Zutphen Netherlands Gelderland
Frequently Asked Questions
At the Houthaven basin on the IJssel, a few minutes' walk from the historic centre. No shuttle required.
Because spires, turrets and fortified gates crowd the skyline above the rooftops. The approach along the IJssel makes the nickname obvious at once.
A chained library, in the same room since 1564, attached to St Walburga's Church. The volumes are still fastened to the reading desks with iron chains — only a handful of comparable libraries survive in Europe.
The Librije and St Walburga's Church, then the round of towers — Drogenapstoren, Wijnhuistoren, Berkelpoort — and the market squares. Finish on a terrace by the IJssel. It all fits within walking distance.
Entirely. From the quay to the Groenmarkt, Houtmarkt and Zaadmarkt squares is a few minutes, and the historic centre ranks among the best preserved in northwestern Europe.
Canadian troops liberated the town in April 1945 after hard fighting along the IJssel. Plaques and memorials mark it, and the maple leaf still flies on Liberation anniversaries.
A rare Gothic water gate spanning the small Berkel river, with boats and ducks passing beneath. It is one of three landmark towers on the walk, alongside the fifteenth-century Drogenapstoren and the carillon-topped Wijnhuistoren.
The euro, and Dutch — English is widely spoken. Cards are accepted everywhere, including at the markets.
The brown cafes in the centre serve regional beers and generous open sandwiches. Anyone with a sweet tooth should look for the thick speculaas the Gelderland bakers are proud of; on market days, syrup waffles and farm cheeses take over the cobbles.
Yes, provided you accept cobblestones. Distances are short, but the narrow lanes and uneven paving call for solid shoes. The IJssel quays, by contrast, are flat and lined with terraces.
