Who needs Lisboa, Berlin or Barca when you can also go to Eindhoven? Admittedly, when we think of citytripping, we don't immediately think of Eindhoven, but why not? This city turns out to be fan-tas-tic and has everything you would expect from a lively weekend away. You just have to know it. And extra fun: because our brainport is all about innovation, sustainability is everywhere! Saskia spent a weekend in Eindhoven with her family. And on her phone was a sustainability programme made by locals. And that resulted in lots of cool experiences and thus tips. She shares all the sustainable hotspots with you!
Citytrip sustainable Eindhoven: this is the place to be
In cooperation with Eindhoven 365
When you think of our city of lights, Eindhoven, you think of Brabant, Philips, PSV, Stratumseind, carnival, sausage rolls, the university and Dutch Design. During our city trip, we experienced Eindhoven to the max and discovered that this city has so much more to offer. It is green, it is a great city for cycling, the modern architecture and street art provide a worldly vibe, you can have great drinks and dinner and there is no shortage of cool second-hand shops either. I think Eindhoven is one of the most exciting city trip destinations of recent years. And all in its own country! Less than an hour and a half by train or car from Amsterdam. I take you to the nicest neighbourhoods and best addresses. Also fancy Eindhoven? This is the place to be!
Sleeping in Eindhoven
Let's start at the beginning: our base of operations, a sustainable place to stay. During our weekend getaway, we stayed at the amazing hotel The social hub. This is a tall tower next to the central station where both hotel guests and students live. As a result, it has a unique atmosphere. You immediately feel at home and that is exactly the intention of this hotel. The Social Hub is a community for everyone and everyone can be whoever they want to be. And that feels good. On arrival, our bikes and two glasses of bubbly are already waiting for us and our family room is magnificent: mega spacious with two gigantic double beds facing each other and a great view over the city. This is another fine and comfortable start to the weekend. We are looking forward to it!
The Social Hub Eindhoven.
The Social Hub Eindhoven, a sustainable hotel
If you would like to sleep in a more sustainable hotel, The Social Hub is also ideally suited. This hotel chain is working hard to become more sustainable. For instance, they want to achieve by 2030:
- Being a zero waste company (100% recycling).
- Reduce CO2 emissions from energy consumption with 78%.
- 50% of own energy self-generation.
- Having volunteered 10,000 hours with the community.
- Have achieved gender equality at all levels of the company.
Furthermore, The Social Hub has both BREEAM certification and eco-certification. The former is an important certificate for sustainable buildings. This chain is also working hard on A B Corp certification.
Want to have a bit more to choose from? You can! Eindhoven also has a number of eco-certified hotels with a Green Key seal of approval. These are NH Collection Hotel, Hotel Parkzicht, Crown Hotel, Holiday Inn, Park Plaza, Pullman Eindhoven Cocagne, Tullip Inn Eindhoven Airport and Van der Valk Eindhoven. Not certified, but a charming choice: Barracks, Piet Hein Eek Hotel, The Match and Hotel Mariënhage.
Strolling and cycling: Eindhoven's nicest neighbourhoods
Of course, a successful city trip starts with a good overview of the city: where are the nicest neighbourhoods, the cosiest streets and the most beautiful green areas? If you have that overview, you already have a good basis. Eindhoven is a neatly arranged city, but it is vast with different neighbourhoods. And it is precisely in these suburbs that you will find the cosiest restaurants, hippest shops and most beautiful street art. That's why it's ideal to rent or borrow bikes during your stay. Then you're close to everything and nothing takes longer than twenty minutes by bike. You can often rent bikes from your hotel (be sure to let us know in time, otherwise you run the risk that everything has been rented out). Otherwise, a public transport bike or renting a bike from bike rental companies are good alternatives. Check for example Bike rental Eindhoven or Bike rental Brabant.
Pictured: the Strijp-S area, the cosy Kleine Berg district by night and a green oasis in the city of Eindhoven.
