This historic Dutch town on the IJsselmeer coast has a 700-year-old Grote Kerk church, preserved city walls from medieval times, and a 16th-century town hall.
Located on the shores of the IJsselmeer, Harderwijk draws visitors to its 13th-century Vischpoort gate, medieval city walls, and the Dolfinarium marine park. You can walk through streets lined with hundred-year-old mansions, watch dolphin shows, or join the summer Aaltjesdag festival where locals celebrate the town's fishing history with music, food, and street performances.
Getting Around Harderwijk
The train station connects Harderwijk to major Dutch cities, with regular services to Amsterdam (via Amersfoort) taking just over an hour. From the station, you can walk to the city center in 15 minutes, or take local buses operated by Syntus and Connexxion. The compact nature of the old town makes walking the most practical way to explore.
The Dolfinarium Marine Park
At Europe's largest marine mammal park, you can watch dolphin shows scheduled throughout the day from 10:00 to 17:00. The park focuses on marine education, with daily presentations about sea lions, walruses, and harbor porpoises. Children can join interactive sessions to learn about marine conservation and animal care. The park closes during winter months, from November to February.
Walking the Medieval Streets
Within the city center, you'll find 97 national monuments along narrow cobblestone streets. Inside the Grote Kerk, a three-aisled basilica from the 14th century, look up to see 16th-century murals on the ceiling. The former St. Catherine's monastery houses a Gothic chapel from 1502, and you can spot architectural details on the 17th and 18th-century merchant houses along Donkerstraat and Hoogstraat.
The Old Harbor Quarter
Enter the harbor area through the Vischpoort (Fish Gate), where sections of the original city wall still stand. The fish market runs every Wednesday morning, selling fresh catches from the IJsselmeer. During the annual Aaltjesdag (Eel Day) in June, food stalls line the streets selling local specialties like smoked eel, while musicians perform sea shanties and folk songs.
Day Trips from Harderwijk
Drive 30 minutes to reach the National Park De Hoge Veluwe, where marked hiking trails range from 3 to 40 kilometers. Morning and dusk are the best times to spot red deer and wild boars. In Lelystad, 20 minutes away by car, visit the Batavialand shipyard to see craftspeople building a full-scale replica of a 17th-century Dutch East India Company ship. At the nearby Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve, wild horses roam freely across 56 square kilometers of wetlands and grasslands.
