Apeldoorn
Apeldoorn is a city with a royal touch, famous for its palace and beautiful gardens. It lies on the edge of National Park the Veluwe, and is an excellent base to explore this region's lush natural surroundings.
Understand
With a population nearing 160,000, Apeldoorn is the 12th largest city of the Netherlands and plays a significant role in the regional economy and infrastructure. Billed as a post-World War II groeistad (a city designated by the government to grow significantly), much of the city is modern residential areas and business districts. Previous to the war, Apeldoorn was only a large village; thus much of its history, sights and attractions are concentrated in the north west quarter of the city, the original core. This area is home to the famous 17th century palace Het Loo, beautiful parks with stately villa neighbourhoods, the ape zoo Apenheul and the eastern flank of the forestry area known as the Veluwe. The city centre offers a relatively generic range of shopping opportunities, but has plenty of good places to eat. The northern end of the city centre has some picturesque art nouveau architecture and the nightlife and entertainment venues of Apeldoorn.
Apeldoorn is known for its spacious, green, family atmosphere and is at its best during the summer months.
Get in
By plane
Schiphol Airport (AMS IATA) near Amsterdam is the nearest and largest airport. From there, directly under the arrivals area, regular trains can be boarded that take just over an hour to reach Apeldoorn. By car, the journey takes fractionally longer and will involve navigating the ring roads around Amsterdam before hitting the A1.
Eindhoven Airport (EIN IATA) caters to low-cost airlines, and though the train journey to Apeldoorn from Eindhoven is roughly doubled (see below), the journey by car (if hiring) via the A50 motorway is straightforward and under 1.5 hours.
Teuge Airport (No IATA Code, but ICAO Code is EHTE) is a small general aviation airfield 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km; 4.0 mi) northeast of Apeldoorn.
By car
The A1 (running from east to west) and the A50 (running north to south) meet at Apeldoorn, making the city particularly well connected by road. Smaller provincial roads lead to all nearby destinations.
By train
- See also: Rail travel in the Netherlands
Direct intercity services connect Apeldoorn to both Amsterdam Zuid and Schiphol Airport. In both cases the journey will take roughly one hour. From Amsterdam's Central Station, use a combination of domestic intercity services (Amsterdam — Hilversum — Apeldoorn or Amsterdam — Utrecht — Amersfoort — Apeldoorn) for a journey time of roughly 75 minutes, or, if time is valuable, use the international intercity train between Berlin and Amsterdam. Twice hourly international trains in both directions can be boarded and used for national and cross border travel purposes. For international tickets, book online at the NS international website.
From Eindhoven, you should head to Utrecht, changing there for either a direct train to Apeldoorn, or depending on the schedule you may find it quicker to head to Amersfoort from Utrecht, changing again for more frequent services to Apeldoorn. This journey is likely to take around 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Alight at Apeldoorn for the regional Apeldoorn-Zutphen route that stops at various smaller settlements in the picturesque countryside, terminating at the historic town of Zutphen and in Winterswijk during evenings and weekends. During the summer, a heritage steam locomotive service is operated from Apeldoorn central station, running to Dieren some 20 km to the south.
Get around
The local bus service is an efficient way to get around. All local buses meet at the railway station where you can switch buses at :16 and :46. During day time additional services run at :01 and :31 on most lines. Regional buses also run from the station out of town; however, they can be used for local transport also. Just remember that connection times will be slightly worse at the bus station for the regional lines. During tourist season an extra bus service (line 16) departs from the station towards major tourist attractions, all located in the western part of Apeldoorn.
You can rent a bicycle at the railway station using an OV-Chipkaart, though more standard bike rentals are also available around the city.
See
Zoos and museums
- 1 Apenheul, J.C. Wilslaan 21 (bus 2 and 400 from Apeldoorn railway station), ☏ +31 55 357-5757. 25 March-30 June 10:00-17:00, 1 July-31 August 10:00-18:00, 1 September-27 October 10:00-17:00. A zoo specialising in monkeys and great apes. Some of the species are free to roam amongst the visitors, and the design of the park is renowned for its excellent animal habitats. Adults 19.50, 3-12 yrs old €17.50, 0-2 yr old free. Parking €6.60.