Neighbourhoods you won't want to miss
Woensel-West
Cultures living side by side, budding artists, young families, creatives and children on the streets. You'll find it all there. Be sure to stop by the Woensel WestSide Stores on Edison Street. A motley crew of entrepreneurs makes it a vibrant neighbourhood with a diverse range of shops. See more on Woensel-West.
Strijp-S
This former Philips site full of industrial historical heritage has been transformed into a unique area, where creative and dynamic cultural, living and working facilities take centre stage. Here you can spend hours wandering, browsing, eating, drinking and there is plenty to do for kids too. See more about Strijp-S.
While you're in Strijp-S, take a stroll over to Strijp-R and Strijp-T. You can immediately visit Piet Hein Eek's shop, which I will return to in a moment. Fun-fact: it was intended that there would also be Strijp-IJ and Strijp-P, but Philips did not get around to that.
The mountains
The district was largely spared during the war, so it now consists of characteristic buildings and streets. In this artistic part of the city centre, you will find, besides lots of cosy cafés and restaurants, a collection of specialty shops and (art) galleries. De Bergen is bustling! See more about this fun neighbourhood in Eindhoven.
Philips de Jong Hiking Park
Unwind and enjoy the greenery in the Philips de Jong Wandelpark. It is less than ten minutes' cycling from Strijp-S and yet you feel like you are dozens of kilometres outside the city. So green, so woody. Lovely! Should you settle down there, then Philips Fruit Garden definitely a tip with children. Can they climb for a while and expend their energy. See more about the Philips the Young Walking Park.
Gestel
Close to the city centre, in the first part of Hoogstraat and in the parallel Gestelsestraat, it is also a good place to be if you like vintage and second-hand shopping. In this part of Eindhoven, you will find quirky shops by hospitable entrepreneurs who are happy to chat with you and can tell you everything about the clean things they have for sale in their shops. Most of it is curated by themselves. You probably won't be surprised to find a number of shops located in this neighbourhood in the shopping tips.
Section-C
A hotspot for creatives. Section-C is home to more than 250 entrepreneurs: musicians, artists, designers, artisans, writers and other free spirits. Stroll through this neighbourhood and take a look at its many studios. See more on Section-C.
List of Eindhoven's best sustainable shops and second-hand stores
Eindhoven has so many quality second-hand shops. It's almost too much to check them all out in one weekend. Just when we were on our bikes, I hit the brakes again because I spotted a great second-hand shop. Guys, I really want to take a look in here. Are you looking for something nice or do you just enjoy browsing? Then these second-hand and sustainable shops are definitely worth a detour:
- All Vintage Eindhoven (second-hand clothes)
- Second Floor Eindhoven (second-hand clothes)
- Frankie's favorites (second-hand clothes)
- Vintage Design & Co (vintage design furniture and stuff)
- Vielgut (sustainable & vintage)
- Vintage Vêtements (second-hand clothes)
- OKER Vintage Interior (vintage design furniture and stuff)
- Foundation World House Eindhoven (according to my followers ‘the best circle ever’)
- Where (fair trade and sustainable stuff)
- YATVA Vintage (second-hand clothes)
- The Piet Hein Eek shop
- Thrift shop Het Goed
- The Urban Shopper at Strijp-S (unique and exclusive shopping mecca with twenty special shops)
- Loads 040 (The South's largest collection of vintage, antique and industrial design)
- Karoesell (Woensel-West thrift shop)
- Remake Studio (repare, remake and second-hand clothes)
- Coco Loco (second-hand children's clothing and coffee sipping)
- Eeden concept store (vintage and handmade clothing)
- Room108 & Gusj Market (live experience in Strijp-S)
- The Spot (vintage design furniture and stuff)
- Atelier Kringloop (vintage design furniture and stuff)
- Disinherited Property (sells art that used to hang in museums and town halls)
Pictured: Vintage Design & Co, All Vintage Eindhoven & Frankie's Favorites.
