Arnhem Netherlands Gelderland

624 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

Riviera Travel (21 Cruises)

Scenic Cruises (57 Cruises)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise (488 Cruises)

S.S Audrey.

S.S Audrey

154 Passengers
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S.S Elisabeth.

S.S Elisabeth

110 Passengers
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s.s. antoinette.

S.S. Antoinette

211 Passengers
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S.S. Victoria.

S.S. Victoria

151 Passengers
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SS Antoinette

Uniworld SS Antoinette

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Viking River Cruises (58 Cruises)

Viking Longship Gefjon.

Viking Longship Gefjon

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Viking Longships Ve.

Viking Longships Ve

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A single bridge was enough to write Arnhem into the world's memory. In September 1944, British paratroopers attempted to seize the crossing over the Lower Rhine during Operation Market Garden; the battle that followed left a permanent mark on the city. Today, river cruise ships dock at the Rijnkade, the landscaped riverbank between the Nelson Mandela Bridge and the John Frost Bridge, the latter nicknamed by soldiers "a bridge too far." From the gangway, a ten-minute walk leads to the centre, along a lively riverbank lined with restaurants and houseboats. This port call moves between memory, church towers and easygoing Dutch living.

The Memory of 1944

The first stop worth making is right at the foot of the bridge, where an information centre tells the story of the Battle of Arnhem: photographs, eyewitness accounts, maps of the street fighting, and stories of residents caught in the crossfire. Discreet plaques mark the surrounding area, and every September, the city honours its liberators. Walking across the bridge itself, over the waters of the Nederrijn, gives a real sense of what this objective meant to the Allies. Those who want to dig deeper into this chapter of history can head to Oosterbeek, a few kilometres to the west, where the Airborne Museum occupies the former British headquarters at Hartenstein House; city buses run there easily.

St. Eusebius Church and the Rebuilt Centre

Heading up into the heart of the city, the tower of St. Eusebius Church can be seen from almost everywhere. The 15th-century building, badly damaged during the war and later restored stone by stone, has become a symbol of the city's revival. Climbing the tower is well worth the effort: the view takes in the Rhine valley, the rooftops of Arnhem and, on a clear day, the wooded hills of the Veluwe. Below, the shopping streets show off a successful rebuilding effort: lively squares, café terraces, and designer boutiques in the fashion quarter. The food here is excellent, and the cafés lining the Rijnkade make it easy to head back toward the river without leaving the atmosphere behind.

Another Side of the Netherlands

Four kilometres from downtown, the Netherlands Open Air Museum brings together farmhouses, windmills, workshops and homes from across the country, reassembled piece by piece in a large park. Historic trams run between the reconstructed hamlets, artisans keep old trades alive, and the whole experience makes for an enjoyable visit for families and history buffs alike. A good two hours slip by without anyone noticing, between a demonstration of old-fashioned baking and a ride on a century-old tram. It's the real surprise of this port call: visitors come here for the war history and leave with a condensed tour of rural Netherlands.

Distances and Getting Around

DestinationDistance from the dockRecommended option
Downtown and St. Eusebius ChurchAbout 800 mOn foot
John Frost Bridge and exhibition hallAbout 1 kmOn foot
Netherlands Open Air MuseumAbout 4 kmBus or taxi
Oosterbeek (Hartenstein House)About 6 kmBus or taxi

Walkers will find plenty to enjoy without leaving the city; excursions to Oosterbeek or the open-air museum each deserve half a day to take in without rushing.

Heading Back Along the Riverbank

The walk back to the ship follows the Rijnkade, past its restaurants and houseboats. As the day winds down, the metal silhouette of the John Frost Bridge stands out against the river, greeted by cyclists heading home, and it's hard not to think of those who fought here for a few hundred metres of roadway. Arnhem carries this memory without letting it weigh the city down: it has woven that history into a warm urban life centred on its squares and its river. Passengers leave this port call with the sense of having understood something about European history, and with a story of their own to tell about this bridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

At the Rijnkade, the landscaped bank between the Nelson Mandela and John Frost bridges. Ten minutes' walk brings you to the centre, along a bank lively with restaurants and barges.
Because in September 1944 British paratroopers tried to seize it during Operation Market Garden. The soldiers nicknamed it a bridge too far; today it bears the name of John Frost.
Yes, an information centre at the foot of the bridge retraces the battle: photographs, testimonies, maps of the street fighting, accounts from residents caught in between. Walking across the bridge afterwards makes the stakes clear.
The museum devoted to the battle, housed in the former British headquarters at the Hartenstein villa, a few kilometres west of Arnhem. City buses reach it without difficulty.
The fifteenth-century building whose tower can be seen from almost anywhere. Heavily damaged in the war and then rebuilt stone by stone, it stands for the city's revival; climbing the tower opens a panorama over the Rhine valley.
A large park four kilometres from the centre where farms, mills, workshops and houses from all over the country have been re-erected piece by piece. Historic trams run between the reconstructed hamlets.
Yes, particularly. Craftspeople bring old trades back to life and two good hours pass unnoticed, between a historic baking demonstration and a ride on a century-old tram.
Half a day each for Oosterbeek or the Open Air Museum if you want to enjoy them unhurried. Walkers, meanwhile, will find plenty without leaving the city.
Both. The centre was largely rebuilt after the war, and the rebuilding succeeded: lively squares, terraces and designer shops in the fashion quarter.
No. The city carries that memory lightly: it has folded it into a warm urban life turned towards its squares and its river.