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Zutphen is one of the typical Dutch Hanseatic towns you can find in The Netherlands. It has a truly beautiful cityscape, incredible monuments to discover and great food to eat. But Zutphen wouldn’t be one of the Hanseatic cities in Europe you must visit if there weren’t many things to do. Zutphen has plenty of activities, things to see and must do’s for you to go wild on. It’s very easy to spend one day in Zutphen when you do nothing but wandering through picturesque streets, visiting great restaurants and watching the beautiful riverscape.
The city of Zutphen, The Netherlands, is a very convenient day trip away from the beautiful Dutch cities of Deventer, Zwolle and Arnhem. But if you want to explore the city in its best way, I would recommend you to spend the night to see and experience the difference between Zutphen at dawn and night. Discover the unusual and spectacular things you can do in Zutphen, plus find some of the coolest free things you can do in The Netherlands.
Explore the most beautiful Dutch Hanseatic city of The Netherlands: Things to do in Zutphen in 24 hours
There are many Hanseatic towns to be found in Europe, The Netherlands itself is already home to 18 Hanseatic cites. Think of the beautiful city of Elburg or the mesmerizing Dutch Hanseatic city of Groningen and, of course, the oldest city of The Netherlands: Nijmegen.
What I love about Zutphen is that it’s not only a beautiful city in The Netherlands that you must visit, but it’s even more amazing for a history nerd like me. Three churches date back to the Middle Ages, endless of old 14th century houses and picturesque alleys around every corner. And, there’s the river the Ijssel that streams next to Zutphen and the small river Berkel flows through a small part of Zutphen itself.
Zutphen has everything as a city to become the next top destination of The Netherlands, with its friendly people and beautiful houses, but for now it’s not often visited by foreign tourists. During summer you will mainly see Dutch and German tourists walking through the city, but that’s about it.
Discover Zutphen and everything you can do in this article. All the things that you must do in Zutphen make this city one of the places you have to see in The Netherlands.
History of Zutphen
Zutphen is located in the province of Gelderland and has had a turbulent history. The location of the current city of Zutphen has been inhabited for more than 1700 years and it is one of the oldest cities of The Netherlands. Zutphen started as a Germanic settlement on a river dune complex that was already fortified since the beginning. Around the year 800 Zutphen became an administrative centre of the nobility of Hamaland.
In the 9th century, Zutphen was destroyed during attacks from Vikings. After the 9th century, Zutphen was rebuilt and the nobility of Zutphen was able to gain more power, which made Zutphen grew rapidly and become more economically important. The location of Zutphen was perfect for merchants, which also helped massively to turn Zutphen into one of the Hanseatic cities of The Netherlands. Zutphen gained its city rights between 1191 and 1196. And the city became a completely walled city during the 13th century.
While the buildings and houses were mainly made of wood, this changed after the big city fires of 1284 and 1336. The houses were mainly made from brick, which is the reason why many houses in Zutphen still completely date back to the 14th century. The main economic bloom of Zutphen happened during the 14th century. And this lasted for around two centuries. The 16th century brought a difficult time for Zutphen: mainly because of the flourishing neighbouring cities and the 80-Year-War against the Spanish.
The Spanish executed hundreds of inhabitants of Zutphen on the 17th of November 1572. Most of the inhabitants of Zutphen were either murdered or fled between 1582 and 1591. In 1591 Maurits van Nassau captured the city and brought it back into Dutch hands, but with the turbulent history that The Netherlands has had, you should know that nothing stays this calm. In 1672 the French army came and conquered the Dutch city of Zutphen.
Shortly after 1700, there was a new and expanded version of the fortified city of Zutphen made, the city was slowly growing. The French left at the beginning of the 19th century and the inhabitants when to 15.000 within the 40 hectares of the fortified city. The fortified city of Zutphen was lifted abolished in 1874, but you’re still able to see many fortifications in and around the city of Zutphen. Only after the 1930s, Zutphen reached the 20.000 inhabitants number, but the Second World War was slowly starting.
Zutphen was heavily damaged during the Second World War and many inhabitants lost their lives. During one of the many bombardments, on the 14th of October 1944, more than 100 people lost their lives. And of the 500 Jewish citizens that were once thriving in Zutphen, less than 50 returned after the war ended.
