Attractions in Delft

The beating heart of Delft and one of the finest historic market squares in the Netherlands. The Markt is framed by the Nieuwe Kerk on one side and the Renaissance Stadhuis on the other, with cafe terraces, restaurants, and flower shops filling the space between. On Thursday and Saturday mornings the market fills the entire square with fresh produce, flowers, cheese, herring, and artisanal goods in a tradition stretching back centuries. Walking through the Markt at different times of day reveals completely different characters: quiet and golden in the early morning, buzzing with students and residents at lunchtime, atmospheric and lively in the evenings. The most essential starting point for getting to know Delft. The restaurants guide covers the dining options on and around the square, and the bars guide covers the evening drinks.

Delft’s historic canal system is one of the most beautiful in the Netherlands and the finest way to understand the city is to walk its full length. The Oude Delft is the oldest and most picturesque canal, lined with 17th-century canal houses, the Prinsenhof and Huis van Meerten museums, and the Oude Kerk. The Nieuwe Delft runs parallel to the south. The shorter Voldersgracht and Wijnhaven canals have their own character. Walking from one end of the Oude Delft to the other and back along a different canal takes around an hour and reveals the full historic character of the city. Early morning before the tourist groups arrive is the finest time. The walk passes several of the best cafes in Delft for a mid-walk coffee stop.

Delft’s most beloved neighbourhood square and the social heart of daily life in the city. Less tourist-heavy than the Markt, the Beestenmarkt is lined with cafe terraces, bars, and restaurants where locals genuinely spend their evenings. The Belvedere Belgian beer cafe and De Gist bar anchor the square. On a warm summer evening the Beestenmarkt is one of the most enjoyable outdoor spaces in South Holland and a place that makes living in Delft feel genuinely special.

Climbing the 376 steps of the Nieuwe Kerk tower, the second highest church tower in the Netherlands at 109 metres, gives the finest views over Delft and the surrounding South Holland landscape. From the top you can see the old city laid out below with its canals and gabled rooftops, and on clear days the skylines of Den Haag and Rotterdam on the horizon. The interior of the church, including the mausoleum of William of Orange and the Dutch royal crypt, is covered in the museums guide. The tower climb is one of the most rewarding physical experiences available in Delft and best done on a clear day.

The last remaining working windmill in Delft, built in 1679 and still operational. De Roos is a corn mill that has been restored and continues to grind organic grain on windy days, selling flour from the on-site mill shop. Volunteers operate the mill and guided visits take you through the working mechanism to the platform at the top with views over the surroundings. A genuinely charming and authentic Dutch experience within walking distance of the historic centre. Part of the broader Delftse Hout recreation area, making it easy to combine with a park walk or the lake. Open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; check the flag at the entrance, as the mill is only accessible when the flag is out.

Delft has several hidden courtyard hofjes tucked behind doorways and narrow passages in the historic centre. The Bagijnhof on the Oude Delft is the most celebrated: a 15th-century courtyard of almshouses that remained a quiet community of religious women for centuries and is now one of the most peaceful spaces in the city. The Heilige Geestkerkhof around the Oude Kerk is another extraordinary historic courtyard. Discovering the hofjes on foot without a map is one of the best ways to explore Delft as a resident rather than a tourist. Respectful behaviour is expected in these spaces as some remain residential. If you are staying in Delft for any length of time, finding each one independently is a satisfying ongoing discovery.

The only surviving city gate in Delft, built around 1400, standing at the eastern edge of the historic centre where the Oude Delft canal flows under its twin towers. The Oostpoort is one of the most photographed landmarks in Delft: the reflection of its twin towers in the canal below is one of the classic images of the city. Free to admire from outside and best photographed in the early morning or at golden hour when the light on the brick is extraordinary. The walk from the Markt along the Oude Delft canal to the Oostpoort is one of the finest short walks in South Holland and passes Huis van Meerten and the Prinsenhof along the way.

A genuinely local Delft experience that most visitors never discover. The Oostsingel canal on the eastern edge of the city between the Oostpoort and the Plantagebrug has a designated swimming area where Delft residents swim in summer. Locals take cold dips year round, but summer brings families, students, and residents to swim and picnic on the grassy canal banks. One of the most authentic expressions of Dutch outdoor culture and a genuinely enjoyable way to spend a summer afternoon. Easy to combine with a walk along the Oude Delft to the Oostpoort immediately to the north.

