Breda

Netherlands

Breda is a city in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It has a long history as a military stronghold and army base. Still today, important parts of the Dutch military still reside here. The military character is still at the heart of town, as the national Dutch Military Academy resides in the historic Castle of Breda, right in the centre of the old town.

The VVV has 2 offices in town. The primary one is across the train station, but there's a smaller office with more limited opening hours on the Grote Markt.

  • Tourist Information Office (VVV), Willemstraat 17-19, +31 900-522 24 44. 10AM-5PM, except Mondays (opens 1PM), Saturdays (closes 2:30PM) and Sundays (closed).
  • Tourist Information Office (VVV), Grote Markt 38, +31 900-522 24 44. only Wed-Sat, 10:30AM-5:30PM (5PM on Sat).

In summer, outdoor café terraces on the Grote Markt quickly fill up.

Tourist Information Office (VVV), Willemstraat 17-19, +31 900-522 24 44. 10AM-5PM, except Mondays (opens 1PM), Saturdays (closes 2:30PM) and Sundays (closed).

Tourist Information Office (VVV), Grote Markt 38, +31 900-522 24 44. only Wed-Sat, 10:30AM-5:30PM (5PM on Sat).

Grote Kerk seen from the Grote Markt

  • Grote Kerk. Built in the Brabantine Gothic style in the 15th and 16th centuries, the church dedicated to Our Lady (as Virgin Mary is most often referred to in the Netherlands) boasts a tower of almost 100 metres and one of the largest organs in the country. Inside you will find in. al. the Prinsenkapel, where members of the Orange-Nassau family had been buried until the city of Breda fell to the Spanish.

Oude Stadhuis

  • Old city hall. Compared to the large church, the city hall standing at its back in a wall of buildings lining up the elongated Grote Markt is inassuming at best. Apart from being a neat example of Dutch 18th century architecture, quite ascetic compared to the raging rococo found in many other countries at that time. The building is now a historic monument and home to several works of art as well as tourist information, but the actual municipal facilities have been moved to a modern building on Claudius Prinsenlaan.

Castle of Breda

  • Castle of Breda. The castle originates in the 14th century and was substantially renewed in Renaissance style around 1540. Unfortunately, the castle is not available for visitors as it is home to the Military Academy since 1826, but of course it can still be admired from the outside.

The Begijnhof is a peaceful place, much like it was 100 years ago.

  • Begijnhof, Entrance is at the Catharinastraat. Daily 9AM-6PM. Even though it lies right in the middle of the bustling city centre, much of the historic peace and tranquillity remains in this former Béguinage. Today, although no beguines remain, the small houses around the charming courtyard are still inhabited by single ladies. There's a herb garden and a small museum at nr. 29, which is a side branch of the much larger Breda's Museum. €1 for the museum.

Interior of the Cathedral of Breda

  • Sint-Antoniuskathedraal. Nestled in a side street (incidentally named after Saint John), the cathedral church of the long-standing diocese of Breda is much less imposing than the Grote Kerk, but quite unique in that it is a 19th-century creation built in neoclassical style, both inside and out, which is a relative rarity as far as cathedrals go, especially in the Netherlands.

Koepelgevangenis seen from the Nassausingel

  • Koepelgevangenis, Nassausingel 26. A panopticon-style prison, whose name refers to the cupola topping the round building with prison cells stacked in rounds on the outside walls around a large covered courtyard. It is this prison that held the "Breda four" - the only German prisoners of war that served their sentences after the Second World War in the Netherlands for war crimes committed. The prison building complex is no longer in use and a national monument, but generally is not open for sightseeing.

Breda Museum in the winter

The city has a number of museums worth noting. Generaal Maczek Museum

  • Generaal Maczek Museum, De la Reijweg 95, Breda, +31 76 527 40 89. This museum is dedicated to the 1st Polish Armoured Division, which under the leadership of General Stanislaw Maczek liberated important areas of the Netherlands in 1944 and 1945. (Military area; identification is required.)

MOTI

  • Stedelijk Museum Breda, Boschstraat 22, Breda, +31 76 529 99 00. Tue-Sun 10AM-17PM. Wrong language! Museum Breda is het museum voor erfgoed en geschiedenis van de stad Breda en voor actuele beeldcultuur. Het museum komt voort uit Breda’s Museum en MOTI, Museum of the Image.
    De geschiedenis van Stedelijk Museum Breda gaat terug tot 1903, toen het eerste gemeentelijke museum werd opgericht. Sinds die tijd is een rijke en gevarieerde collectie opgebouwd, gericht op ontwikkelingen in en om de stad. Daarbij hebben zich deelcollecties gevormd over thema´s als religie, het leger en de industrie. Het museum heeft ook een omvangrijke beeldende kunstcollectie en verzamelingen van grafische vormgeving en digitale beeldcultuur. € 12,00: volwassene € 6,00: kinderen 13 t/m 17 jaar € 5,00: CJP / CKV pashouders / Studentenkaart € 5,00: scholieren en studenten in groepsverband.
  • Museum Oorlog & Vrede, Ginnekenweg 76, Breda, +31 76 521 41 56. (War and Peace Museum)

Princenhaags Museum

Generaal Maczek Museum, De la Reijweg 95, Breda, +31 76 527 40 89. This museum is dedicated to the 1st Polish Armoured Division, which under the leadership of General Stanislaw Maczek liberated important areas of the Netherlands in 1944 and 1945. (Military area; identification is required.)

