A city trip to Dordrecht combined with a visit to our World Heritage Site, the extraordinary windmills of Kinderdijk, is an incredibly fun and original day (or. As a city, Dordrecht has everything: beautiful historic (shopping) streets, magisterial canal houses, cosy restaurants and the Kinderdijk windmills around the corner (and even accessible by boat!). In short, this is a super fun weekend trip destination that belongs on your bucket list!
A perfect getaway: city trip Dordrecht with a visit to Kinderdijk
In collaboration with the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions and Unesco
When I was asked if I would like to visit a Dutch World Heritage Site, the choice was quickly made. No matter what, that had to be the beautiful windmills of Kinderdijk! I already knew the Wadden and the Amsterdam canals, but I had never seen the famous Kinderdijk windmills with my own eyes, even though I had heard lots of stories about them. And so we planned our visit on a beautiful sun-drenched Sunday in February. And to make the most of the weekend, we decided to combine it with a city trip. We didn't have to think long about that either... Let beautiful Dordrecht be just around the corner.
Why is Kinderdijk a World Heritage Site?
You can currently visit 11 World Heritage Sites in the Netherlands, Kinderdijk-Elshout Mill Complex being one of them. To better understand why Kinderdijk was chosen, you first need to know what a World Heritage Site is. With this information, the visit will only become more special. As you enjoy the breathtaking view of the windmills, it will become even more clear to you that you have walked into a very special piece of Dutch history that we should cherish forever.
Our World Heritage Sites
To protect unique buildings and areas, UNESCO's World Heritage Convention came into force in 1972. This convention focuses on the protection and management of archaeological sites, cultural landscapes, built monuments, historic city centres and natural areas from all over the world. As part of this, the World Heritage List was created and it has expanded considerably in recent years. Worldwide, there are now 1,154 designated sites that have this special status. In the Kingdom of the Netherlands, we have 11, or well actually 12 if you include Willemstad (Curaçao). We previously wrote an extensive article about the Dutch World Heritage Sites: Do you already know all the World Heritage Sites?
Kinderdijk: a unique piece of the Netherlands that must be preserved
Our mills and waterways tell the story of the Low Countries. So in Kinderdijk, you literally and figuratively stand with your feet in the middle of Dutch history. A thousand years ago, this whole area was one big peat bog. The area was sandwiched between raging rivers and the roar of the sea. Hunters and fishermen could only come here in summer when the water was low enough. But the fertile land was the perfect place to make a living and the richer trading towns were tempting, so more and more Dutch people wanted to live here. But yes... that meant braving the water.
The story of Kinderdijk
In the beginning, residents built their houses on sand dunes so that they could keep their heads above water in case of a flood. Then came the dykes to keep out the raging river water. This seemed like a good idea, but it also created a new problem. Because the groundwater and rainwater could not drain away, threatening to flood the polders. So a better plan was needed to keep water out. Over the centuries, by trial and error, a better and better system of mills and pumping stations was built. Eventually, there were 20 mills in the two water boards of Nederwaard and Overwaard working uniquely together, and you can come and see and experience the remaining 19 for yourself. That, in a nutshell, is Kinderdijk, an impressive and innovative water system (all the way back then!) that made the Dutch famous. See for yourself!
A visit to Kinderdijk to round off a weekend Dordrecht citytrip.
Great fun: during your visit, you can download an audio tour and see two mills inside. This really brings this open-air museum to life! You can see how people used to live and work in the mills. You can also meet a miller and put all your questions to him. Tip: come early and catch the tour boat at the entrance and get off at the last stop. Then walk back along the two mills with your audio tour, this is a beautiful walk ánd it was lovely and quiet when we were there. It is also worth visiting the Wisboom pumping station (behind the entrance). There's lots to see and do there too and opposite this building (in Auxiliary Pumping Station De Fabriek) an interactive film is shown (over several screens, very special) that teaches you everything about the Kinderdijk windmills. Got a few minutes to spare? Then finish your visit with a nice cup of coffee or hot chocolate on the terrace and enjoy the special view for a while.
Kinderdijk: a special story about the Netherlands
People used to sometimes say, therefore, ‘God created the world, but the Dutch created Holland’. This was said because most of Holland is man-made. It is below sea level and we drained it to live on land. Were we to do nothing about it, large parts of the Netherlands would flood again by themselves. During the visit, I learnt that if we did nothing about water management for three months now, most of the Netherlands would be given back to the sea. A bizarre idea right?
As if this were not enough, the story goes even further. Even today, so many hundreds of years later, it is super important that Kinderdijk continues to exist. The mills must remain operational to preserve history for generations to come, but also as an emergency facility. In the early 20th century, the mills were replaced by powerful pumping stations that run on electricity. Obviously this is better and more efficient, but yes what if.... If a disaster ever happens or there is no electricity for a while, the old mills and wind will have to start helping us again to keep the Netherlands dry. The mills of Kinderdijk are thus more than a history story, they could just be vital.
