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City in North Brabant, Netherlands
Photo: Michielverbeek, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
's-Hertogenbosch, commonly known as Den Bosch, is a city in the south of the Netherlands and the capital of the province of North Brabant. Once a stronghold, vital in the protection of the young Dutch nation, Den Bosch has a charming and well-preserved medieval centre. Wander through the winding streets to see Saint John's Cathedral and then pick out a street terrace on the market square to relax with a chilling beer. Take a boat to see part of the unique Binnendieze, a subterranean network of canals under the city, or head to the south part of town where the ancient ramparts still mark the border of the city and the beginning of a natural reserve area. In short: what Den Bosch lacks in fame, it makes up for in charm. A place well worth visiting.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Sint Jans Kathedraal
One of the most prominent landmarks of Den Bosch. Building started in 1380, in Gothic style. The exterior of the building had been deteriorating fast due to acid rain and restoration works started in 1960. It has taken many years to restore the full church, but the works are completed and the church can be seen in all its glory. The restoration also included the interior. Of course some minor maintenance takes place constantly.
The oldest brick building in The Netherlands, built in the 13th century. It houses the Tourist Center (VVV), and in the basement, the rock cafe Plein79.
Stadhuis
The facade was built in the 17th century and reflects Dutch classicism. The cellars are from about 1200, with a restaurant for coffee, tea, lunch, etc.
NoordBrabants Museum
It houses a collection of art and historical artifacts, from pre-Roman times to the 20th century. Special exhibitions are a must to see, the 'Hyeronimus Bosch Exhibition' with his original work from museums all over the world.
Stedelijk Museum 's-Hertogenbosch (SMS)
A museum for modern art. Together they form one of the biggest museums of the Netherlands. The ground floor can be visited freely, and it's up to you to decide to see more.
It displays all the works of the famous painter. All in live sized copies. Combined with 3D models of his monsters and objects. Because the paintings are copies, you can get very close to them and the guide will open or close the panels to get the full picture. Visitors, young and old, can enjoy this permanent exhibition.
This fortress was added to the city later and is not directly included in the fortifications but sort of pasted on. It held the garrison to protect the city or, if necessary, to counter an uprising in the city. It is now part of the national archive.
powder arsenal
It is a hexagonal building and one of the last of its kind. It is used as a museum for art.
Turkish
Cosy place in a 14th-century building, once a small cheese factory. Today it's a restaurant serving simple, good value for money food. It's also a popular place for lunch and High Tea. They have lunch breads, pasta dishes and other mains. In the evening you can have the dish of the day.
Popular with locals, this place gets good reviews and is often crowded. Mains start around €23 and there's several vegetarian options too. The staff is friendly; ask them for the English menu.
This popular and informal place serves a range of small "wappaz", an internation take on tapas, available in small and large portions. The menu also has some excellent grill dishes, lots of cocktails and tasty desserts. Sharing is encouraged.
Sense has a number of small, high quality dishes on the menu; the idea is that you order them more or less in a random order, as you like. Count on 4 dishes for an average eater. If you're not very picky, the surprise menu is a good option.
Proper French cuisine in a historic house. This place also has some excellent wines on the menu.
This bakery is particularly well-known for its Bossche bollen and caters to many of the cafés in town. They also have a lunchroom of their own.
One of the most popular places in Den Bosch, it has 3 areas: Pub, Apres Ski and Club with different music and appearance. Can't miss it on Friday and Saturday as there will be a line outside.
formerly known as the Cuba Libre, it turns into a nightlife scene after 23:00. On busy nights hard to get in.
Place to attracts a crowd of mainly 25+. Is sometimes open slightly longer than the other places.
Next to Cinq, same attendance.
It's in the city center, and is one of the best hotels to visit the city if you are willing to pay a little more.
Moevenpick
This 4-star hotel offers clean, cosy rooms with good showers and 100% organic, fair trade linen. There's a spacious (no-swimming suit) sauna and infra-red room and the hotel restaurant offers a diverse menu with healthy and vegetarian options. This hotel is located in a business area but lies next to a small lake, which gives it its charm. It's about a 20-minute walk from the city centre and easily accessible by car. The large parking has electric car charging options. Bicycle rent is also available and there's a bus stop 200 meters away, with connections to the city centre.
/ in the city center
Cheap hotel located in the northern suburb 'Maasport' and adjacent industrial area
Located outside the city center along the A2 highway
Large hotel located in the town of Vught, about 10 minutes by bus to 's-Hertogenbosch.
By train
Den Bosch has a good location within the railway system of the "Nederlandse Spoorwegen" (Dutch Railroads) and almost every city has a direct connection or with a single stopover.
By car
Den Bosch is accessible via the A2 highway, which was improved in 2016, alleviating the previously chronic traffic jams.
By bus
The regional buses, operated by the BBA, link Den Bosch with Tilburg and Eindhoven. As these are the regional buses, they do not go directly between these city but stop at several small villages.
By bus
There is a free electric citybus that can take you from the central railroad station to the city centre and back.
By car
The city council is trying to get the city center car free, so it is bringing up all kind of measures to deter people from taking the car into the city.
By bike
The best means of transportation is, just as in the rest of the Netherlands, by bicycle. The city is rather flat and bike friendly
Taxi
While taxis are relatively expensive in the Netherlands, they are typically reliable and can be good value if you're a small group.
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Eindhoven · International · EIN
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