Stedelijk Museum Breda, Boschstraat 22, Breda, +31 76 529 99 00. Tue-Sun 10AM-17PM. Wrong language! Museum Breda is het museum voor erfgoed en geschiedenis van de stad Breda en voor actuele beeldcultuur. Het museum komt voort uit Breda’s Museum en MOTI, Museum of the Image.
De geschiedenis van Stedelijk Museum Breda gaat terug tot 1903, toen het eerste gemeentelijke museum werd opgericht. Sinds die tijd is een rijke en gevarieerde collectie opgebouwd, gericht op ontwikkelingen in en om de stad. Daarbij hebben zich deelcollecties gevormd over thema´s als religie, het leger en de industrie. Het museum heeft ook een omvangrijke beeldende kunstcollectie en verzamelingen van grafische vormgeving en digitale beeldcultuur. € 12,00: volwassene € 6,00: kinderen 13 t/m 17 jaar € 5,00: CJP / CKV pashouders / Studentenkaart € 5,00: scholieren en studenten in groepsverband.

Museum Oorlog & Vrede, Ginnekenweg 76, Breda, +31 76 521 41 56. (War and Peace Museum)

Stichting Princenhaags Museum, Dreef 36, Breda, +31 76 514 01 21.

Bier Reclame Museum, Haagweg 375, Breda, +31 76 522 09 75. Sun 11AM-23PM. This museum shows a permanent exhibition of mainly enamel signs (+/- 1000 pieces) and antique posters of old beer adverts. It is said to be the largest collection in The Netherlands or perhaps in Europe.

Heemkundig Museum Paulus van Daesdonck, Pennendijk 1, Ulvenhout, +31 76 561 27 42.

Grote Kerk. Built in the Brabantine Gothic style in the 15th and 16th centuries, the church dedicated to Our Lady (as Virgin Mary is most often referred to in the Netherlands) boasts a tower of almost 100 metres and one of the largest organs in the country. Inside you will find in. al. the Prinsenkapel, where members of the Orange-Nassau family had been buried until the city of Breda fell to the Spanish.

Old city hall. Compared to the large church, the city hall standing at its back in a wall of buildings lining up the elongated Grote Markt is inassuming at best. Apart from being a neat example of Dutch 18th century architecture, quite ascetic compared to the raging rococo found in many other countries at that time. The building is now a historic monument and home to several works of art as well as tourist information, but the actual municipal facilities have been moved to a modern building on Claudius Prinsenlaan.

Castle of Breda. The castle originates in the 14th century and was substantially renewed in Renaissance style around 1540. Unfortunately, the castle is not available for visitors as it is home to the Military Academy since 1826, but of course it can still be admired from the outside.

Begijnhof, Entrance is at the Catharinastraat. Daily 9AM-6PM. Even though it lies right in the middle of the bustling city centre, much of the historic peace and tranquillity remains in this former Béguinage. Today, although no beguines remain, the small houses around the charming courtyard are still inhabited by single ladies. There's a herb garden and a small museum at nr. 29, which is a side branch of the much larger Breda's Museum. €1 for the museum.

Sint-Antoniuskathedraal. Nestled in a side street (incidentally named after Saint John), the cathedral church of the long-standing diocese of Breda is much less imposing than the Grote Kerk, but quite unique in that it is a 19th-century creation built in neoclassical style, both inside and out, which is a relative rarity as far as cathedrals go, especially in the Netherlands.

Koepelgevangenis, Nassausingel 26. A panopticon-style prison, whose name refers to the cupola topping the round building with prison cells stacked in rounds on the outside walls around a large covered courtyard. It is this prison that held the "Breda four" - the only German prisoners of war that served their sentences after the Second World War in the Netherlands for war crimes committed. The prison building complex is no longer in use and a national monument, but generally is not open for sightseeing.

  • Get a guided tour through the old moats of Breda. There's plenty of stories behind the historic façades. Book ahead via the tourist office. Alternatively, they sell a Dutch language booklet called "Historische Kilometer", which (if you can understand it) allows you to walk around yourself and still read up on the historic backgrounds.
  • Visit the old neighbourhood Zandberg and Ginneken, just south of the Wilhelminastraat. It has lots of old merchants' houses and on the south end you will find the Mastbos, one of the nicest forests in the Netherlands.
  • Rent a canoe and make your own way through the Breda canals. On Saturday and Sunday you can rent one from the starting point at Spanjaardsgat without reservation. For other days, reservations are required and bookable via the tourist office or via the Beleef Breda website
  • Head out for a picnic in Park Valkenberg, a large and pleasant park halfway between the trainstation and the Grote Markts.
  • If you have a smartphone, you can enjoy walking around the city with free audio tours, published on izi.TRAVEL platform.