Best hotels & B&B’s in Zutphen, Gelderland, The Netherlands
Zutphen is not a city that has many hotels or B&B’s, however there are a couple of great places to stay in one of The Netherlands upcoming tourist spots.
B&B Bed & Sauna
This bed and breakfast in Zutphen offers more than just a regular stay and breakfast. There are a few wellness facilities that you can enjoy during your stay as well. It is around a 15-minute walk to the centre of Zutphen.
Book your stay in Zutphen through Booking.com today!
Hampshire Hotel – ‘s Gravenhof Zutphen
This monumental 17th century building is located in the middle of the centre of Zutphen. The hotel also offers bike rental and has a truly spectacular interior.
Book your stay in Zutphen through Booking.com today!
Eat a tasty breakfast at cafes in Zutphen
Zutphen is one of the Hanseatic cities you can explore in The Netherlands and one of the best day trips you can take from Deventer. But whether you’re visiting Zutphen as a day trip, or if you’re planning on staying one full day in Zutphen, breakfast at this cafe is something you cannot miss.
One of the best places to get breakfast in Zutphen is Driekant BroodCafe. Driekant is also a bakery which can be found in the centre of Zutphen and you will be able to get the best and freshest bread you’ve ever tried here. This cafe in Zutphen is located near the train station and only a 5-minute walk to the city centre of this beautiful Hanseatic town in The Netherlands.
Lijmerij 23, 7202 AZ Zutphen
Another great place to visit in Zutphen isVan Rossum’s Koffie.They serve the best coffee of Zutphen and surroundings, plus they have amazing carrot cake (and plenty of other cakes) and you can also buy gluten-free chocolates to go with your coffee, tea or other drink. I love visiting this place because it feels so homey, but they aren’t a lunchroom or breakfast cafe. So beyond cakes and chocolates, you won’t find much food here. However, people claim Van Rossum’s serves the best coffee in the Eastern Netherlands, so I would probably just visit both cafes.
Turfstraat 10, 7201 KG Zutphen
Explore Zutphen with this free walking tour
One of my favourite things to do when I’m visiting a new Dutch city is to go on a walking tour. I prefer to create my walking tours instead of following one that already exists. In this walking tour, you will be shown everything from the most beautiful monuments to spectacular courtyards. And from cute alleys to the fortifications of Zutphen.
Note:Please be quiet inside the courtyards and remember that people live here. Respect their privacy. Some courtyards will be closed after 19:00.
And what’s even better is that this is one of the free things you can do in Zutphen when you visit for one day or a weekend. It’s filled with amazing points of interest, fun things to see and monuments to discover in Zutphen. Plus it is one of the top things to do in the province of Gelderland.
We start our free walking tour of Zutphen near the train station of Zutphen atAchterom 1. Here you can find a monument that dates back to the 15th century and it is a medieval wall tower. After this wall tower, we make our way to theSpanjaardspoort, which is a city gate that was built as a barbican in 1536 and completed in 1537. It was built as an expansion and extra protection for another city gate that has been demolished.
Continue your free walking tour through Zutphen and walk toNieuwestadskerksteeg 2. Here you will find the Sint Janskerk or Nieuwestadskerk. This church in Zutphen dates back to the 13th century and has been completely renovated from the 80s until 2004. You can visit this church every Saturday from the second Saturday of May (11:00 – 15:00) until the last Saturday of September.
After you have discovered this monument in Zutphen from the outside, or inside, it’s time to head to a courtyard. But not before we visit two beautiful streets:NieuwstadandHalterstraat. From here you will make your way toLuthers hofje, or Luther’s courtyard.
Luther’s hofje has been made to help the poor within the church community back in 1850. This courtyard used to exist out of 14 houses that all had one window, door, chimney, a box bed, a cupboard and an attic. They used to think that poor people didn’t need more space than that. The houses were painted dark brown inside as this colour of paint was cheaper and it was more difficult to notice the wear down of the paint.
