Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Delft
Peaceful as a Vermeer painting and as lovely as its porcelain, Delft
has a special soul. Enjoy this typically Dutch, “I could live here”
town best by simply wandering
around, watching people, munch-
ing local syrup waff les, or day-
dreaming on the canal bridges. If
you're eager for some sightseeing,
visit a pair of churches, learn more
about favorite son Vermeer, or
tour the famous porcelain factory.
Think of Delft as an alter-
ative to Haarlem: a low-key, mid-
sized city with fast and easy connections to a big metropolis (The
Hague). And, laced with tranquil and picturesque canals, Delft
might even win the cuteness contest.
OrIENTaTION
(area code: 015)
Delft feels much smaller than its population of 95,000. (Because
they're squeezed between the two giant cities of Rotterdam and
The Hague, locals describe Delft as a “small town.”) Almost every-
thing of interest (except the porcelain factory) clusters within the
former walls of the canal-lined Old Town, across the street from
the train station. The vast Market Square (Markt), with the tall
and skinny spire of the New Church, marks the center of the Old
Town. A couple of blocks to the southeast is the lively, restaurant-
lined Beestenmarkt (“Beast Market”). You could walk from one
end of the Old Town to the other in about 15 minutes.
Tourist Information
This TI is a tourist's dream. Pick up the good free brochure on
Delft, which includes an excellent map (April-Sept Sun-Mon
10:00-16:00, Tue-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-17:00; Oct-March
Mon 11:00-16:00, Tue-Sat 10:00-16:00, Sun 11:00-15:00;
free Internet access, 2-min walk north of Market Square to
Hippolytusbuurt 4, tel. 015/215-4051, www.delft.nl).
To u r s :
The TI sells four different brochures (€2.50 each)
describing self-guided walking tours. In the summer (mid-April-
Sept), they offer a €10, two-hour walking tour of town that includes
a canal-boat trip (Sun-Fri at 11:30, Sat at 12:30, also in Oct on
weekends only).
