Delft was the first capital of the Netherlands and continues to be the country’s cutest old-world city. Spend a day immersed in this history, with a local guide gaining you access to buildings closed to the public.
Admire the gothic 15th-century New Church then descend into its crypt, where all the Dutch monarchs are buried. Explore the City Hall, a Renaissance masterpiece from the 17th century. Climb into the escape hatch once used by Willem of Orange to escape Spanish soldiers, in the year he founded the Netherlands. All these places are not usually open to visitors.
Wander past the canals to find the Old Church, where your guide narrates tales of the pirates buried beneath a 14th-century floor of skulls and crossbones. Then cycle to the only remaining Delft Blue pottery factory, where an artisan will guide you in a private pottery painting workshop.
In between these highlights there is a city that goes about its day to day life. Cafes, bars, stores, canals, bicycles and the delights of old Holland.
