without a check out to the Vermeer Centre! Purchase your entryway tickets here. 
< img src ="// www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20640%20480'%3E%3C/svg%3E "alt=" leading things to do in delft"width="640"height=" 480"/ > Vermeer Centre 7. Markt Delft’s main square, Markt (‘ Market’), houses two of the town’s essential structures: the Nieuwe Kerk (‘New Church’ )on one end and the Stadhuis (‘City Center’)on the other end. The Nieuwe Kerk was completed in 1496 and its bell-tower is an impressive 109 meters high! 
You can climb the bell-tower for beautiful views of Delft and even the skyline of Rotterdam.
Nieuwe Kerk < img src="https://velvetescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/IMG_4338-640x480.jpeg"alt= "delft attractions "width= "640"height="480"/ > Stadhuis(City Hall)The Nieuwe Kerk has a crucial place in the history of the Dutch monarchy as this is where the royal family’s burial vault is located. The entrance to the vault is
covered by a 5,000 kg rock slab! A big slab marks the entrance to the burial vault of the Dutch royal household. Another crucial person who was laid to rest in this church was Hugo Grotius(or Hugo de Groot), a legal representative and theologist who played an influential role in shaping current global and maritime law. A well-known story that Dutch kids are told is the bold escape of Hugo de Groot from the dungeons of Slot Loevestein, where he was held as a political detainee. 
< img src ="https://velvetescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/IMG_4330-1.jpeg"alt ="delft new church "width ="600"height="800"/ > The stunning ceiling of the Nieuwe Kerk 8. Maria van Jessekerk From Markt, continue your Delft sightseeing walk to the Maria van Jessekerk(Maria van Jesse Church). This 19th century neo-Gothic church has a lovely nave, pulpit and stained-glass windows.
Maria van Jessekerk 9. Beestenmarkt A brief walk from the Maria van Jessekerk is the large and shady Beestenmarkt (square). From the 16th century right up to the 1970’s, this square was the market location for livestock. Nowadays, it’s loaded with cafés and restaurants. I advise stopping by at Kobus Kuch for delicious apple pie. 
Beesten Markt square< img src ="https://velvetescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/IMG_4360-640x480.jpeg"alt=" "width=" 640"height="480 "/ > Apple pie at Kobus Buch 10. 
Oostpoort From Beestenmarkt, walk along the atmospheric Molslaan and Oosteinde canals to the Oostpoort. 
This beautiful 14th century city gate is the just one of 8 middle ages gates that still stands. A view of the Delft skyline from the Oosteinde canal. Oostpoort 11. Royal Delft is popular the world over for its blue ceramics aptly called Delft Blue. This specific style was influenced by the arrival of Chinese porcelain, which was imported to Europe by the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century. Delft Blue ceramics in the form of plates, jugs, salt and pepper shakers, fridge magnets, clogs, mini windmills and vases are some of the most popular keepsakes for visitors to the Netherlands. Shop selling Delft
Blue. From the Oostpoort, follow the path past the Hortus Botanicus (Botanical Gardens, which can likewise be checked out) to the Royal Delft Factory & Museum. This is the very best place to discover Delft Blue ceramics.
In addition to the many shops offering Delft Blue products, there are likewise various museums which house private collections of antique Delft Blue and Chinese porcelain, such as the Paul Tetar van Elven Museum.
12. Other things to do in Delft
One fantastic thing to do in Delft is to go on a canal cruise. This is a fun way to read more about the city and see the most crucial sights from the water.
< img src= "https://velvetescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/IMG_4380-640x480.jpeg"alt="things to do in delft"width="640"height="480"/ > Sign up with a canal cruise Another thing I like about Delft are its antique markets. There are many antique markets, particularly in the summer months. The most significant Antique Market is held every Saturday between mid-April and late-September. On these Saturdays, hundreds of stalls line the canals and provide a colorful and differed collection, varying from ancient porcelain pieces to somewhat more contemporary record collections! 
Antique market in Delft.
I also enjoy checking out the Book and Art Market that’s held every Thursday in the Hippolytusbuurt (in the town centre) between early-April and late-October.
Getting to Delft
Delft is quickly accessible by train from the significant cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. If you have a long layover at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, think about going to Delft as it is only about 30 minutes by train from the airport. If you’re driving, Delft is simply off the main A13 highway between The Hague and Rotterdam. I recommend parking your car in the Phoenix Garage at the edge of the old town.
Delft produces a fantastic field trip from Amsterdam but if you have time, I advise remaining a night or 2. Hotels I can recommend consist of Hotel Royal Bridges and Hotel Arsenaal Delft.
Look for hotels in Delft (Booking.com).