Since 1910, after the implementation of the new housing law, the courtyard has noticeably changed as the houses went from fourteen to seven. The white swan above the entrance is the symbol of the Lutheran church. Then you will make your way to thesynagogue of Zutphenthat you can visit every Friday from 11:00-16:00, except for Jewish holidays and other important days.
Now continue walking toGeweldigershoek 39where you will see another wall tower that was part of the old fortifications of Zutphen. Then it’s time to head over to one of Zutphens most important monuments:Berkelpoort. The Berkelpoort is a watergate and part of the city wall of Zutphen. It’s built over a small river called the Berkel. The Berkelpoort was built to connect the two parts of Zutphen on both sides of the Berkel river and dates back to the 14th century. There used to be two water gates in Zutphen, but the other was demolished back in 1774.
And it’s time for the next courtyard:Ruitershofje. It was originally located on the street Nieuwstad and dated back to 1473, however, in 1571 the courtyard was created in a different location. It stayed on that same location until 1898. At that time the houses were sold and a gild replaced this courtyard to its current location next to the Berkensingel. The current complex exists out of 19 houses and was meant for widows, unmarried women or married couples of at least 50 years.
The inhabitants had to be protestant and had to prove that they lived an uncontroverted life. At 22:00 the gate of the courtyard would close and the lights would be off by 22:30. People from outside the courtyard weren’t allowed to spend the night there and this was closely monitored by the porter, who lived at the entrance of the courtyard. The memorial stone above the entrance is from the old courtyard at Nieuwstad.
Now we will make our way to yet another courtyard through the following streets:Laarstraat,HagepoortpleinandRijkenhage. After Rijkenhage you will continue to walk to theAgnietenhofjein Zutphen. This courtyard is only opened between 09:00 and 13:00 and dates back to the 14th century.
After visiting this courtyard you will continue your walking tour of Zutphen and walk to the following streets:Oudewand,Beukerstraat,Sprongstraat,Vaaltstraat,Schupstoel,Bornhovestraatand you will eventually end up at theOude Bornhof, which is yet another courtyard. The Oude Bornhof is the oldest courtyard of Zutphen and dates back to 1320. A cleric, that was part of the St. Walburgiskerk, stated in his testament that his house will be left to the poor and people in need of Zutphen.
They had to be at least 30 and lived a godly life to be chosen to live there. In the 17th century, the Oude Bornhof was changed into a house for old men and women. A few small houses were built in the courtyard that was meant for married couples. At the end of the 19th century, the old complex has been completely replaced by the current complex. The house of the cleric and the entry gate that dates back to 1723 are still original.
From the Oude Bornhof, you will walk toPelikaanstraat,Zaadmarkt,Rodetorenstraatand end up atRaadhuissteeg 9. Here you will see old houses that have the same style, plus date back, to the end of the 17th century. Now make your way toLange Hofstraat,Houtmarktand stop at theWijnhuistoren. The Wijnhuistoren, or literally translated winehousetower, is a tower that was built between 1616 and 1642 as part of a tavern. The tavern, out of the 1300s, was a place where people didn’t just spend the night, but also a location where people drank a lot of wine and came together. The reason for building the tower as part of the tavern was more or less symbolic: it reminded everyone of the renewed prosperity within Zutphen.
The top of the wine tower is inspired by the works of Hendrick de Keyser, such as the Westertoren and Zuiderkerkstoren in Amsterdam. During the liberation of Zutphen, the tower was spared, but the building next to it was completely destroyed. You can climb the Wijnhuistoren of Zutphen for a beautiful view of the city since 2016. I would recommend you to do this. After seeing Zutphen from above, it’s time to continue toGroenmarkt. From here you will be making your way toKorte Hofstraat,Heukestraat,Spiegelstraat,Broederenkerkstraat,Broederenkerkhof,TurfstraatandRosmolensteeg.
The Rosmolensteeg used to be the courtyard of the Dominican monastery in Zutphen. The church that you will see now, theBroederenkerk,was built in the 14th century and is a public library nowadays, which is worth a visit when it’s opened. On the roof of the church, you will see a so-called ‘poortersklokje’ which was rung every evening at 21:50, to warn the people that they had to go inside the city walls as the gates would close at 22:00.