- 2 CODA Museum, Vosselmanstraat 299, ☏ +31 55 526 8400. Tu-F: 10:00-17:30, Sa: 10:00-17:00, Su: 11:00-17:00. Museum, archive and library of Apeldoorn. €10.50.
Landmarks
- 3 Centraal Beheer building (5 minutes walk west from the central train station). For Architecture/urban enthusiasts, the original Structuralist "Centraal Beheer" building by Herman Herzberger is a must. Just a little further down the road, a subsequent project of his has been realised ("De witte wolken"), and may be interesting for comparison. Yet further still, and slightly to the north, the large "Walterboschcomplex" tax offices (by acclaimed architects Neutelings-Riedijk) can be viewed, representing some of the Netherlands' finest modern office architecture. As of 2022 though, the building sits very much derelict and neglected.
- 4 De Wenumse Molen (Wenum Water Mill), Oude Zwolseweg. Listed national monument and one of nearly a hundred water mills that once dotted the landscape around Apeldoorn. The Wenumse Molen is remarkable in that the wijer (water retention pond) is still visible. The mill is nowadays owned by the municipality of Apeldoorn, and is operated by volunteers at irregular dates.
- 5 Burial mounds in the Spainkbos. Though the Spainkbos itself is a very minor and unremarkable park, it houses a set of four burial mounds dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age. The Veluwe as a whole is home to several hundreds of such graves.
- 6 Hoog Buurlo Sheepfold (Schaapskooi Hoog Buurlo), Hoog Buurlo 5, Radio Kootwijk. sunrise - sunset.
Parks and complexes
- Kroondomein Het Loo (Het Loo Crown Domain). In total some 10,350 hectares (40.0 sq mi) of forest, heath, arable land and gardens belonging to the Dutch Royal family, about three quarters of which close to facilitate the King's controversial hunting during the months of September through to December. Within the domain, which belonged to the Royal family from 1684 to 1975, are one of the few palaces of the Netherlands, a Late Medieval castle, as well as ornate gardens and other show-pieces.
- 7 Paleis Het Loo (Het Loo Palace), Koninklijk Park 1, entrance through Amersfoortseweg (bus 10, 102, 202 from Apeldoorn railway station), ☏ +31 55 577 2400. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Just northwest of the city is the 17th century Paleis Het Loo, bought by the Dutch Royal family in 1684, William III, king-stadtholder of the Dutch Republic and the United Kingdom built out the old castle into a hunting estate, and was the home of the Dutch Royal family until 1975. A complete tour through the palace takes about 3 hours. Adults €14.50, 4-7 yrs old €5, families €35. Parking €5.
- 8 Het Oude Loo en Paleispark (The Old Loo and Palace Park), Koninklijk Park 17. Accessible for two months of the year, usually April/May. A fifteenth-century castle, bought by William III in 1684. The castle itself is not accessible to the public, though the Palace Park (Paleispark) can be visited for two months of the year, usually when the gardens are in bloom. The park features a statue pond, skittle alley and a hedge maze. Additionally, several smaller buildings such as a tea house and horse cemetery are found in the park.
- 9 Museum van de Kanselarij van de Nederlandse Ridderorden (Museum of the Chancellery of the Netherlands Knighthood), Koninklijk Park 1 (In the east wing of the palace), ☏ +31 55 577 2400. A small museum documenting the Dutch Knighthood, its receivers over time, as well as foreign decorations.
- 7 Paleis Het Loo (Het Loo Palace), Koninklijk Park 1, entrance through Amersfoortseweg (bus 10, 102, 202 from Apeldoorn railway station), ☏ +31 55 577 2400. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Just northwest of the city is the 17th century Paleis Het Loo, bought by the Dutch Royal family in 1684, William III, king-stadtholder of the Dutch Republic and the United Kingdom built out the old castle into a hunting estate, and was the home of the Dutch Royal family until 1975. A complete tour through the palace takes about 3 hours. Adults €14.50, 4-7 yrs old €5, families €35. Parking €5.