Breda is a well known shopping city in the Netherlands. In the old city centre you can find lots of clothing shops. You should visit the Wilhelminastraat. It is located just south of the city centre and hosts lots of exclusive shops. It has a very rich and nice atmosphere

There's a wide choice of restaurants available throughout the centre. The best places to search are around the historic market squares: the Grote Markt, the Havermarkt and the Veemarktstraat all have a number of nice establishments. Some good options are:

  • De 3 Vrienden, St. Janstraat 4, +31 76-5335880. 17-22h. Small but busy restaurant. They don't take credit cards. Rather than "starters" and "main courses", they have portions which are somewhere in between, for €8.50 each.
  • Zuyd, Ginnekenweg 35, +31 76-51 51 340. noon-2:30PM, 6PM-10PM. Closed Sun&Mon. Call ahead, as this ambitious place gets raving reviews and is regularly booked full. It offers fine dining French cuisine in a modern restaurant. The service is good too. Menu's start at €36,50, but if you're out for a splurge, try the 7 course tasting for €67.50. Mains from €26.50.
  • Smaak en Beleving, Van Voorst tot Voorststraat 44, +31 76 5718099. The food in this small place is better than you might expect from its looks, and the portions are large. The dishes are simple but fresh and very tasty. They do take away too, so expect people to come in and out for that. With 3 course menus for €24.50, this is great quality for money though.
  • Breda Bistro, Grote Markt 17, +31 76-5214306. 08.00-17.00h. A small place where you can find the real French dishes for breakfast and lunch and where everything is fresh. The service is also very kind and helpfull.
  • Het Smaakwarenhuis, Ginnekenweg 11-13, +31 76 762 01 74. Closed Sun&Mon. This place is an interesting combination of a fresh food supermarket and a small restaurant. Virtually all products are produced in or directly around the Netherlands, and many in the region. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, often with a typical Dutch twist. Dinner is a set 3, 4 or 5 course meal with only a few choices. A fun place to discover Dutch produce. Breakfast around €5, from €32.50 for 3 course dinner.
  • Restaurant Chocolat, Torenstraat 9.
  • Restaurant Huispizzeria, Grote Markt 35, +31 76 - 5143900. For the best authentic Italian style dishes. The service is very good and it's very cozy inside. They have something for everyone and every week they have a week special.
  • Restaurant Dickens & Jones, Grote Markt 40.

De 3 Vrienden, St. Janstraat 4, +31 76-5335880. 17-22h. Small but busy restaurant. They don't take credit cards. Rather than "starters" and "main courses", they have portions which are somewhere in between, for €8.50 each.

Zuyd, Ginnekenweg 35, +31 76-51 51 340. noon-2:30PM, 6PM-10PM. Closed Sun&Mon. Call ahead, as this ambitious place gets raving reviews and is regularly booked full. It offers fine dining French cuisine in a modern restaurant. The service is good too. Menu's start at €36,50, but if you're out for a splurge, try the 7 course tasting for €67.50. Mains from €26.50.

Smaak en Beleving, Van Voorst tot Voorststraat 44, +31 76 5718099. The food in this small place is better than you might expect from its looks, and the portions are large. The dishes are simple but fresh and very tasty. They do take away too, so expect people to come in and out for that. With 3 course menus for €24.50, this is great quality for money though.

Breda Bistro, Grote Markt 17, +31 76-5214306. 08.00-17.00h. A small place where you can find the real French dishes for breakfast and lunch and where everything is fresh. The service is also very kind and helpfull.

Het Smaakwarenhuis, Ginnekenweg 11-13, +31 76 762 01 74. Closed Sun&Mon. This place is an interesting combination of a fresh food supermarket and a small restaurant. Virtually all products are produced in or directly around the Netherlands, and many in the region. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, often with a typical Dutch twist. Dinner is a set 3, 4 or 5 course meal with only a few choices. A fun place to discover Dutch produce. Breakfast around €5, from €32.50 for 3 course dinner.

Restaurant Chocolat, Torenstraat 9.

Restaurant Huispizzeria, Grote Markt 35, +31 76 - 5143900. For the best authentic Italian style dishes. The service is very good and it's very cozy inside. They have something for everyone and every week they have a week special.

Restaurant Dickens & Jones, Grote Markt 40.

Havermarkt Drink real Belgian and Brabants beer on Grote Markt or Havermarkt square. Explore the nightlife on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays around Havermarkt square.

Cafe de Speeltuin, Visserstraat 14.

Parc Breda, Grote Markt 20.

Kerkplein, Torenstraat 17-19.

Some nearby destinations of interest are:

  • Tilburg, student city famous for its 10 day long fun fair in July, which is the largest in the Benelux.
  • Kaatsheuvel, equally famous for fun, as it is home to the Efteling theme parc.
  • Dordrecht, major historic trade port with a well preserved medieval old town and hundreds of monuments.
  • Antwerp. This historic Belgian town is less than 45 minutes from Breda.