Just as the best Swiss chalets are found in western Austria, the best Amsterdam canals are inDelft. Old Deft is Old Amsterdam on a more intimate scale. The canals aren’t as wide, thehouses aren’t as tall, the streets are narrower, and it all…Read More


Just as the best Swiss chalets are found in western Austria, the best Amsterdam canals are in
Delft. Old Deft is Old Amsterdam on a more intimate scale. The canals aren’t as wide, the
houses aren’t as tall, the streets are narrower, and it all works better in Delft than in Amsterdam.
We loved Delft, but were more than a little disappointed in Amsterdam.

At one time in history, both Amsterdam and Delft were the capital of The Netherlands. Delft was
the first capital, and the place and home of William or Orange, the liberator of Holland, is just a
couple blocks off Deft’s town square.

The scenic and historic center of town is on and near the town square whose two major buildings
are the New Church and the town hall, with a striking exterior. The New Church is interesting
for its Gothic architecture, the Tomb of William of Orange (from 1614), and the old style
Protestant seating where the seats in the nave face the side of the church rather than the apse.

From the New Church, go one block behind and one block to the right of the town hall to the
Palace of Wm. Of Orange in an old (AD 1400) convent. The wall of the stairway still bears the
scar of the assassin’s bullet that killed the Prince in 1584.

The Palace is a museum devoted to the 80 year long war for independence from Spain. The
nearby Lambert van Meerten Meusem features, art, furniture, and Delftware. The Paul Tetar van
Elvin Museum recreates the artist’s studio on 18th Century burgers’ house, along with art and
more Delft.

Old Delft was a very attractive place to explore. Even with the canals, the streets form a decent
grid system, making it easy not to get lost. Delft’s small, compact old city center lends itself to
walking. In fact, Delft’s many pedestrian streets almost demand walking. You can tour the
whole place in half a day, or stop and shop or eat or drink for a longer stay.

There are many places in Europe we like better than The Netherlands, but as The Netherlands go,
Deft is the best.Close

Delft, another unplanned surprise... Once again the suggestion came from my Dutch friend: I had a spare afternoon and he suggested I'd leave Rotterdam (was he trying to get rid of me maybe?) Anyway, I followed his suggestion and took the train to Delft. Delft is…Read More

Delft, another unplanned surprise... Once again the suggestion came from my Dutch friend: I had a spare afternoon and he suggested I'd leave Rotterdam (was he trying to get rid of me maybe?) Anyway, I followed his suggestion and took the train to Delft.

Delft is only 20 minutes away, but it really looks like a world apart: it's a very old town, with little stone buildings, a plesant market square, lots of little canals lined with trees, and even more tiny bridges. It's a very tiny town, but of incredible beauty.

What else? History pervades the place. Never have I seen such a huge concentration of beautiful houses, churches and museums... Every corner seemed to scream to have someplace to be visited. I think one could really spend a few days there and not get bored.

The most prominent structure in Delft figures in most paintings of the scene; its appearance is a little different as it has changed over time.…Read More

The most prominent structure in Delft figures in most paintings of the scene; its appearance is a little different as it has changed over time.Close