Located 30 minutes from Amsterdam, this Dutch media capital houses major TV and radio networks amid Art Nouveau buildings and green spaces of the Gooi region.
Hilversum, a city of 90,000 residents in North Holland, is the broadcasting center of the Netherlands. At its heart, you'll find the modernist Town Hall with its distinctive yellow brick walls, while the 96-meter tower of St. Vitus Church rises above the city center. The Media Park complex houses major Dutch television networks, and the surrounding area includes cycling paths through forests and heathlands of the Goois Natuurreservaat.
Getting Around Hilversum
You can reach Hilversum through its three railway stations, connecting to Amsterdam, Utrecht, and other major Dutch cities. Trains depart every 15 minutes between 5:00 and 1:00, with the trip to Amsterdam's center taking 30 minutes. Inside Hilversum, you can use the extensive network of bicycle paths or take buses that connect all major districts.
The Media Capital
The Media Park in northern Hilversum is home to the Netherlands Public Broadcasting system and multiple television studios. At the Institute for Sound and Vision, you can explore Dutch broadcasting history through interactive exhibits in a striking building covered with colored glass panels. The institute maintains an extensive media archive open to researchers.
Dudok's Architectural Legacy
The Raadhuis (Town Hall), built in 1931, showcases yellow brick walls and bold geometric shapes characteristic of Dutch modernism. Architect Willem Dudok designed many of Hilversum's neighborhoods, creating streets and buildings that integrate with parks and green spaces. The Zonnestraal complex, originally a tuberculosis sanatorium from the 1920s, has been restored to its original design with clean lines and large windows typical of early modernist style.
Natural Surroundings
When you visit the Goois Natuurreservaat around Hilversum, you can walk or cycle through several distinct landscapes. The heather at Hoorneboegse Heide blooms purple in August and September. In the Corversbos, west of the center, paths lead through groves of oak and beech trees, some over 100 years old. You can rent bikes at the central station's bicycle shop.
Museums and Culture
At Museum Hilversum, located in an 1880s renaissance-style building, you can learn about the city's transformation from a textile manufacturing center to a media hub. The Pinetum Blijdenstein botanical garden contains a scientific collection of conifers and rare plants. Its greenhouse holds tropical plant species that thrive even during Dutch winters.
Modern City Life
The Hilvertshof shopping center and surrounding streets form the main shopping area, with international retail chains and local businesses. Along Leeuwenstraat, you'll find vintage shops and cafes in 19th-century buildings. Each June, the Hilversum Alive festival brings music performances to multiple venues on Groest street during a three-day celebration.
