Dordrecht

Dordrecht is a historic city in South Holland, Netherlands that was, at the end of the Middle Ages, one of the six important trade cities of the County of Holland. Its centre still shows off the rich history of the city.

Understand
Dordrecht is a really old city that grew wealthy on its position at a river confluence with important commercial, military and private boat building. It held significant regional and international importance, hosting the 'Synod of Dordrecht' and other important religious meetings.

Thankfully, it escaped much of the widespread destruction of the Second World War. Consequently, it is brimming with interesting old architecture and displays an old-time sense of wealth that belies the peaceful and laid-back character of its modern-day economic relaxation. The locals are educated and generally proud of their city, which is the sort of place to wander around and explore leisurely, rather than rushing in and out.



By boat
There is a fast ferry (waterbus) from Rotterdam, which is part of the public transport system and costs the same as the train.

By car
Two important highways go to and through Dordrecht. A16 from Rotterdam to Belgium border and N3 from Papendrecht to the A16 in Dordrecht.

Get around
While the city is small enough to walk around, if you are in a hurry or have a lot of bags, consider the frequent buses which serve the city and nearby areas. Also, bicycles can be rented from a bike shop next to the train station ( deposit).

Qbuzz has timetables and maps of buses in the region.

See
There are nearly 900 listed buildings in the city. There are also a few other museums about town, plus some interesting shops, parks, an old windmill, and a few boat harbours (havens in Dutch). There's a huge supply of ancient architecture which you will see everywhere with years and Dutch language explanations. (If interested in specifics, get a local to translate for you.)

Do
You can walk through the city centre and you can cycle in the nature park Hollandse Biesbos or even as far as Kinderdijk.

There are also many sports clubs and soccer fields you can visit. Dordrecht is a green city that has many parks and recreation areas in the suburbs.

Buy
Shopping in the centre of Dordrecht is centred around the Voorstraat, the Sarisgang and the Statenplein (Staten Square). The Voorstraat is long, making it the longest shopping street in the Netherlands. Markets are held every Friday and Saturday on the Statenplein and in the Sarisgang and on Tuesday in the Dubbeldam quarter.

Eat
You can find a lot of foreign food, albeit with varying levels of authenticity, spread about the town: Chinese, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese, at least.
 * Many nice restaurants are around the Statenplein and outdoor tables abound in good weather.
 * Scheffersplein off Wijnstraat (Wine Street) is also ringed with many restaurants and outdoor tables.



Drink
Other than a range of restaurants serving alcohol, and a few other bars apparently chiefly peopled by older local alcoholics, nightlife seems to be mainly centered around the Scheffersplein bridge/square.



In town
There is a relative shortage of hotels in the city. Judging from old maps of the town, there used to be more, but they have faded with the regional economy.

There are no real budget options in Dordrecht proper. There are two bed and breakfasts near the central bridge over the harbour behind the big church that is potentially cheaper than the hotels. One reported budget option, unconfirmed, is a Luthier's shop around the corner to the southeast of the Bellevue Hotel.



Go next

 * The historical and picturesque city of Gorinchem is nearby. See the intact bastions.
 * Dordrecht is also within cycling distance of the Kinderdijk. Route maps are available at the VVV visitor information bureau.