Breda is a fantastic city break destination. It has everything you expect from a mini city break. Walk through Breda and discover more about the history of the Netherlands, get inspired by street art and the city's creative entrepreneurs. Come to Breda for the culinary delights, to enjoy the abundance of greenery and to flower as can be done in this student city. Breda buzzes! With these tips in your pocket, you'll have a fantastic time in Breda.
Citytrip Breda: this is the place to be!
In cooperation with Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions
At the invitation of the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) and Welcome to Breda, I went on a tour of this beautiful burgundian city in Brabant. Over two days, I was taken by the hand and shown the best spots of Breda by local guides. In this article, I share a list of tips for a sustainable city trip in this beautiful city. Because I was on Instagram reported extensively on this outing, I also received all kinds of cool tips from followers who know Breda well. I have bundled everything in this list. I wish you lots of fun, Breda is so much fun!
Citytrip Breda, a walk through the city centre.
Breda has a rich history
You can see it from the beautiful old buildings and churches in the city centre: Breda has a rich history. The history really comes alive during a walk through the city. Did you know, for example, that the royal family originated in this city? Around the year 1400, the wealthy Johanna van Polanen married a noble figure: Engelbert van Nassau; these are the ancestors of King Willem Alexander. This made Breda a rich city in the Middle Ages in which a lot was invested by this family, which attracted even more rich people. I can tell you facts like this now, but it only really comes to life when you move around the city, walking through the city park Valkenberg (which used to be the castle's palace garden). Breda's castle is still there, but this now serves as a training centre The Royal Military Academy and has limited access (but can be viewed, of course).
Breda Castle and City Park Valkenberg adjacent to the castle are also encountered in the city centre (if you walk from the station to the city centre).
Walking routes in Breda
Whether you want to learn more about its history, prefer shopping or take an art tour: here you will find some great walking routes in the city and every type of citytripper has been thought of. You can easily access the walking tours via your smartphone. If you ask me, this is the best, most fun and fastest way to get to know the city.
Nice things to do in Breda
Breda is much more than a city with beautiful shopping streets and the bustling terraces on Havermarkt and Grote Markt. Of course, the locals already know this, but as a tourist you just have to happen to know or hear about it. What other things should you definitely do or check out if you are going to discover Breda for a weekend? I list the most important tips for you:
- Sustainable shopping in a particularly fun medieval street in the city centre: rue Saint Anne. This beautiful old shopping street is home to all kinds of sustainable entrepreneurs: a plant shop, a sustainable shoe shop, a vintage boutique, you name it.
St Annastraat and the cute plant shop The Green Submarine.
- While you are in Sint Annastraat, walk on to the beautiful quiet courtyard: the Willem Merkxtuin. An oasis of greenery and peace in the middle of the city. You can find this special place by crossing an old gate in Sint Annastraat. If necessary, check Google Maps if you can't find it.
- Then walk on to the beautiful Beguinage. Here you will learn more about the city's history, about the Catholic beguines who were protected by the Protestant royal house. To this day, the herb garden is still intact and only unmarried ladies are allowed to live in the hofje. This hofje is truly a picture!
- Walk or picnic in green Park Valkenberg. This old castle garden is adjacent to Breda Castle, which you can see right away. Would you like to sit down or are you out and about with the kids? Then visit the T-House. Here you can have lunch, drinks or dinner and there is a cosy playground for children.
- Hire an electric boat, canoe or go supping and discover Breda from the water. In 2007, the city's old harbour was restored to its former glory, making the city a cosier place. Finished with the water fun? At the Harbour you will also find all kinds of cosy restaurants and terraces.
Beguinage and boat ride in Breda's new harbour.
Is your cultural hunger still not satisfied after the above tips? Welcome to Breda has listed even more places for you that are worth visiting.
