Middelburg in Zeeland is a wonderful city that is only known to most people as a place near the beach. A shame, because Middelburg has so much more to offer. For example, I visited Middelburg myself in the winter and discovered the most beautiful sights. I also learned a lot about the rich history of this city. Did you know, for example, that Middelburg and Amsterdam worked very closely together during the VOC period? In this article you can read everything about what to do and see in Middelburg and I give you tips for the most beautiful sightseeing places.
City walk through the Drvkkery
The best place to start your discovery tour of Middelburg is at the Drvkkery. Due to its central location on the Markt, you can’t miss the building with its huge glass front. Step inside and be surprised by a beautiful bookshop with a very attractive conservatory. You can get a handy map of the city at the tourist shop located in the same building. This shows the most important sights of Middelburg.
If you are wondering what to do in Middelburg to get to know the city better, then it is recommended to book a city walk through the Drvkkery. I did this city walk through Middelburg myself and I was really impressed. What a knowledge our guide had! She was able to tell a lot about the history and sights of Middelburg and to every question she had an extensive answer. People who like it when doors are opened that would otherwise remain closed: definitely join the walk. Our guide had the key to the town hall and so we got an interesting private tour of this impressive building.
The Lange Jan
One of the most famous sights of Middelburg is undoubtedly the Lange Jan. Right in the center, he towers over the city center like a huge city watchman. Because the center of Middelburg is built on an elevated piece of land, the Lange Jan seems even higher than it really is and with its 90.5 meters it can hardly be called a small tower. During my visit I climbed the 207 steps of this abbey tower to be treated to a beautiful view over Middelburg. You can’t get all the way to the point of the top. The climb stops in the tower room which is still a few meters below the top. You pay 4 euros to climb the tower.
The Town Hall
As in so many places, the town hall in Middelburg is also a real attraction for tourists. As soon as I saw the building, I thought of the architectural style in Leuven and Ghent. Later during the city walk I heard that this was not a bad idea: the city hall was designed and built by two Flemish people. The building suffered considerable damage during the Second World War. In fact, at the end of the war, only the facade was still standing. Strangely enough, you don’t see any of that at all and you would swear that the whole building is from the 17e century, it has been renovated so beautifully. This is in any case very typical for Middelburg: all over the city are ‘old’ buildings that appear to date from the second half of the last century. The municipality attaches great importance to its heritage and has chosen to restore everything to its original state after the war. I myself love this: the past is honored and the city retains its beautiful old appearance. The town hall is occasionally opened to the public. For example, a Chanouka celebration would take place the evening after our visit.
The Zeeland museum
I love going to a museum in a new city. The Zeeuws Museum beautifully tells the story of Zeeland and Walcheren (the part of Zeeland on which Middelburg is located). The exhibition at the time of my visit (2016) is about Zeeland traditional costume and the way in which garments have been made for centuries. In addition, an exhibition about social media in the Middle Ages has just opened. Here too, craftsmanship is key. It is clear that this museum does not just want to show something from forgotten times: it wants traditions to be preserved and to be actively used. In this way, Zeeland retains its own identity and craftsmanship is not lost. I think that’s wonderful to see and a visit to the Zeeuws Museum is, in my opinion, one of the best things to do in Middelburg.
The port of Middelburg
The city center of Middelburg is actually one large open-air museum. Most houses date from the 16th or 17th century, giving you the feeling that you have traveled back in time. Fun fact: many old houses were in bad shape for several decades. The municipality sold these for relatively little money, on the condition that the new residents would refurbish them according to the old architectural style. In this case, even regulations were given for the paint color, so that it would not deviate from the colors that were used in the past. This system has paid off, because really all houses look to pass through a ring. The area around the harbor is in my opinion the most beautiful. If you walk along the water, you will automatically reach the Rouaansekaai. Walk into any alley here and you will imagine yourself in the 17th century. Beautiful old streets with houses built close to each other and secret passages show you the Middelburg of the past.
The Kloveniersdoelen
De Kloveniersdoelen is a stately, old building that you walk right into when you walk out of the shopping street. It was once built as a training site for archers and since then it has had all kinds of functions. Now there is a cinema located there and you can have a nice drink and dinner. We decided to have a bite to eat there in the evening and were not disappointed. I chose the vegetarian beetroot burger, while my friend enjoyed a plate of chicken satay. He indicated that it was the most tender chicken satay he ever had and that it was also my beet burger to enjoy. On our second day in Middelburg we had a city walk which coincidentally also ended at the Kloveniersdoelen. This time we were treated to delicious mulled wine and a piece of apple strudel. Even now it tasted delicious. So highly recommended!
The Vleeshal
The Vleeshal is located in the same building as the town hall. Here you will find varied exhibitions and lesser-known artists get a platform. Unfortunately, there was little to see when we were in Middelburg: there were only long garlands full of children’s drawings of Sinterklaas. Not very natural, but I am now very curious what the space will look like when it is filled with special works of art. Admission to the Vleeshal is free.
Accommodation in Middelburg
I definitely recommend that you spend a weekend in Middelburg so that you can discover the city at your leisure. There are plenty of nice apartments and hotels in Middelburg for your stay. I myself stayed in the Van der Valk hotel just outside the center. This is certainly a handy location if you come by car as you can park for free at the hotel. In addition, it was a very pleasant, comfortable hotel to stay in anyway.
Middelburg really surprised me. I mentioned before that it is a great city to visit in the winter, and I really want to convince you to travel that way. There is much to see and do in Middelburg and this city is really more than a place close to the beach.