Now you will walk fromBroederenkerkpleintoBarlheze,Marspoortstraat,Ijsselkade(next to the Ijssel river),Waterstraat,Kuiperstraatand will stop at‘s-Gravenhof 6. This monument dates back to the late Middle Ages and was turned into an orphanage back in 1568. In 1733 the left side of the house was made exponentially bigger.
After admiring this building you’re headed to theBourgonjetoren, which dates back to 1457. Cannons were placed in this tower to protect the city of Zutphen against the Burgundian threats and to defend the harbour. The tower is twelve meters high and the walls are four meters thick. The city wall next to the tower is around 200 years older than the tower itself.
You will be able to see eight shooting holes: three on the ground floor and five on the first floor. Behind these holes were the cannons and the biggest was five meters long and weighed more than 10.000 kg, but this cannon was never used. The dome on the tower has been added in 1741.
When you’ve explored this monument in Zutphen you will be walking to theBult van Ketjen. This is one of the remnants of the fortifications of Zutphen. From here you also have a beautiful view of the Ijssel river yet again. Continue your walk toKerkhof 18.Here you will see a beautiful building that is attached to the city wall. Now walk to theDrogenapstoren. This monument was built between 1444 and 1446 as a city gate, however, that didn’t last that long as it was bricked up in 1465. From 1888 until 1927, this old city gate was in use as a water tower and had a reservoir of 180m3.
Walk toKerkhofand then visit theBurgerzaal(if opened, more information about the opening times can be found at the bottom of this article) and finally you will reach your final destination:Walburgiskerk. This is the oldest church of Zutphen and is also known as the Walburgkerk. The oldest part of this church dates back to the 11th century, but most of the church dates back to the first half of the 13th century. This church is one of The Netherlands attractions you have to visit.
Discover the full map of the free walking route of Zutphen here. You will start near the train station of Zutphen and the finish is the Walburgiskerk, that can be found near the bottom of the fortified city.
Visit one of the only chain libraries in the world in Zutphen, The Netherlands
The concept of chain libraries dates back to the Middle Ages. Books were incredibly scarce and precious during that time. There was no method to mass-produce, so each book had to be copied by hand that took an immense amount of work. During the later Middle Ages, libraries became publicly accessible and books were chained to shelves, or desks to let the public read the books, while also protecting the books from theft.
This beautiful library in The Netherlands is very special for the following simple reasons: It’s one of the only libraries that still have books on chains and that dates back to the Middle Ages. The entire room is almost completely the same as the 16th-century library. It is called the ‘Librije’ and it is located in one of the underrated places in The Netherlands that you have to visit.
The old books at the Librije in Zutphen are still chained to their ancient wooden desks. When you’re visiting Zutphen, this is one of the things you have to do and one of the hidden gems of The Netherlands to discover. This library isn’t that famous in The Netherlands, but it should be.
This chain library in The Netherlands is located in the beautiful Walburgiskerk (church) in Zutphen and when you’re visiting Zutphen anyway, I would recommend you to climb the tower to discover the best scenery in The Netherlands, discover the church and/ or ring the church bells. Visiting the church in Zutphen is not free, but the prices differ. You have to pay to enter the church, but also to enter the chain library and to climb the tower. You can get combination tickets at the ticket desk.
You can climb the tower of the Walburgiskerk during the following months:June, July & August on Thursday, Friday & Saturday. You have to climb the church tower in Zutphen together with a guide as you are only able to reach the tower by climbing small stairs. The guided walks start at 13:00, 14:00 or 15:00. Please make sure that you are ten minutes in advance at the church. When the weather in Zutphen isn’t good (meaning windy and/or pouring rain), it’s very likely you aren’t able to climb the tower.
Herald the bells of the Walburgiskerkis another thing that you must do when you’re in Zutphen, The Netherlands. Every Saturday at 18:00 and Sunday morning at 09:30 you can join the guild and help them herald the tower bells. Just go be at the tower at least 15 minutes in advance and join them. This doesn’t cost you anything, although gifts are very much appreciated.