- 10 Radio Kootwijk, Radioweg 1, Radio Kootwijk, ☏ +31 55-5191665. 11:00 - 13:30 and 13:00 - 15:30. Adults €17.50, 0-12 yrs old €7.75.
- 11 Park Berg en Bos, near J.C. Wilslaan 25. Nature reserve.
- Loenense Watervallen (Loenen Waterfalls). The Netherlands may be infamously flat, but the Veluwe is one of the exceptions to the rule. This makes that the wider surroundings of Apeldoorn are rich in water mills, as the heigh differences provide the means to power them. The Loenen Waterfalls were constructed to provide water for the Apeldoorns Kanaal (Apeldoorn Canal). The water falls can be turned on and off, as they are man-made. The big waterfall has a height difference of some 15 metres (49 ft). Getting to the waterfalls takes a small walk or hike, as only the large waterfall is close to a car park, which can be found along the Beekbergerweg near the intersection with the Vrijenbergspreng. Going on a hike along the man-made spreng, you will find many more smaller weirs and waterfalls.
Do
Rent yourself a bike and discover the forests just outside town (approx. 20 minutes by bike from the city center). See: Apeldoorn Cycle Route - Het Loo Palace and the Royal Forest.
- 1 Koningin Juliana Toren, Amersfoortseweg 35 (bus 102 and 104 from Apeldoorn railway station), ☏ +31 55 355-3265. 24 March-27 October 10:30-17:30 daily. A popular family theme park. Great for a day out with the children. 1 yr old free, 2 yr and older €19.95. Parking €6.
- 2 Omnisport (Velodrome), De Voorwaarts 55, ☏ +31 88 900 0390. Regular national and international sport events centered around cycling, athletics, volleyball and tennis.
- 3 Orpheus Theater, Churchillplein 1, ☏ +31 55 527 0300. The Netherlands' fifth-largest theatre, home to theatre as well as musicals, cabaret and ballet.
- 4 Skydiving. Teuge Airport is situated on the outskirts of the city and enjoys a direct bus link (15mins) with Apeldoorn central station. It is one of the best places in the Netherlands to learn to skydive/parachute jump. Flying lessons and helicopter/airplane chartering is also available.
- 5 Veluwsche Stoomtrein Maatschappij (VSM), Rijnstraat 68, Apeldoorn, ☏ +31 555 061 989, info@stoomtrein.org. Heritage rail line of 22 kilometers. The trains go from Apeldoorn to Dieren. For the driving days, refer to their website. €15.
Buy
The city's main shopping area is formed by the "Hoofdstraat" and adjacent streets. Being a regional shopping destination, Apeldoorn boasts a wide range of typical brand name shops and places to eat. The Oranjerie, a modern mall, takes centre stage in Apeldoorn's retail proffer. The city is also home to a range of more unique shops (antique, bric-a-brac, art, organic), mainly located on the Asselsestraat and a few of the smaller offshoots from the high street. As of 2015, some gross retail stores opened as part of the Omnisport complex (located towards the eastern fringe of the city). These include electronics giant MediaMarkt and various sports related stores.
Eat
Apeldoorn offers a wide range of good places to eat out, catering for all budgets. The main concentration is found in the city centre, but some of the priciest places are dotted around the outskirts of town. Here is a tiny selection:
| This page uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink: | |
| Budget | Under €10 |
| Mid-range | €10-30 |
| Splurge | Over €30 |
Budget
Apeldoorn also has 3 McDonald's, 3 Subways, 2 New York Pizza takeaways, a KFC, Domino's, Burger King and scores of Dutch "snackbars" (specializing in fries), if fast food is required.
- Tevfiks place, Tevfiks Place Nieuwstraat 68, ☏ +31 55-522 55 90. Turkish Kebab restaurant. Nearly all the neighbours are Kebab restaurants too, and price wars occur regularly, so take your pick! Under €5.
