Gouda

City guide Gouda: what to do and see in Gouda, The Netherlands | Your Dutch Guide

Gouda makes for a perfect day trip from Amsterdam. Of course, cheese lovers will want to taste some of the famous Gouda cheese right where it’s made. But Gouda is such a picturesque city, that you might want to consider staying a little longer. Wander along the pretty cobbled street of the 16th-century city centre, gaze over the small canals, admire the golden stained glass windows of the grand church. Check out the top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands.

About Gouda, The Netherlands

Gouda, The Netherlands: top things to do in Gouda | Mooistestedentrips.nl

Gouda, The Netherlands: top things to do in Gouda | Mooistestedentrips.nl

Gouda is almost a thousand years old. The setting, where the small rivers Gouwe and Hollandse IJssel meet, was of great significance way back when. Gouda was an important Dutch trading hub, due to the setting at the crossing of these rivers and flourished during the 15th and 16th century. A lot of buildings in the city centre of Gouda are dated back to the Golden Age of this city. Plagues and war brought disaster to Gouda, but the city picked up again during the industrial revolution in The Netherlands in the 19th century, with the openings of the candle making factory and spinning mills. When Utrecht and Rotterdam were connected by rail, Gouda once again became a bustling hub.

How to get to Gouda?

  • Gouda is an easy enough day trip from Amsterdam. Simply hop on a train and you will reach the city by direct train within 50 minutes. You can buy your tickets at the station, or on the NS.nl website.
  • When you get to Gouda, simply walk from the station to the city centre. I will only take a few minutes.
  • Discover all the beautiful cities in The Netherlands.

Hotels in Gouda

Relais & Châteaux Weeshuis Gouda

Photo by Relais & Châteaux Weeshuis | Your Dutch Guide

Photo by Relais & Châteaux Weeshuis | Your Dutch Guide

Gouda isn’t a big place, so there aren’t a lot of places to stay. But, I have to say, the few hotels in Gouda are actually really cool and sweet. So you just may consider staying the night. My current favourite hotel in the city is Relais & Châteaux Weeshuis Gouda, which is located in one of the most beautiful historical building in the city. The 16th-century building used to be an orphanage, but has been beautifully restored and now has 25 retro-themed rooms surrounding a beautiful courtyard. The hotel also has a great bar and restaurant. So don’t hesitate to make a dinner reservation.

Holidaypark Reeuwijkse Plassen

Photo by Landal Reeuwijkse Plassen | Your Dutch Guide

If you’d like to explore Gouda and see more of the typically Dutch surroundings, I highly recommend staying at a cottage at Holidaypark Reeuwijkse Plassen. This holiday park has lovely cottages overlooking the lakes that are surrounding the park, accommodation two upto twenty people. There’s an indoor pool and kids can enjoy the indoor playground. But the big advantage of this holiday park is the fact that you can rent boats so you can explore the surroundings by water. Holidaypark Reeuwijkse Plassen is also centrally located: just a few kilometers outside of Gouda, but also relatively close to cities like Utrecht, Rotterdam, The Hague and Amsterdam.

Top things to do in Gouda

City Walk Gouda

Gouda, The Netherlands: top things to do. City walk Gouda | Your Dutch Guide

Being a bit of a hidden gem I can imagine that you don’t know much about Gouda. If you’d like to know more about the city, its top sights and its interesting history, I highly recommend joining a walking tour with a local. You’ll see a lot of beautiful monuments, but also some beautiful courtyards and get to know about all the secrets they hold.

Bike trip: windmills and cheese

Bike tour Gouda, The Netherlands: windmills and cheese tasting | Your Dutch Guide

Bike tour Gouda, The Netherlands (photy by Baja Bikes) | Your Dutch Guide

If there’s one bike tour in The Netherlands that I would highly recommend, it would be this bike tour showing the sights of Gouda and it’s stunning and typically Dutch surroundings. The bike tour, which is led by an English speaking guide, kicks of at one of the windmills in the city center of Gouda. After that you’ll visit two more historical windmills as well as a couple of cheese farms where you’ll taste the famous Gouda cheese. Back in the city you’ll cycle along the canals and the beautiful historical market square.

Traditional Gouda Cheese Market

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: Gouda Cheese Market | Your Dutch Guide

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: Gouda Cheese Market | Your Dutch Guide

Every Thursday morning between April and October the real Gouda cheese is sold an auctioned off on the Gouda market square in front of the pretty town hall during the Traditional Gouda Cheese Market. Traditionally dressed farmers and salesmen trade cheese in an oldfashioned ‘hand-clapping’ manner. It can get very crowded, especially in the summer months, and it is quite, dare I say, cheesy. Though I think the surrounding traditional market is an excellent place to buy the real Gouda cheese, the tradespeople will allow you to taste different kinds and if you decide to buy some cheese they will wrap it up so you can take it home, odourless.

Gouda town hall

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: Town Hall Gouda | Your Dutch Guide

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: Town Hall Gouda | Your Dutch Guide

Gouda has one of the prettiest market squares in The Netherlands, mostly thanks to the simply stunning city hall. It was built after a great fire in the 15th century basically destroyed everything in its path. The city was completely reconstructed and one of the first buildings to be erected was the current town hall on the market square, which wasn’t much more than a bog at the time. If you’d like to visit? You can! The city hall is open from Tuesday until Thursday.

