Grave

Grave, pronounced GRAH-vah, is a small city in the Netherlands, located along the river Meuse.

Understand
Grave, being a fortified city on the southern side of the river Meuse, has been the subject of many sieges. These sieges happened during the Eighty Years' War, when the city fell in 1586 and became a subject of Spain. The city then was sieged again, though this time by the Dutch in 1602, which ended up in a Dutch victory. Both in 1672 and 1674 the city was under siege, first resulting in French, and then in Dutch victories, only for the French to retake the city in 1794.

The city, having been around for a good eight hundred years, is filled with Rijksmonumenten (National monuments), roughly 43 per square kilometer (the city is about 3 square kilometer big).



From Utrecht
First, head to Nieuwegein via either the A2/E25 or A27/E311. At Knooppunt Everdingen, where both highways meet, turn onto the A2 if you're not on it yet, heading for 's Hertogenbosch. Having reached 's Hertogenbosch, turn onto the A59 at the second interchange that allows you to do so (Knooppunt Hintham), heading for nearby Oss. Use exit 53 (Oss Oost) and turn onto the N324. Grave should be signposted from here on out, but reaching the city is as simple as following the N324 for a dozen of kilometers.

From Venlo
From Venlo, first turn onto the A73, heading for Nijmegen. Use exit 4 (Cuijk), and turn onto the N321, driving away from the city. The last nine kilometers to Grave are straightforward, following the N321 until it terminates in Grave. These last kilometers are signposted.

By public transit
Grave does not have a connection to the outside world via rail, but the city is connected via bus, connecting to Nijmegen (9), 's Hertogenbosch/Den Bosch (90), Gennep (92), Uden (99) and Boxmeer (238). Out of this lot Nijmegen is the easiest when visiting Grave via rail, as the city is the closest from this lot. If you're on the line between 's Hertogenbosch and Nijmegen, then either use bus line 90 or the train to Nijmegen to get to Grave. In the latter case, however, get of the train at Wijchen, and then take bus line 99 heading for Uden. This line crosses through Grave.

See

 * The old city
 * The old city

Buy
Grave has a fair assortment of stored located within the old city walls, most of which can be found in the Hoofschestraat, Hofwagt and Rogstraat.

Sleep
More hotels, as well as campsites, can be found in nearby Wijchen, Oss or Cuijk.

Go next

 * Wijchen
 * Nijmegen lays claim to being the oldest city in the country, and this lively university city has the heritage to back it up.