Breda, a city of 175,000 in the southern Netherlands, is a small, quiet city with an impressively prominent place in Dutch history. A fiefdom of the Holy Roman Emperor in the 11th century, it later served as a residence city for the Dutch royal family, and has brimmed with palaces and other spectacular architecture in the course of its illustrious history; some of this architecture - like the Grote or Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (below) - survives to the present day.
Breda is ideal for tourists who want to delve deeper into the country's past with a trip to a historically prominent city that is all too frequently overlooked.
How to Reach Breda:
Travelers from Amsterdam Central Station must transfer in Den Bosch, or in Utrecht and Den Bosch; travel time is between 90 minutes and one hour, 45 minutes. See the Dutch Railways' Journey Planner for timetables and fare information.
Visitor Attractions in Breda:
In part because of its historical status as a residence city for the Dutch royal house, which cemented its social and political importance, Breda has been an incubator for fine architecture.
The city contains the oldest begijnhof, or béguinage, in the Netherlands; these were the abodes of the Beguines, members of a lay sisterhood who devoted their lives to worship and charitable deeds without the strict demands of nunnery life. The walled complex consists of two courtyards with 29 houses, a church and other facilities that were constructed over time, from the 16th to 20th centuries.
Another, more recent begijnhof exists in Amsterdam.
Breda has another unique attraction in the form of Kasteel Breda (Kasteelplein 10), a castle set smack in the middle of the city. While the castle is now used by the Royal Military Academy, the Breda tourist office offers a special two-hour tour that allows visitors inside the castle interior. At the same address, the Koningin Wilhelmina Paviljoen houses a permanent exhibit on the history of this splendid castle. In the south of Breda is another impressive castle, the beautifully landscaped Castle Bouvigne (Bouvignelaan 5), which has set hours for public visits.
Other notable architecture in Breda includes the former city hall on the Grote Markt, which took its current, lavish form in the mid-18th century, and several monumental churches; chief of these is the 15th-century Grote or Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Great Church or Our Dear Lady Church; Kerkplein 2) on the Grote Markt, one of the Top 100 Dutch UNESCO Monuments, and popularly considered the most important monument in Breda.
The city's two chief museums are Breda's Museum and MOTI, the Museum of the Image. As the name implies, Breda's Museum (Chassépark Breda, Parade 12) chronicles the artistic and cultural history of the city and environs; while it's headquartered in a century-old barracks in a new part of town (the barracks is also the site of the children's branch of the museum), its three branches in the historic center are of equal importance to the museum and its collection. These comprise Breda's Begijnhof Museum, which affords visitors an intimate look at devotee life; the Museum Buitenpost Holland Casino, a 16th-century cloister that also did duty as a barracks; and the Kerkschat, a church treasury full of ecclesiastical art and artifacts. MOTI (Boschstraat 22) is focused as much on the future as on the past of visual culture that pervades the contemporary world, and showcases a multimedia variety of visual arts from the Netherlands and other countries.
In addition, Breda has a fair selection of museums of mostly specialist and local interest, which are attractive to visitors only insofar as their specific interests are concerned. Beer lovers and fans of the commercial art of yore should take a peek into the Bierreclame Museum (Beer Advertisement Museum; Haagweg 375), a treasure trove of beer ads and promotional items from the 1900s to the 1960s, chiefly from Western Europe; the artifacts are set amid a bar outfitted with antique pub furniture and equipment where visitors can choose from several dozen beer brands. (Note however the limited business hours: Sundays only, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) The Miniaturen- en Poppenhuismuseum (Miniature and Dollhouse Museum; Catharinastraat 23) explores the "world of XXS", as it proclaims, where, despite their miniature proportions, entire houses are recreated in meticulous detail. One of the museum's dearest treasures is the dollhouse of Marjan Drukker, the "Anne Frank of Alkmaar", who died in Auschwitz at only 15. A couple of specialist WWII history museums should please military history enthusiasts: the Generaal Maczek Museum (De La Reyweg 95; open every second and fourth Sunday of the month) honors the role of Polish troops in the liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation, while the Oorlog en Vrede Museum (War and Peace Museum; Ginnekenweb 76; open every first Sunday of the month and by appointment) has assembled a collection of chiefly visitor-contributed newspapers, books and other media from the years 1933 to 1945. The two heemkundemusea ("home economics" museums), Heemkundig Museum Paulus van Daesdonck (Pennendijk 1; open Wednesdays and every first Sunday of the month) and Museum de Rijf (Vijverstraat 3; open every first Sunday of the month) offer a window into daily life in the early 20th century, and have a distinctively homespun charm.
Restaurants & Cafes in Breda:
Breda is full of innovative, international restaurants for all palates and price classes.
Accommodations in Breda:
Visitors who want more time to explore Breda and the province of Noord-Brabant can compare hotels at Kayak.com.
Breda Tourist Information Center:
Breda's tourist information center, VVV Breda, has two locations in town:
VVV Willemstraat
Willemstraat 17-19
Open Mon 1 - 5.30 p.m., Tues - Fri 9.30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sat 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
VVV Grote Markt
Grote Markt 38
Open Wed - Fri 10.30 a.m. - 5.30 p.m., Sat 10.30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Breda is ideal for tourists who want to delve deeper into the country's past with a trip to a historically prominent city that is all too frequently overlooked.
