City walks - Heusden

Strijp S, a former Philips factory area called "The Forbidden City" is now a vibrant open creative design & technology hub full of design-, retail-, hospitality-, food- and leisure venues. Great locations to visit are Skatepark Area51, Urban Shopper, Food Market 't Veem, Yksi Design Expo, De Ontdekfrabriek ("The Discover Factory" for kids), 040BMX Park, MU Artspace, NatLab, Popei Music, Enversed VR Center and many more.

In 1928, Hub and Wim van Doorne opened the Van Doorne’s Trailer Factory (DAF), an interactive museum where visitors are transported back in time to the 1930s. The whole space showcases classical cars and trucks among old storefronts and an impressive replica town setting.

The impressive swimming centre at De Tongelreep is a great place to spend a day for the whole family. There are classes for toddlers and the elderly, as well as snorkelling lessons, water polo, and many other activities.

Falconcrest Roofvogel Park is a fascinating wildlife park that showcases a large array of birds of prey, the star of course being the majestic falcon. Young ones always enjoy their visit to this educational centre.

The IJssportcentrum (Ice Sports Centre) in Eindhoven offers a huge array of activities for people of all ages and skill levels, from ice hockey and curling to skating lessons for beginners and spectator sports.

The village of Nuenen is also known as Van Gogh Village, and rightly so. There isn’t a place in the Netherlands where you can tread in the footsteps of this famous painter quite so literally. Here, stories about Van Gogh are still vividly told, his letters are available for reading, and there are no fewer than fourteen locations which have been immortalised by Van Gogh in a picture or a painting. Experiencing Van Gogh’s life in the Netherlands so intensely is not possible anywhere else. “The museum is a gem” In the Vincentre museum you will hear all about Van Gogh and read his own stories about Nuenen, where he lived and worked from 1883 to 1885. Who was he, how did he live, who did he socialise with, and why was he so passionate about Nuenen? It will all become clear during an educational tour with an audio guide in no fewer than eight languages: Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Chinese. In the village itself, no fewer than 23 locations have a direct link with Van Gogh. Together, they form a walking and cycling route with interactive informational signs in Dutch and English. From The Potato Eaters to The Starry Night The Potato Eaters is based on a scene that Van Gogh saw at the house of a peasant family in Nuenen. It literally comes to life in theatre Het Klooster. The world famous designer Daan Roosegaarde designed, based on Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, the now famous and unique Van Gogh-Roosegaarde cycle path, for which thousands of twinkling stones were incorporated in the asphalt. This cycle path, between Nuenen and the nearby city of Eindhoven, is part of the Van Gogh Cycle Route. Heritage locations in Brabant This cycle route connects the five Van Gogh heritage locations in Brabant, which of course include Nuenen. You won’t get any closer to Van Gogh than this. Or, as one of our enthusiastic guests wrote about Nuenen: “The same view that Van Gogh had!” Come and experience the place in which Van Gogh was inspired by the rural Brabant countryside, easily accessible at no more than ten kilometres away from Eindhoven, city of technology and design.

In July and August you can make boat tours on the Maas River, from the fortified town of Heusden. The tour boat, Wiljo, departs from the Molensteiger, the windmill base at the harbour at 13.30 and 15.00. The route runs along the Maas River and passes through the Heusden Canal (a man-made section of the river), past the village of Wijk & Aalburg and into the “dead end“ of the original Maas River and, after an hour of sailing, the boat returns to Heusden. Various drinks can be bought on board, both on the upper deck and in the cosy room below deck.

Located in the centre of Etten-Leur, the Van Gogh Church offers a fascinating glimpse into what is probably the least known period in Vincent van Gogh’s life, but certainly not the least important! ‘The start of a career’ This is the church where Van Gogh’s father was minister for seven years and where Van Gogh could regularly be found. Vincent van Gogh first registered as an artist in Etten in 1881. For nine months he lived and worked in the parsonage behind the Dutch Reformed Church. He also had his first drawing studio here. ‘Precious memories’ In the Van Gogh Church you can see how Vincent wrestled with drawing but became better at it through sheer hard work. How he was infatuated by his cousin Kee Vos and the drama which then unfolded. How he had arguments with his father. How he left Etten at Christmas 1881 but never forgot it. ‘Around the Van Gogh Church’ All these unusual stories are told in and around the Van Gogh Church. Nine colourful windows, multilingual information panels, showcases, animation, a film, a garden, an oversized portrait wall and audio columns take you back in time. The ‘Van Gogh in virtual reality’ is new: you will be immersed in an almost a real life encounter with Vincent van Gogh through a computer simulated environment. Van Gogh Shop The Van Gogh Shop has a large variety of souvenirs. It is also the ideal starting point for a Van Gogh walk or a cycle trip through the surrounding area. Van Gogh heritage location The Van Gogh Church and Van Gogh Shop (Markt 4) are within walking distance from the bus and railway stations. There is a multi-storey car park very close to the church. The locations are also on the Van Gogh Cycle Route that connects the five heritage locations in Brabant with each other.

Cyclists are welcome in these inland sand dunes, on the beautiful wide cycle paths or on the mountain bike trail, but the park is especially suitable to explore on foot or with a dog, if kept on a leash. With the help of the marked hiking routes you can explore the area on your own. It is advisable to bring a walking map so that you do not get lost! For mountain bikers, unpaved bike paths and routes have been set out and horse riding is possible on the marked riding trails (and free riding over the sand). Mountain bikers and riders need a permit, available at Natuurmonumenten, the surrounding catering establishments and riding schools.

There are tons of events in Tilburg throughout the year. With over 700 (!!) events per year Tilburg is the event city of the Netherlands. Checkout what, where and when at the website.

Take a guided down town city tour. During this walk you will undoubtedly learn to look at the city in a different way. Join us on Den Heuvel, through the Willem II street, the strait area, the old Market and the palace. At the end of the walk you have definitely become a bit more Tilburger!

The guided tour offers a first introduction to Het Noordbrabants Museum and Design Museum Den Bosch. It is a tour through time, space and architecture which highlights extraordinary objects from the collections of both museums.