One of the most enjoyable hands-on experiences in Delft. Several pottery studios including De Candelaer offer workshops where you can learn the stippling technique used to create Delft Blue patterns and paint your own tile or plate to take home. DotsDesign also offers similar workshops in the historic centre. A creative and genuinely memorable activity that gives a much deeper appreciation of the craft behind the Delftware you see everywhere in the city. Popular with expat families and groups, and a natural complement to a visit to Royal Delft for those who want to understand the craft more fully.

Inside the beautiful historic Stadhuis on the Markt is a medieval prison that is open to supervised visitors. The prison held the murderer of William of Orange after his assassination in 1584 and is one of the most atmospheric historic spaces in Delft. Visitors aged nine and over can explore the prison cells under supervision. A genuinely unexpected and memorable addition to any visit to the Markt area, and a good pairing with the Nieuwe Kerk directly opposite. The Stadhuis building itself is also free to walk through during opening hours, with its extraordinary Renaissance architecture from 1618 designed by Hendrick de Keyser.

Two of the best outdoor markets in South Holland, held on the finest historic square in the region. Fresh produce, flowers, artisanal cheese, herring, stroopwafels, clothing, and household goods spread across the Markt on both days. The Saturday market is the larger and most atmospheric. The Thursday market is popular with local workers during their lunch break. Arriving at the market as one of your first Delft experiences gives an instant sense of the rhythm of local life. For post-market coffee, Kek on the Voldersgracht is a five-minute walk away and one of the most beloved cafes in the city.

A seasonal antique and collectibles market held in the streets around the Nieuwe Kerk on Saturday mornings from April to October. Antique dealers, vintage collectors, and curiosity sellers spread their wares along the streets adjacent to the Markt in a market that feels genuinely Dutch and unhurried. One of the best antique browsing experiences in South Holland. Easy to combine with the main Markt market on the same morning, and with a drink at Locus Publicus on the Brabantse Turfmarkt afterwards.

The main recreational green area on the eastern edge of Delft, combining a large lake suitable for swimming and watersports in summer with forest walks, cycling paths, a campsite, restaurants, and the Windmill De Roos at the entrance. One of the most enjoyable outdoor spaces within Delft’s city limits and an excellent destination for a summer afternoon swim, a long cycle, or a family day out. Easily reachable by bike from the historic centre in around fifteen minutes, or by bus line 63 from Delft Centraal towards Delftse Hout via IKEA. For parks closer to the historic centre, see the parks guide.

Taking a guided boat tour through Delft’s historic canals is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience the city from a completely different perspective. Tours cover the Oude Delft, the Nieuwe Delft, and the canals surrounding the historic centre, passing under the low brick bridges with a guide who explains the buildings, history, and stories above. Tours typically last 45 to 60 minutes. A good activity for the first weeks of living in Delft to understand the geography of the city, and an easy recommendation for visiting family who want a relaxed introduction to the canals. Seasonal availability varies; summer has the most frequent departures.

The TU Delft campus is one of the finest collections of contemporary Dutch architecture in the country. The Library building by Mecanoo, with its grass-covered sloping roof and distinctive cone tower, is the centrepiece. The Faculty of Architecture, the Aerospace Engineering faculty, and multiple other buildings by leading Dutch and international architects make a self-guided walk through the campus genuinely rewarding. Free to walk and best appreciated in combination with a coffee at the campus cafe or a visit to the TU Delft Science Centre at Van der Burghweg 1. Around a 30-minute walk from Delft Centraal or 15 minutes by bike.

Johannes Vermeer was born on the Markt in Delft in 1632 and spent virtually his entire life within a few hundred metres of where he was born. Walking the small area of the historic centre that Vermeer knew, from the Markt where his father ran an inn, to the Oude Kerk where he was baptised and buried, to the streets he walked daily, gives a remarkable sense of the world that produced some of the greatest paintings in Western art history. The walk pairs naturally with a visit to the Vermeer Centrum Delft on the Voldersgracht, which provides the context for all 37 of his paintings. The originals, including Girl with a Pearl Earring, are at the Mauritshuis in Den Haag.