Eindhoven
Walking through the streets of Eindhoven you will see what appears to be a young, modern city. But scratch the surface a little, and you will find something else entirely. Eindhoven is in fact one of the oldest cities in The Netherlands, having been given city rights in 1232, and has a very interesting history indeed!
The Historic OpenAir Museum takes you back to the Middle Ages where you can be your own blacksmith, brew your own beer, and take a wander amongst centuries’ old farm houses, hayricks and herb gardens. Moving forward in time just a little, Philips first Incandescent Lamp Factory will let you experience the atmosphere of the 19th century, on a tour of the first and oldest Philips factory buildings where light bulbs and other electro-technical equipment were made.
Other museums include the Ton Smits Huis, which houses a large collection of his paintings and lyrical cartoons, Van Abbemuseum which is one of the leading museums for contemporary and modern art, and the Artificial Light in Art Centre ‘Kunstlicht in de kunst’, which features a unique collection of paintings and sculptures with artificial light as the central theme (this is housed in the very first Philips Incandescent Lamp factory).
If you are a fan of shopping, Eindhoven has something for everyone’s taste. With the covered shopping centre ‘De Heuvel Galerie’, Piazza Centre, large department stores including the exclusive ‘De Bijenkorf’ and an extensive selection of boutiques and specialist shops, the centre of Eindhoven is the most bustling shopping centre in the South of the Netherlands.
Eindhoven is also one of the biggest green cities in the Netherlands, so a relaxing walk or cycle is never far away. The green areas in Eindhoven are: Genneper Parks, Stadswandelpark, Dommeldal and the wood at Strijp. If you venture near the train station then you will perhaps see the giant 10 pin and bowling ball art work that is located on the corner of the Kennedylaan and Fellenoord.
Travelling to Eindhoven by Ferry
With less than 100 minutes driving from all three of the ports in Holland, taking the ferry to Eindhoven is great way of visiting this great little city.