Opening times Walburgiskerk:
Regular opening times: Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 until 17:00 (chain library is also opened)
Winter opening times (from 1st of November): Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 – 15:00 (chain library is also opened)
The Walburgiskerk is closed on Sunday and Monday.
Eat lunch at a cute cafe in Zutphen
Zutphen is home to many adorable lunch cafes and restaurants. The following cafes are a must-visit in Zutphen and eating here is one of the things you have to do.
Safa, Eethuis & Gebakis the perfect lunch cafe in Zutphen for my vegan people. From incredibly delicious vegan pies to amazing soups and more. You can also visit Safa for a great dinner, but be prepared that this restaurant in Zutphen isn’t opened until very late (max 21:00).
Spittaalstraat 10, 7201 ED Zutphen
Genietcafe Zutphenis another great restaurant to go for a good lunch in Zutphen. Besides having tasty food, this restaurant is located in one of the many courtyards that Zutphen is home to. So be prepared to enjoy your lunch in beautiful surroundings.
Oude Bornhof 57, 7201 DX Zutphen
Another place that I would recommend you to visit for lunch is Driekant Lunchcafe (this is another location than the Broodcafe).
Visit Zutphen’s best museums
Musea Zutphen is the best museum you can visit in Zutphen and it exists out of two museums: Stedelijk Museum Zutphen, which is about the history of Zutphen. And the second museum is the Henriette Polak museum, which is focused on modern classical paintings and sculptures.
When you’re in Zutphen visiting either, or both, of these museums, is a must-do. Whether you’re visiting Zutphen, The Netherlands, in September, or any other month of the year, visiting museums is always a good idea. There are free audio tours available in Dutch, English and German.
The museum is always closed on Monday, but usually opened from Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 – 17:00.
The Musea Zutphen is accessible for wheelchair users. There are special toilets and elevators in the building, that make every room insider the museum accessible for wheelchair users. There are a few wheelchairs available at the Musea Zutphen and you have to reserve them at least two days in advance by email: info[@]museazutphen.nl
’s Gravenhof 47201 DNZutphen
Go canoeing or go on a canal tour in Zutphen
Explore Zutphen by canoe
Discover one of The Netherlands best holiday destinations from the water. At Kanoverhuur Zutphen you can rent canoes from April until September to follow the small river the Berkel. This calm river starts in Germany and ends in Zutphen, next to the place where you can rent canoes.
They have 15 two-person kayaks and 3 three persons canoes. So during the beautiful weather, you do have to be on time to discover some of the best natural places in The Netherlands.
Overwelving 7, 7201 LT Zutphen
A canal tour through Zutphen, The Netherlands
If you’re not a fan of canoeing, or just prefer to sit and enjoy the surroundings without doing any work, I would recommend you to join a small canal tour in Zutphen. With this canal tour, you will be shown around some areas of Zutphen and its surroundings which takes approximately 60-75 minutes.
The departure times are usually three times a day during the summer season, 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00. However, for the current days, times, updates and changes you must go to thewebsite of the canal tour of Zutphen.
It’s one of the things you have to do in Zutphen. You will discover soon enough why visiting Zutphen is one of the things you have to do in The Netherlands outside of Amsterdam. But you have to figure out which time of day you prefer the most, to fit the canal tour perfectly in your Zutphen itinerary. I probably would place this activity in Zutphen before the museum.
Eat dinner at a great restaurant in Zutphen
Bij D’N Open Haard:This restaurant in Zutphen is my favourite thus far. The interior makes you feel like you’re entering into the Middle Ages and this restaurant has a lovely and cosy atmosphere. The food is very good and the staff is friendly as well.
Houtmarkt 60, 7201 KM Zutphen
De Revolutie:This is the best tapas, or tapas oriented, restaurant of Zutphen and surroundings. The food is mostly influenced and inspired by the diverse cuisines of Latin America.
Zaadmarkt 74, 7201 KM Zutphen
BioToko – Biologisch-Indonesisch Restaurant:You can eat some of the most amazing Indonesian dishes that are full of flavour and there are even plenty of vegan dishes that you can eat here. Your tastebuds will thank you for visiting. This Indonesian restaurant in Zutphen.
