Nijmegen

This city on the Waal river may have a small centre, but it is extremely lively with lots of shops, bars and cafes.  Anyone driving across the bridge into the centre will understand why the citizens of Nijmegen are so proud of their city: the waterfront set against the backdrop of the city centre is a splendid sight.

Nijmegen is the oldest city in the Netherlands, and is situated on a range of hills near the River Waal.  Nijmegen has a distinctive mix of old and new; historic buildings are interspersed with fine examples of modern architecture.

You might be lucky to be in Nijmegen on a day when St. Stevens church is opened to the public.  Completed in gothic style, this beautiful building dates from 1254.  Its tower (which was actually built in Renaissance style in the mid 14th century) has dominated the city skyline for centuries.  You can climb the tower for a spectacular view of the city, the River Waal and the Ooijpolder.

Museums and Festivals

Museums in and around Nijmegen include the Africa Museum (African art and culture), Museum Park Orientalis (ancient middle eastern buildings), Valkhof museum (Roman and mediaeval history and modern art), Velorama (bicycle museum), MuZIEum (about seeing and not seeing in Nijmegen), and the Bevrijdingsmuseum (about World War II and the airlandings at Nijmegen).

Nijmegen is also famous for De Vierdaagse Wandelmars NijmegenDe Vierdaagse Wandelmarsen Nijmegen (the International Four Day March), an annual event starting on the third Tuesday in July, comprising four days of walking (30-50 km a day), and the accompanying festivities (the Vierdaagsefeesten including rock festival de-Affaire), which is one of the largest open-air events in the Netherlands, attracting both local and international artists, and has been drawing the largest crowds for any Dutch event in the past few years.  The event invites WWII allied veterans to help celebrate their participation in the liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation.

The surrounding area features hills, woods and polders, creating a varied countryside offering a range of recreational opportunities to both citizens and tourists.

The shopping in Nijmegen isn’t bad either, with extraordinary boutiques in historic buildings and trendy shops in the modern two storey Marikenstraat.

Travelling to Nijmegen by Ferry

With less than 100 minutes driving from all three of the ferry ports in Holland, taking the ferry to Nijmegen is great way of visiting this great city. Rotterdam, Amsterdam and the Hook of Holland also offer train and bus links to Den Haag (the Hague).