Kaaswaag

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: cheese weighing house | Your Dutch Guide

De Kaaswaag (the weighing house) is one of the prettiest buildings on the Gouda market square, facing the Town Hall. In the olden days, the cheese was weighed and traded here at the weighing house. There is a small cheese museum to teach you all about the history of Gouda cheese and cheese trading in the city. It’s also an excellent place to taste and buy the real Gouda cheese.

Sint-Janskerk

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: Sint-Janskerk | Your Dutch Guide

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: Sint-Janskerk | Your Dutch Guide

By all means, the Sint-Janskerk of Gouda should have been a cathedral (in my honest opinion), it certainly has all the ingredients to be a cathedral. It isn’t a high or tall building, as the soil in the city and its surroundings is too soggy to support tall buildings, but it sure is big and grand. The first things you see when you walk in are the 72 amazing stained glass windows, that were made with a great eye for detail. They let in a golden light, adding to the divine atmosphere. This church is an absolute must-see when visiting Gouda.

Museum Gouda

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: Museum Gouda | Your Dutch Guide

The city museum of Gouda, Museum Gouda, is housed in a beautiful historic building, behind the church, that used to be a 17th-century hospital. It covers the history of the city and sometimes works together with slightly more famous Dutch museums to host special exhibits. The particularly pretty walled garden is a great place to have a rest and a cup of coffee.

Kamphuisen syrup waffle factory

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: Kamphuisen syrup waffle factory | Your Dutch Guide

Have you tasted a real Dutch stroopwafel (2 thin wafers with syrup in the middle) yet? Oh, you better have one. It’s one of the best treats in The Netherlands and stroopwafels were actually invented in Gouda. There used to be many factories that made them, but now only a few remain. You can visit Kamphuisen syrup waffle factory to see the process of stroopwafels being made, and of course, take some stroopwafels home.

Hidden courtyards

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: find the hidden courtyards of Gouda | Your Dutch Guide

If you have visited the beguinage of Amsterdam (or Bruges for that matter) you’ll know how special these small, secluded courtyards can be. Gouda has a handful of beautiful historical courtyards, like Hofje van Cincq, Swanenburgh’s Hofje and Hofje van Letmaet. Finding the courtyards takes a bit of a search (they’re secluded after all), but if you follow the tourist signs that say ‘Hofje’ you’ll be able to find at least a few courtyards.

Winter in Gouda

Top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands: Gouda by Candlelight | Your Dutch Guide

If you’ve read my article about Christmas markets in The Netherlands you’ll know that there’s a winter event in Gouda that is really special. The Friday two weeks before Christmas Gouda celebrates ‘Candlelight evening’, honouring the city as ‘candle making city’. In the 19th century three men from Gouda opened their candle making factory, launching the industrial revolution in the city and surrounding area. And it was a huge succes. Gouds candles (Gouse kaarsen) are still a Dutch household name today. So, on the Friday two weeks before Christmas the historical town hall is lit up completely by Gouda candles. It’s an amazing sight to behold. But in the afternoon many theater performances and choires preform throughout the city. If you’d like to experience Gouda by Candlelight you must plan well and book your hotel well ahead.

Restaurants in Gouda

Miss Nice Banana

Photo by: Miss Nice Banana | Your Dutch Guide

Vegetarians and vegans will simply love Miss Nice Banana. This cosy little restaurants serves up the best breakfast and lunch options. Sit down for some pancakes, burgers and currys to go with freshly pressed juices or a nice cup of organic coffee or tea.

Hofje van Jongkind

Photo by Hofje van Jongkind | Your Dutch Guide

If you’d like to spend some proper time in one of the cities hidden courtyards I highly recommend having lunch at Hofje van Jongkind. The owners of the restaurant have added a traditional courtyard to their restaurant and it’s a wonderful place to have lunch. Order some Dutch pancakes or dig into some cheese foundue made with some authentic local cheeses.

Curcuma

Photo by Curcuma | Your Dutch Guide

Another great lunch option in the city is Curcuma. I must say that I find the lush interior design enough reason to sit down and enjoy all the plants and botanical prints. But the food at Curcuma is also really amazing. Tuck into one of the amazing vegetarian dishes that’s on the menu, like a hearty soup or salad, but make sure you leave room for dessert as the cakes at Curcuma are absolutely delicious. 

De Kleischuur

Photo by De Kleischuur | Your Dutch Guide

Having lunch or dinner along one of the pretty city canals? Make a reservation at De Kleischuur. It’s one of the most special places to have dinner in Gouda. The restaurant is set in an historical monument that used to be a place where ckay was once stored, Nowadays, the open plan restaurant offers the best view over the canal. Choose the chef’s menu and be surprised about the beautiful dishes that will be served.

Lichtfabriek

Restaurants Gouda: Lichtfabriek | Your Dutch Guide

Lichtfabriek used to be an industrial site now turned into one of the cities favourite hotspots. Lichtfabtiek used to be the cities’ powerplant and when you visit the building today, you will still see ‘light’ at the center of everyting, hence the light. Lichtfabriek also has a wonderful restaurant offering amazing meat, fish, poultry of vegetarian dishes. 

Gouda, The Netherlands
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Gouda, The Netherlands: top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands | Your Dutch Guide
Gouda, The Netherlands: top things to do in Gouda, The Netherlands | Your Dutch Guide

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