Mid-range
- Indiaas Restaurant Apeldoorn: India Palace. Van Kinsbergenstraat 7, 7311 BL Apeldoorn, Netherlands +3155 - 785 01 78 Nice Indian Food. Open every day from 17.00 - 23.00. Extra care for vegetarians.
- Restaurant Moon Sky, Hoofdstraat 1595, ☏ +31 55 301 5722. Great Indian food in a small but cosy location. Closed Mondays. €15 - €20 per person.
- Wokcentre, Brinklaan 32, ☏ +31 55 576 729. All you can eat Asian buffet. 3rd prize 2011 best national wok restaurant. 2 hour all inclusive buffet: €26.90 per person. €20.90 without drinks.
- Restaurant Poppe, Paslaan. Averages at €20 for a main course.
Splurge
- De Echoput, Amersfoortseweg 86, Hoog Soeren, ☏ +31 55-5191248. High end, Michelin star, out of town location (only reachable by car or intercity bus). Prices range from €30-45 for a main course, or up to €72 for a 5 course meal. Specialises in Wild, fresh from the surrounding forest.
Drink
The main nightlife in Apeldoorn is focussed in the Caterplein square. Many bars and restaurants, as well as the new (2012) cinema complex, can be found here. A slightly quieter area can be found a few blocks away at the Leienplein. Also en route between the two squares are plenty of places to eat and drink. Here is a small selection of some of the most well known watering holes:
- Finnegan's Irish Pub, Hoofdstraat 176, 7311 BD Apeldoorn, Netherlands, ☏ +31 55 576 8630. Located in the middle of the nightlife area.
- Café Kierewiet, Hoofdstraat 192 7311 BE Apeldoorn, Netherlands, ☏ +31 55 5224692. Good Dutch pub in the heart of Apeldoorns' nightlife area.
- Het Nieuws van Apeldoorn, Leienplein 12, 7311 EE Apeldoorn, Netherlands, ☏ +31 55 522 0566. Located at the 'Leienplein', a nice secondary area for nightlife in Apeldoorn.
Sleep
Apeldoorn and the surrounding area plays host to the highest concentration of campsites and bungalow/greenparks in the country. The city itself boast quite a wide range of relatively expensive hotels and B&Bs. Check the plentiful local AirBnB listings or couch-surfing community for budget and backpacking opportunities.
- 1 Bastion Hotel het Loo, Loolaan 556, ☏ +31 55 579 1255, fax: +31 55 576 3249. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. €73.
- 2 Stay Okay, Asselsestraat 330, ☏ +31 55 355 3118, apeldoorn@stayokay.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 10:00. hostel - very nice surroundings near some of the cities "must - sees" and yet easy to get to the centre of town. €60.
- 3 Van der Valk Apeldoorn - De Chantharel, Van Golsteinlaan 20, Ugchelen, ☏ +31 55 541 4455. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Located just off the A1 motorway. High end accommodation, restaurant and business facilities.
- 4 Van der Valk Exclusief, Landgoedlaan 26 (Directly off of the A50, exit 24), ☏ +31 55 800 0800. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. €75.
- 5 Hotel et le Café de Paris, Raadhuisplein 5 (In the middle of the city, a minute's walk from the Marktplein). Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. €65.
- 6 Hotel Pegasus, Soerenseweg 17, ☏ +31 55 521 3090. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 11:00. €97.
- 7 Fletcher Hotel Apeldoorn, Soerenseweg 73, ☏ +31 55 355 4555. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. €76.
Go next
The city lies on the eastern fringe of the Veluwe, the country's largest and most unspoilt area of natural beauty. It has forests that are home to deer, wild boar and other wild animals, as well as large desert-like sandy areas. Seasonal wild is prepared at various local restaurants, some of which have earned Michelin stars. The Kröller-Müller Museum, with its impressive collection of Vincent van Gogh paintings, is located in the Hoge Veluwe National Park.
The picturesque old cities of Deventer and Zutphen are just 15 km from Apeldoorn and are easily reachable by road or public transport.
| Routes through Apeldoorn |
| Amsterdam ← Barneveld ← | W  E |
→ Deventer → Enschede |
| Arnhem ← | S  N |
→ Zwolle |
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