Lijmerij 27, 7202 AZ Zutphen
Go for drinks to finish your day in Zutphen
One thing that comes with Zutphen being an old Medieval Dutch town, is the old brown Dutch cafes. The British and Irish have the pubs, but in The Netherlands, we have ‘bruine cafes’, or brown cafes. You will be able to breathe the history while sipping on one of your favourite beers and eating atypical Dutch fried food and snack: the bitterbal.
Zutphen is home to many great and cosy cafes. And, in my humble opinion, there’s no better way than to finish your one day in Zutphen with a drink. Whether you’re looking for a drink with or without alcohol, the atmosphere of the cafe in Zutphen is what is most important. I would recommend the following cafes for you to go for a drink:
- De Berkelbrug
- Camelot
- Eetcafe De Deur
- Cafe De Korenbeurs
If you’re more of a fan of co*cktails, then I would recommend you to visit Restaurant & co*cktailbar ‘De Revolutie’ in Zutphen.
Other fun things to do in Zutphen
There are many other cool things to do in Zutphen. And you can easily spend a full weekend in Zutphen and/ or its surroundings. It’s one of the best cities/ places to go to and visit in the center of The Netherlands. Besides that, Zutphen is also one of the relatively cheap cities you can visit in The Netherlands and is the perfect Dutch city to visit that is south-east of Amsterdam.
Admire the Burgerzaal
This stunning building has been used for many different purposes throughout history. From prison to a court. By the 19th century, this old building was a ruin and people wanted to demolish the building. However, these plans luckily failed and the renovation of the burgerzaal was completed in 1896. Have a look at the wooden beams at the ceiling, it looks like a ship but the other way around.
It’s weekly opened from Thursday – Sunday 12:00 – 16:00 (with the exceptions of special dates)
Lange Hofstraat 4, 7201 DC Zutphen
Visit the city beach of Zutphen
‘What else is there to see in Zutphen?’, you might ask. Well, there’s even a city beach that is located next to one of the small harbours of Zutphen. One of the things you have to do in Zutphen during summer is to visit this city beach. It’s opened the entire summer at Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 15:00. But when the weather is bad, you can also sit inside a cafe there called Het Koelhuiscafe.
Coenensparkstraat 1, Zutphen
Get the perfect local souvenirs from Zutphen and surroundings
Get the freshest chocolates at Bonbon Atelier.These amazing chocolates are made from fresh and local products from the region of the Achterhoek in The Netherlands. These are the perfect Dutch souvenir to buy from Zutphen, although I’m pretty sure that they won’t last long since you definitely would want to eat them right away. You can also buy fresh and glutenfree icecream here. So during the summer months, you should also buy ice cream, or two, at Bonbon Atelier. And don’t forget to buy an iced coffee either!
Korte Hofstraat 12, 7201 KH Zutphen
Buy local alcoholic drinks at Stadsslijterij Groenmarkt.One of my favourite things to do when I visit a new region or city is to discover the local specialities. Whether it’s alcohol, food or a traditional dress. It’s interesting to see how every region is different and special, even in such a small country like The Netherlands. Things I would recommend you to buy at Stadsslijterij Groenmarkt is anything from the Bronckhorster brand. But ask around in the store for more recommendations, they are always happy to help you out.
Groenmarkt 8, 7201 HX Zutphen
Discover the freshly brewed beers at Zutphen’s beer brewery
The Hanze Stadsbrouwerij, or Hanseatic city brewery, is a brewery located in the centre of Zutphen. And atStadsbrouwerij Cambrinusyou can try these freshly brewed beers and other local beers from the area of Zutphen. There are 34 beers that you can get straight from the beer tap. And at 16 of those 34 beers, you can pour the beer yourself.
Houtmarkt 568, 7201 KM Zutphen
Experience a market in Zutphen
There are a few markets in Zutphen during the week and weekends. At Thursday there’s a market on Zaadmarkt, Houtmarkt and Groenmarkt. The organic part of the Thursday market in Zutphen can be found at the Lange Hofstraat. This market takes place from 08:00 -13:00.
At Saturday the market is located at Zaadmarkt and Houtmarkt and takes place from 08:00 – 17:00. If you’re looking for more Dutch souvenirs to take home, then visiting a market is always a great idea.