How to Reach Breda:
Travelers from Amsterdam Central Station must transfer in Den Bosch, or in Utrecht and Den Bosch; travel time is between 90 minutes and one hour, 45 minutes. See the Dutch Railways' Journey Planner for timetables and fare information.
Visitor Attractions in Breda:
In part because of its historical status as a residence city for the Dutch royal house, which cemented its social and political importance, Breda has been an incubator for fine architecture.
The city contains the oldest begijnhof, or béguinage, in the Netherlands; these were the abodes of the Beguines, members of a lay sisterhood who devoted their lives to worship and charitable deeds without the strict demands of nunnery life. The walled complex consists of two courtyards with 29 houses, a church and other facilities that were constructed over time, from the 16th to 20th centuries.
Another, more recent begijnhof exists in Amsterdam.
Breda has another unique attraction in the form of Kasteel Breda (Kasteelplein 10), a castle set smack in the middle of the city. While the castle is now used by the Royal Military Academy, the Breda tourist office offers a special two-hour tour that allows visitors inside the castle interior. At the same address, the Koningin Wilhelmina Paviljoen houses a permanent exhibit on the history of this splendid castle. In the south of Breda is another impressive castle, the beautifully landscaped Castle Bouvigne (Bouvignelaan 5), which has set hours for public visits.
Other notable architecture in Breda includes the former city hall on the Grote Markt, which took its current, lavish form in the mid-18th century, and several monumental churches; chief of these is the 15th-century Grote or Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Great Church or Our Dear Lady Church; Kerkplein 2) on the Grote Markt, one of the Top 100 Dutch UNESCO Monuments, and popularly considered the most important monument in Breda.
The city's two chief museums are Breda's Museum and MOTI, the Museum of the Image. As the name implies, Breda's Museum (Chassépark Breda, Parade 12) chronicles the artistic and cultural history of the city and environs; while it's headquartered in a century-old barracks in a new part of town (the barracks is also the site of the children's branch of the museum), its three branches in the historic center are of equal importance to the museum and its collection. These comprise Breda's Begijnhof Museum, which affords visitors an intimate look at devotee life; the Museum Buitenpost Holland Casino, a 16th-century cloister that also did duty as a barracks; and the Kerkschat, a church treasury full of ecclesiastical art and artifacts. MOTI (Boschstraat 22) is focused as much on the future as on the past of visual culture that pervades the contemporary world, and showcases a multimedia variety of visual arts from the Netherlands and other countries.
In addition, Breda has a fair selection of museums of mostly specialist and local interest, which are attractive to visitors only insofar as their specific interests are concerned. Beer lovers and fans of the commercial art of yore should take a peek into the Bierreclame Museum (Beer Advertisement Museum; Haagweg 375), a treasure trove of beer ads and promotional items from the 1900s to the 1960s, chiefly from Western Europe; the artifacts are set amid a bar outfitted with antique pub furniture and equipment where visitors can choose from several dozen beer brands. (Note however the limited business hours: Sundays only, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) The Miniaturen- en Poppenhuismuseum (Miniature and Dollhouse Museum; Catharinastraat 23) explores the "world of XXS", as it proclaims, where, despite their miniature proportions, entire houses are recreated in meticulous detail. One of the museum's dearest treasures is the dollhouse of Marjan Drukker, the "Anne Frank of Alkmaar", who died in Auschwitz at only 15. A couple of specialist WWII history museums should please military history enthusiasts: the Generaal Maczek Museum (De La Reyweg 95; open every second and fourth Sunday of the month) honors the role of Polish troops in the liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation, while the Oorlog en Vrede Museum (War and Peace Museum; Ginnekenweb 76; open every first Sunday of the month and by appointment) has assembled a collection of chiefly visitor-contributed newspapers, books and other media from the years 1933 to 1945. The two heemkundemusea ("home economics" museums), Heemkundig Museum Paulus van Daesdonck (Pennendijk 1; open Wednesdays and every first Sunday of the month) and Museum de Rijf (Vijverstraat 3; open every first Sunday of the month) offer a window into daily life in the early 20th century, and have a distinctively homespun charm.
Restaurants & Cafes in Breda:
Breda is full of innovative, international restaurants for all palates and price classes.
- Lades(Oude Vest 19) - The warmly decorated, romantically lit restaurant Lades creates an inimitable atmosphere in which to sample its Turkish specialties. The menu is populated with classic dishes from kebabs to pide and beloved Turkish sweets like baklava. There's also a broad lunch menu with Turkish fare, such as börek (filled phyllo pastries) and mezze.
- Claerenbeek(Ginnekenweg 230) - Claerenbeek takes a broad interpretation of Spanish tapas with their international menu of small dishes meant to be shared with tablemates. Even so, a pan-Mediterranean flavor profile dominates their diverse menu. Reservations recommended.
- Wolfslaar(Wolfslaardreef 100-102) - Located in an exquisite country house on the southern border of Breda, the Michelin-starred restaurant marries its spectacular premises with equally spectacular seasonal fare that's local, sustainable, and responsibly produced.
Accommodations in Breda:
Visitors who want more time to explore Breda and the province of Noord-Brabant can compare hotels at Kayak.com.
Breda Tourist Information Center:
Breda's tourist information center, VVV Breda, has two locations in town:
VVV Willemstraat
Willemstraat 17-19
Open Mon 1 - 5.30 p.m., Tues - Fri 9.30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sat 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
VVV Grote Markt
Grote Markt 38
Open Wed - Fri 10.30 a.m. - 5.30 p.m., Sat 10.30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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