From Dordrecht and Rotterdam you can take the water bus to Kinderdijk
On Line 20 from Rotterdam or Dordrecht, change to the Driehoeksveer at the Schans stop in Ridderkerk. From there, you can reach Kinderdijk in a few minutes. Note: the Driehoeksveer is not part of the Waterbus, you still need to buy a separate ticket here.
City trip Dordrecht
You can perfectly combine a visit to Kinderdijk with a city trip, as both Rotterdam and Dordrecht are nearby. It became Dordrecht, a beautiful historic city with many nice ‘alternative’ shopping streets and cosy restaurants. Wander through the city centre to see the rich past of this trading town with your own eyes. The street names (such as ‘Wijnstraat’ and ‘Visstraat’) and over a thousand monuments tell you a lot about what life must have been like in this city in the past. So, like Kinderdijk, Dordrecht tells a story about our history. In 1220, Dordrecht was the first city to be granted city rights, making it the oldest city in Holland. And this can still be seen in many places. The fact that Dordrecht was an important trading centre is due to its strategic location between three rivers: the Lower Merwede, the North and the Old Maas.
On the InDordrecht.nl website, you can download a travel guide with a monument route. Even when walking in the city, handy signposts will easily navigate you to all the highlights such as De Grote Kerk, Regentenhof, ‘t Zeepaert and the City Hall. Everything is within easy walking distance of each other. Download the free guide here.
Pictured: second-hand shopping at the Salvation Army's RESHARE store (Voorstraat) and a view of the main church.
Dordrecht on a beautiful spring or summer day
Besides a historic city centre, Dordrecht also has beautiful nature in its backyard! On the edge of the city lies National Park de Biesbosch. This is the largest freshwater wetland in Europe. You can enjoy boating, hiking, cycling and unwind there.
Strolling through Dordrecht
As we strolled through Dordrecht, I genuinely wondered why tourists are so keen on visiting Amsterdam. There are so many cities in the Netherlands, including Dordrecht, that have at least as many beautiful monuments with just as much cosiness (but a lot less crowded). You don't have to visit a museum here, just like on Amsterdam's canals. You just find the monuments on the street, you walk straight into a painting! And it is precisely in these old streets that you will find the best shops (lots of second-hand and curiosities!) and the nicest coffeeshops and cafés. Have you planned a visit to Dordrecht? Then bookmark this page so you can easily find these streets. Fun streets are: Voorstraat-West, Vleeshouwerstraat, Groenmarkt, Wijnstraat, Vriesestraat, Nieuwstraat, Voorstraat-Noord and the harbour.
Want to learn more about history? Then visit the Dordrecht Museum or Court of the Netherlands.
Restaurants and cafés in Dordrecht
You're going to find plenty of great hotspots in the aforementioned streets. We ourselves went for lunch at restaurant The Warehouse (very pretty!) and for drinks we discovered the cute Stadscafé Rijke & zn (Voorstraat) with a great view. But is much, much more. From followers and people on the street, we have been tipped more great addresses, such as lunch and noshing at Bluebirds in the Backyard, have breakfast or lunch at Coffeelicious Bakery, drinks and/or food at Restaurant Post, lunchroom Sisters is, in its own words, the first vegetarian and organic lunchroom in the Netherlands, Rebel Rebel is a hip vegan bar and restaurant that is definitely worth checking out. Want to sip coffee with something sweet? Then check out bread shop Nobels or bakery Together agree.
Restaurant Het Magazijn and city café Rijke & zn in Dordrecht.
For the bucket list: sustainable sleeping in an old water tower at Villa Augustus
The outing had a golden edge in that we stayed in the famous old water tower: Villa Augustus. This special hotel had been high on my bucket list for years and now we finally went to sleep there! Not only the beautiful rooms, but also the restaurant with its own vegetable garden is a must-see when visiting Dordrecht. If you don't have the opportunity to spend the night here, have a drink or dinner in the restaurant to soak up the magical atmosphere. Don't forget to book in time, it can get very busy! You can read more about Villa Augustus in this article.
A definite tip is Villa Augustus, both to stay the night and to eat!
Villa Augustus' restaurant with vegetable garden.
24 hours in Dordrecht & Kinderdijk
I hope these tips have given you enough inspiration to spend a day (or night) in Dordrecht and visit Kinderdijk. It really is a perfect getaway, also very suitable with children. Do you have another fun Dordrecht or Kinderdijk tip? Please let us know! You can find contact and follow buttons at the bottom of this page. We would love to hear from you!
More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Also see:Â Nature experience in a wrap house at Stayokay Dordrecht
- Also see: City trip Breda: seeing and doing in this sustainable city.
- Also see: The Efteling: an enduring fairytale.
- Also see: Weekend in The Hague: the best tips with a green edge.
- Also see: Why voting with Provincial Councils and Water Boards is more important than ever.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
