Europe / The Netherlands
Places to go. A little room to wander.
THE SHORTLIST
Burgwal 20, 2611 GJ Delft
The Roman Catholic Maria van Jesse church was built between 1875 and 1882, then named St Joseph's church. The building was designed in the style of the Gothic revival by the architect Everard Margry, one of the first and most productive students of Dr. Pierre Cuypers. Since 1982 this church is a national heritage site, not least because of its original interior.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Delft
This is a tree-covered square with restaurants, cafés and bars all with outside seating. Very busy all year round. Many pubs have patio heaters to provide comfort after sunset. One of the pubs even provides a sand pit for the children. The name of the square refers to cattle (beest is animal) market which used to be held here. During December and January, an ice rink is built on the square.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Markt 80
Located at Markt, this church was built in 1496. The royal burial chamber is in this church but is not accessible. Prince William of Orange was the first to be buried here, after being shot in 1584. It is possible to climb the 108.75-m tower to get an impressive view of Delft and surroundings. It's the second highest church tower, after the Dom church of Utrecht. You can see both Rotterdam and The Hague. On clear days is it possible to see Leiden and even Amsterdam. It's well worth the effort.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Heilige Geestkerkhof 25
This is Delft's oldest church, built in 1246. The interior of this church is excellent. Famous Dutchmen are buried in this church, including: Piet Hein, Maerten Tromp and Johannes Vermeer. The Old Church leans out considerably over the Oude Delft canal. When the tower was built the canal had to be moved away from the church as the tower would have been half in the water. During the building works it became apparent that canal-half of the base soil was not firm enough to support the tower.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Delft
This small park was built around 1880 by a local factory owner for his workers. It is the first garden city in the Netherlands. It contains the house of the owner and small working-class cottages and has been a state monument since 1989.
Allow about 60 minutes · planning estimate
A note before you go. Start with Maria van Jessekerk, then decide whether Beestenmarkt deserves a separate visit rather than rushing both. The suggested days are an editable grouping, not a timed tour. Visit allowances exclude transfers, meals and queues; confirm the exact entrance and current visiting arrangements for Agnetapark before setting off.
Reference material retrieved 2026-10-19. Suggested days and time allowances are editorial starting points. Check the linked visitor information for opening hours, access, and reservations.
BEFORE YOU SET OFF
There are two frequent tram routes that run north of the city center, although there are several suburban/regional bus routes operated by EBS as well. These are better suited to travelling between towns not directly connected by rail. Inside the Delft canal streets, most locals will mount the pavement shortly to let cars past on the canals where possible. This is just courteous because the next time when you are driving the car you hope to be let through as well. At the train station in Delft you can rent bicycles.
Maria van Jessekerk and Beestenmarkt are about 0.1 km apart in a straight line. Use the route link to compare the actual streets or transport connections before putting both in the same morning; the measurement is not a walking distance or a transfer estimate.
A LITTLE STRUCTURE. ROOM FOR DISCOVERY.
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Geographic reference: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0.
This city guide includes selected, abridged material by Wikivoyage contributors, adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. The adapted guide text is available under the same license; photographs and website design retain their separate terms. Selected and abridged reference descriptions; operational prices and timetables omitted. Elsewhere added the shortlist, geographic grouping and planning notes.
Reference material retrieved 2026-10-19. It is community-edited background, not firsthand reporting or a live opening-hours service.
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