City beach, street art and circular village: that's Breda too
- If you go to Breda, you must have a Blind Walls Gallery Tour do. That is really cool! In Breda, they were fed up with bare walls (which people pissed on and parked their bikes against). So they started an art project: a hundred walls were painted by international artists. Each wall has become a work of art that tells a story about the city's history. This art project makes Breda an incredibly colourful city. You can take an organised tour with a guide, but you can also explore on your own. Because attached to each wall is a short instruction, including an audio clip you can listen to on your phone via a QR code.
Blind Walls Gallery tour.
- On a nice day, Breda's city beach is also a must: Belcrum Beach. You can chill, eat, drink and on Sundays there is live music. The city beach is built on an abandoned piece of industrial land and decorated with circular furniture such as sea containers that now serve as bars, but that rawness actually adds to the atmosphere. The beach is run by volunteers.
Belcrum Beach city beach.
- Combine Belcrum Beach with a visit to Stek Breda, a circular, creative hotspot next to the city beach. This place is crazy! Dozens of creative entrepreneurs have built their own shop or business. The result is a creative hotbed where you will find plenty of activity from Wednesday to Sunday. You can come here for all sorts of things: food, drinks, packaging-free shopping, cutting your hair, repairing your bike, tarot cards, second-hand shopping and much more!
Circular hotspot and mini-village: Stek Breda. Visiting Plastics (they use a 3D printer to design products from recycled plastic) and package-free shopping at Elemental.
Still want to get out of town for a while during your city break? Welcome to Breda has listed the most beautiful natural areas for you, with highlights being Mastbos, Markendal and Liesbos.
Sustainable shopping in Breda
In addition to Sint Annastraat and Stek, my followers on Instagram More great tips for a day of sustainable shopping in Breda:
- Ginnekenweg (second-hand shopping and immediately check out the beautiful Baronielaan).
- Wilhelminastraat (sustainable shops such as Pure Lou concept store).
- Houtmarktpassage (shopping street including sustainable shops such as Waar Breda).
- ‘t Sas (shopping court in the heart of the city with all kinds of shops and restaurants).
- Passage Zuidpoort (various shops and eateries).
- Thrift shop Emmaus and Vindingrijk.
- ReShare Store Breda (Markendaalseweg 50).
- Apple & Egg Breda (Tolburgstraat 13).
Eating and drinking in Breda
Breda is bursting with good restaurants and bars. I highlight a few that are sustainable:
- Lunch at the creative hub downtown: Bank15.
- An experience: a vegan dinner in Holy Moly Club, a club with a bohemian ‘Moulin Rouge’ atmosphere where you can also dance and where comedy shows are also held (closed on Mondays).
- Lunch at Radio Pancake (grounds Stek Breda, Wednesday to Sunday).
- Lunch at Prooef (grounds Stek, Friday, Saturday and Sunday only)
- Tips from followers: Tasting room Brack (Wed-Sun), sustainable lunch café Sunshine, Coffee bar Anyway (open 7 days), often tipped: vegan hotspot: Black & White Kafe (open 7 days).
Holy Moly Club and creative incubator and lunchroom Plek 15.
Sleeping in Burgundian Breda
Breda is totally geared up for tourists who want to spend one or more nights in the city: from luxury hotels in the heart of the city centre to the well-priced B&Bs on the outskirts. If you really want to experience something special, then the Hotel Nassau Breda a tip. I had the opportunity to stay in this old monastery and orphanage, and this will complete your trip in burgundy Breda. The hotel was able to restore old details of the monastery and manages to combine this in a smart and modern way with contemporary art and furniture. It feels a bit like sleeping in a museum with a four-star experience. Who wouldn't want that?
Hotel Nassau Breda: a tip for sleeping during your city break in Breda.
More sustainable tips at home from thegreenlist.nl
- In Breda with children? Then a visit to the Efteling cannot be missed. Read how the Efteling has become increasingly sustainable in recent years.
- Fancy an exciting city trip destination full of green surprises? Then be sure to visit Eindhoven.
- On a city trip in Sustainable Nijmegen: you must see and do this!
- Weekend in The Hague: the cutest tips with a green edge.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