Visit one of the most beautiful libraries in The Netherlands
The library of Zutphen is located in a stunning church called the Broederenkerk. Make sure to be a little quiet inside, as it’s a library after all. It’s an amazing building and it has been beautifully restored. I’m always happy to discover that monuments get an important function after it loses its original function.
Broederenkerkplein 2, 7201 JP Zutphen
Shop ’till you drop in Zutphen
TheBeukerstraatis the street you have to visit in Zutphen when you’re interested in shopping. What I like about Zutphen and this street, in particular, is the fact that you will find bigger names as well as small boutiques and concept stores. There’s truly something for everyone. Don’t forget to visit the small streets next to the Beukerstraat either, because you will also find cute stores in theLange Hofstraat&Korte Beukerstraat.
The next interesting shopping area you should visit in Zutphen is theSpittaalstraat. This street in Zutphen is famous within the city for being the so-called ‘speciality street’. There are amazing concept stores, boutiques and one of the best restaurants in Zutphen is located here: Safa.
Visit the oldest coffee and teahouse of Zutphen
If you’re a big fan of coffee or tea, then you cannot miss De Pelikaan. This coffee and teahouse has been located in Zutphen for more than 200 years. When you visit De Pelikaan it’ll immediately take you back to the 19th century.
The raw coffee beans are supplied from several countries and then processed at De Pelikaan. There’s even a chance that you can see how the coffee is roasted. And don’t forget to buy the fresh tea and coffee beans at De Pelikaan.
Pelikaanstraat 9, 7201 DR Zutphen
Explore the exhibitions at Dat Bolwerck
If you’re looking for modern art exhibitions in Zutphen, then Dat Bolwerck is a great place for you to visit. The building is beautiful and the garden (plus its views) are truly spectacular. It’s the perfect location to get some inspiration.
You can visit the exhibitions from Thursday – Sunday 11:00 – 17:00.
Zaadmarkt 112, 7201 DE Zutphen
How to get to Zutphen, The Netherlands
From Amsterdam: It’s very easy to get from Amsterdam Centraal to Zutphen train station. There are several ways to get here and they all involve at least one transfer. I would recommend you to look at 9292.nl/en for the exact route that is most convenient for your day and time. To get from Zutphen to Amsterdam or the other way around takes you anywhere between 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 50 minutes.
From Deventer:Zutphen is one of the best day trips from Deventer. Take the train from Deventer main station in the direction of Arnhem Centraal. Get out at Zutphen train station. To get from Deventer to Zutphen will take you around 12 minutes. I’m not lying, I told you it’s one of the best cities to visit near Deventer.
From Zwolle:One of the most beautiful cities to visit in the centre of The Netherlands, Zutphen, is also one of the best day trips from Zwolle. Take the intercity train from Zwolle train station in the direction of Arnhem Centraal. Get out at Zutphen. To get from Zwolle to Zutphen will take you around 37 minutes, one way.
From Arnhem:To get from Arnhem to Zutphen you can take two trains from Arnhem Centraal. The intercity train to Zwolle or the sprinter train to Zutphen. Take one of these trains and get out at Zutphen. This will take you anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes making Zutphen one of the best day trips from Arnhem.
From Utrecht:Utrecht is the most centrally located city of The Netherlands and Zutphen is a great day trip from Utrecht. There are several ways to get to Zutphen from Utrecht Centraal station, so I would recommend you to have a look at 9292.nl/en to find the best and quickest routes at the time you prefer. It takes anywhere from 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes to get from Utrecht to Zutphen by train.
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By now you should be aware of the fact that there are plenty of things to do in Zutphen, The Netherlands. And I’m glad that I am the one that could help you with exploring one of The Netherlands most beautiful cities.
If you’re looking for what things and places you have to see in The Netherlands, then Zutphen is one of these must-see places. Even if you only have 24 hours to spend in Zutphen, you will be able to discover a mesmerizing Dutch town that will take your breath away.
Share this post with everyone who might wonder what offbeat places they can visit in The Netherlands and/ or what there is to do in Zutphen. Pin this post!
