Last weekend we spent a night in Gouda and we discovered this town with quaint shops, cafes and of course cheese and the famous stroopwafels! Visiting the Netherlands and feel like getting out of Amsterdam or The Hague? We recommend Gouda!
Courtyards and Stroopwafels
Take a walk along the old courtyards of Gouda! The oldest yard dates back to even 1449 and were founded by wealthy men and women as almshouses. At their request, small houses for the poor were built on their land. Nowadays, you can enjoy the peace and dream away from the hectic pace of the day. The courtyards are hidden away, but take the time to discover them!
Gouda is know for its cheese so there are plenty of shops where you can try and buy Gouda cheese. Not a cheese fan? Try stroopwafels! These syrup wafel/biscuit are very popular in the Netherlands. Syrup wafels have two crispy waffle dough with a diamond pattern, sticked together with sweet syrup. Try these Dutch treats at Van Vliet bakery, where thousands of syrup wafels are freshly baked daily in the traditional shop on the Lange Groenendaal. Would like to make wafels when back home? Attend one of their workshops!
Address: Lange Groenendaal 32, Gouda, the Netherlands
St. Jan
Although we are not a huge of religion, we often visit a church to admire its beauty and to light a candle for our loved ones. Because of the soft soil in Gouda, it was not possible to build a high medieval church, so a very long church was the best option. With 123 meters in length, St. John’s Church the tallest church in the Netherlands, has huge pillars and is famous for the truly gorgeous Gouda windows. ‘Gouda Windows’ are 72 stained glass windows which are mainly made in the 16th century and show stories from the biblical and national history. To the church must flow of money, so keep in mind a € 5 entrance fee.
Address: Achter de Kerk 16, Gouda, the Netherlands, www.sintjan.com
Stained glass windows at St. Jan church
Tafel van Tien
At Tafel van Tien you will be amazed by the beautiful products that are sold here! This furniture shop sells home products and accessories from Dutch and Scandinavian soil with lots of natural colors and materials, super cute rugs, lamps, chairs and desks and more. Not currently in Gouda? Take a look at the webshop: www.detafelvan10.nl.
Address: St. Anthoniestraat 13 – 15, Gouda, the Netherlands
Gevonden Voorwerpen
Another great furniture shop, this time with retro products like tables, cabinets and chairs! This is a Buro E550’s store, so go here if you’re a fan of industrial furniture.
Address: Korte Tiendeweg 18, Gouda, the Netherlands
Gevonden voorwerpen
Boomboxx
We had a friendly chat with the owner of Boomboxx about shopping in Gouda. More and more small privately owned shops open their door and the large brand stores are experiencing a difficult time. We noticed this during our walk in the central streets of Gouda. At Boomboxx you will come across apparel, super cool shoes and accessories of great unknown brands and the more unique models of brands such as Puma. A really nice shop where you should definitely take a look inside!
Adress: Zeugstraat 52, Gouda, the Netherlands, www.boomboxx.nl
De Zalm
This super nice restaurant is a great place for lunch or as we did for a drink with a snack! This cafe De Zalm is located in the former oldest Dutch hotel and looks like a Parisien cafe with its black and white interior. De Zalm is located close to the Weigh on the Market and a absolutely worth a visit!
Address: Markt 34, Gouda, the Netherlands, www.dezalm.com
De Lichtfabriek
Located next to our hotel, in a beautiful historic building, there is ‘ The Light Factory’. As of 1910 De Lichtfabriek was a real light factory that provided the power supply of Gouda and the surrounding area. Today you can eat, drink and throw parties! This unique property is greatly designed with use of industrial materials, a very high ceiling and the lunch is delicious! Worth so!
Address: Hoge Gouwe 189, Gouda, the Netherlands, www.lfgouda.nl
Lichtfabriek
Spa Gouda
Spa Gouda
Enjoy a massage, facial or choose a high tea package in this wonderful spa in the city center. We were very impressed by the building and Spa Gouda is a perfect place to spend a relaxing afternoon.
Address: Lange Groenendaal 79, Gouda, the Netherlands, www.spagouda.nl
2 comments
Yes Gouda is a great place to visit for one or a couple of days. I live for more than 40 years in Gouda and I can recommend some places in the centre of Gouda for a bed and breakfast. In the morning you can walk through the streets with historic buildings which some go back to the 15th century.
Hej Jim, it definitely is beautiful and the perfect city for a 1 or 2-day trip, also for visitors from Amsterdam. Thanks for sharing your bed & breakfast website with us.