Last spring we paid a short visit to the town of Delft, in south Holland. Although we could have stayed longer, the town’s narrow, canal-lined streets were easy to stroll around in just a few hours.
Here are some of my favourite photographs from the trip.
Delft dates from the 11th century, and is full of olde-worlde charm.
There’s a real buzz to the town on market days (Thursdays and Saturdays), with busy canalside cafes and restaurants full of visitors and locals. The market takes place in the ‘Markt’, or the town square, in the shadow of the grand Stadhuis (town hall).
In the spring and summer, an antiques market lines up along the side of the canals in the town centre, with everything from quirky paintings to brass ornaments on sale.
Delft is the birthplace of artist Johannes Vermeer, who painted Girl with a Pearl Earring. If we’d had longer there, we’d have paid a visit to the Vermeer Centrum Delft, which gives a glimpse of his studio, and of what it would have been like for the artist, living in 17th Century Holland.
If you’re looking for tradition, in Delft it’s everywhere, from the imposing Niewe Kerke to the wrought-iron street lamps, and the street organs piping out merry tunes.
Delft is home of the distinctive blue-and-white Delft pottery, developed in the 17th Century from Chinese influences. If there’s room in your car, you can pick some up in one of the town’s many workshops and studios.
Make sure you leave some space for cheese, too. Much of it comes from neighbouring Gouda (which you can read about here).
Like the rest of south Holland (which I’ve posted about here), we found Delft to be a relaxed, enjoyable, child-friendly place. Hopefully we’ll return one day.
If you like this, you might also enjoy:
A week at Strandpark Vlugtenburg, south Holland
Six stops on a south Holland road trip
A morning at Gouda cheese market
Windmills at Kinderdijk, near Rotterdam in Holland
Music boxes and Old Masters at the Mauritshuis Museum, the Hague
A day at Duinrell Wassenaar theme park
A week at Duinrell theme park with Canvas Holidays
Pin for later:
12 Comments
joannamatt
April 28, 2017 at 7:09 amThe photographs are amazing.I hope you had a great time there.
Love,
Joanna
https://mightyessays.com/
Nell
May 3, 2017 at 9:10 pmThanks. We loved it!
Tanja
April 28, 2017 at 11:41 amsuch a pretty town!
Nell
May 3, 2017 at 9:10 pmIt is indeed.
Plutonium Sox
April 28, 2017 at 1:54 pmWow, it looks so beautiful! And actually it has made me realise how little I know about Holland as a country. I’ve visited twice and didn’t stay anywhere that looked so traditional as Delft. Time for another visit I think!
Nat.x
Nell
May 3, 2017 at 9:11 pmIt was like bottled heritage! A gorgeous place.
Stuart Forster
April 29, 2017 at 8:06 amDelft really is a beautiful city. I have not been there since I was a student in Leiden. I reckon it’s time to return.
Nell
April 29, 2017 at 9:16 amOoh – how long did you study in Leiden? I love that part of the world. I’d like to spend a big tranche of time there at some point.
Tania
April 30, 2017 at 2:24 pmThere is certainly something that is quite ‘storybook’ about Holland, isn’t there? Love the photos!
Nell
May 4, 2017 at 7:42 pmThank you!
Donna vallance
May 4, 2017 at 8:16 amThis looks absolutely beautiful! It certainly makes me want to travel. It looks almost magical.
There!
Thanks for sharing x
Nell
May 8, 2017 at 2:29 pmIt did feel like a very special place!