More sustainable eating and drinking in Eindhoven
During your city break in Eindhoven, you can also satisfy your appetite at sustainable, vegetarian and vegan restaurants. A longlist of vegan and vegetarian restaurants has already made This is Eindhoven for you. I am sharing a few gems that we have had the pleasure of discovering ourselves or that I have been tipped off by followers under the guise of ‘this is the place to be’.
- Downtown Gourmet Market: different cuisines come together at this crazy place: six hundred seats, two central bars and around them 21 tasty food concepts. This is where you go for the ultimate weekend vibes. We loved it here! And everyone can eat what they fancy. No concessions.
- Houben sausage bread: Wa? Whether you like vegan sausage. Because they also have that at these traditional sausage makers where you should definitely make a stop. After all, you are in Eindhoven.
- Jungle Café: vegan breakfast and lunch room with lots of fans (massively tipped)
- Bar Bistro Calypso: real plantbased food.
- Happiness café: sustainable breakfast and lunch room.
- Viola's vegan patisserie: this particular patisserie has a lot of fans. I gather this from the fact that I have been tipped this place very often.
- Vane Skybar: have a drink with a beautiful view. The perfect place to start or end the evening.
Special restaurant in Eindhoven
Chief Erling holds regular pop ups you don't want to miss if you like fine dining and sustainable food. He himself calls his cuisine ‘love letters from mother nature’. An evening with Chef Erling is educational, magical and never to be forgotten. For us, this was the absolute highlight of our weekend away. Erling and his team gave Eindhoven a golden edge. Is his pop up there during your planned visit. Book on time and you will experience a star-worthy evening.
A culinary experience at Chef Erling's pop up in Eindhoven.
- Radio Royale: eating in an engine room, awesome!
- OST: cosy restaurant.
- Good tea stories: vegan bubble tea and high tea oelala....
- Coffee house: cosy up and imagine yourself in times of yore.
- At Albrecht's: fine vegan dining.
- Flavor and Spice: Middle Eastern sustainable cuisine.
- Falafel Master: do I need to say more...
More fun things to do in Eindhoven
Eindhoven really has something for every type of person.
- Museum lovers need not be bored for a moment with the Van Abbemuseum, DAF museum and PSV museum and the many galleries and exhibitions. It just depends on what you like: sports, art or cars.
- If you prefer the combination of city and nature, 040 is also the place to be. The proof are these four hiking trails.
- Are you really a city person and fond of architecture? Then the architecture walking route is totally your thing.
- The awesome street art is not to be missed and you will come across pretty much on every street corner. Are you a fan of street art or looking for an original location for your Insta and TikTok videos. Then check out the city's best street art spots.
Eindhoven with kids!
Children won't be bored for a moment in Eindhoven either. Start the day in the Discovery Factory Or bring your skatboard or stunt scooter for an hour of rollerblading in Area 51. These tips can be found at Strijp-S and can be combined with a lunch or dinner in this neighbourhood. And don't forget to have a browse at Frankie's Favorites. It's just around the corner. Also fun for young & old according to my followers: PreHistoric village, the futuristic experience Retrofuture and Genneper Hoeve: a farm in the city with animals.
Little culture snobs? Then I also have good news. Park Theatre and Eindhoven Music Building often have fun shows for children. And if you are looking for a place where children can expend their energy, then Philipsdorp playground a tip.
City trip Eindhoven: what's your sustainable tip?
Are you now thinking ‘golly, I'm missing a great Eindhoven tip’. Please let me know and I will gladly add it to the sustainable Eindhoven list. You can get in touch with the editors via the contact and follow buttons at the bottom of this page.
More sustainable getaway tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Also see: City trip Breda, seeing and doing in this sustainable city.
- Beklijk too: 24 hours in Tilburg. This is the place to be!
- Also see: Weekend in The Hague: the best tips with a green edge.
- Also see: Weekend trip tip: 24 hours in Dordrecht and Kinderdijk
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
