DELFT:The home of Vermeer exudes the charm of a typical Dutch city, with canals, bicycles and pavement cafes – not to mention historic churches, writes ADRIENNE CULLEN
MOVIES sometimes make their settings flare briefly in the public imagination before fading again to comfortable obscurity. Bruges is the most recent example. Before that, in 2003, Girl with a Pearl Earringdid more for the Dutch city of Delft than a decade of expensive tourism campaigns.
For Delft, as for Bruges, the secret of spin-off tourism success was that large portions of the city remain today much as they were in the 1660s, when, so the movie goes, innocent young Griet left her recently blind father and went into service in the home of the painter Johannes Vermeer.
The heart of the city, for instance, remains the magnificent old market square, one of the largest in Europe, with two of Delft’s most imposing buildings, the Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church, on the eastern side and City Hall on the western side – the perfect film set.
This is the place to start your tour, preferably on a Thursday, when the market is open from 9am to 5pm and you can pick your way among the blue and white Delft porcelain, the Gouda cheese and the stalls selling broodje haring – a sandwich of raw herring, pickles and onions, which is, believe it or not, the national dish of the Netherlands. Think of a sushi sandwich with onions instead of rice . . . or maybe don’t.
Even in this medieval wonderland, old and new are, of course, relative terms. In this case the “new” in Nieuwe Kerk is explained by the fact that construction work began in 1396, a full 150 years after the stonemasons settled down to the Oude Kerk, or Old Church, nearby.
What’s interesting about the Nieuwe Kerk is that it contains the burial vault of the Dutch royal family and the mausoleum of William of Orange. But its biggest draw is that you can climb 356 steps to the top of its 109m tower for an unparalleled view of the city centre.
Dominating your view while you gasp for breath will be the five spires of the Oude Kerk, which dates back to 1246. This Gothic beauty is known locally as Oude Jan, or Old John. And if something about it seems vaguely familiar, it’s probably the fact that it reminds you of the Leaning Tower of Pisa – because, as if to compete for dramatic impact with the Nieuwe Kerk, its 75m tower leans a full two metres off vertical.
If it sounds as though Delft is a city of churches, well, they are pretty dominant, but there’s a lot more to it than that. This is a young, vibrant university city, typically Dutch in design, gloriously car-free in the centre, criss-crossed with canals, packed with pavement cafes and overrun with bicycles.
Nine out of 10 visitors bring home a piece of Delft porcelain, so head for the Royal Delft factory on Rotterdamseweg. During its high season, from April to October, you’ll find guided tours in English. And, best of all from the kids’ point of view, you can decorate your own tiles in a (very messy) painting workshop.
If you fancy building a day out around your factory visit, Delft Blue Line has the perfect package every day during July and August.
It starts with a boat trip along the canals, leaving from the Koornmarkt. The boat delivers you to Royal Delft for your tour of the factory, after which you’re delivered back to the centre by the Delft Xpress, a charming electric tourist train.
Nightlife in Delft is pretty chilled, with bars and restaurants open late . . . and a few coffee shops where you can buy and consume cannabis legally, though not nearly as many as in Amsterdam.
If you’re a beer fan, Locus Publicus at Brabant Turfmarkt is famous for its selection of more than 100 Belgain beers. And for nightclubs, there’s Speakers at Burgwal 45-49 or Disco Lorre on Phoenixstraat.
This being Holland, it will probably be almost morning before you head for your hotel. And how will the locals advise you to find it? They’ll tell you to navigate by one of the two church towers, of course.
[ www.delft.com ]
Go there
Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) flies from Dublin and Cork to Schipol. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies to Eindhoven.
5 places to stay
Best Western Museumhotels Delft. 50a Phoenixstraat, 00-31-15-2153070, www.museumhotel.nl. Formerly 12 separate canalside houses, this hotel is now divided into three parts, the Gallery, the Residence and the Museumhotel, each with its own atmosphere. Four stars. Doubles start at €143; suites cost €295.
Hotel de Ark. 65 Koornmarkt, 00-31-15-2157999, www.deark.nl. This four-star hotel occupies three restored 17th-century houses on the most beautiful canal in the old centre of the city. A double room is €141.
Hotel Les Compagnons. 1 Breestraat, 00-31-15-2157133, www.grandcanal.nl. Another charming canalside hotel, this time situated on Oude Delft, the oldest stretch of canal in the city. Doubles cost €95 to €150, with breakfast at €16.
Bridges House Hotel. 74 Oude Delft, 00-31-15-2124036, www.bridges-house.com. The birthplace of 17th-century Dutch painter Jan Steen, this town-house hotel has an elegant European atmosphere and friendly staff. Doubles from €112.50, including breakfast.
Hotel de Keephandel. 30 Beestenmarkt, 00-31-15-2142302, www.hoteldekoophandel.nl. This modern three-star has a great location on one of the best-known squares in the old city centre. Johannes Vermeer’s father was born here. A double costs €109.
5 places to eat
Restaurant L’Orage. 111b Oude Delft, 00-31-15-2123629. With cool colours and perfect linen tablecloths, this chic restaurant is run by Danish chef Jannie Munk and her architect husband, Pim Hienkans, who designed its dramatic hinged glass roof.
Restaurant De Zwethheul. 480 Rotterdamseweg, 00-31-10-4704166, www.zwethheul.nl. Run by another award-winning chef, Mario Ridder, its specialities are crayfish and lamb, and it has one of the best wine lists in the Netherlands. A terrace overlooks the River Schie.
Heeran Van Delft. 35 Beestenmarkt, 00-31-15-2140131, www.heerenvandelft.nl. Unfussy restaurant serving modern European food in a little square in the old centre of the city. You can have a drink at the bar and take a look.
Restaurant Bar Artusi. 20a Voorstraat, 00-31-15-2120354, www.restaurant-artusi.nl. If you like Italian, this is the place for you. Forget red-check tablecloths, however: it’s much cooler than that.
De Wijnhaven. 22 Winjhaven, 00-31-15-2141460, www.wijnhaven.nl. Popular restaurant with locals, especially at lunchtime, which is always a good sign.
5 places to go
The Markt. This is right in the centre of the old town. It’s the biggest and perhaps the oldest open market in Europe. The backdrop of medieval buildings, including City Hall and the Nieuwe Kerk, is breathtaking.
Royal Delft. De Porceleyne Fles, 196 Rotterdamseweg, 00-31-15-2512030, www.royaldelft.com. This factory still produces entirely hand-painted Delft earthenware. There are guided tours, plus a museum with an antique porcelain collection.
The Vermeer Centre. 21 Voldersgracht, 00-31-15-2138588, www.vermeerdelft.nl. If you’ve seen Girl with a Pearl Earring, then this is a must. You step back into 17th-century Delft, and when you step outside afterwards the city will never look the same again.
Stedelijk Museum Het Prinsenhof. 1 Sint Agathaplein, 00-31-15-2602358, www.prinsenhof-delft.nl. William of Orange led the revolution against Spanish rule from this former convent, and this is where he was shot dead in 1584. You can see the bullet holes in the wall.
Holland Handicrafts. 2 Vrouwenregt, 00-31-18-0520060, www.hollandhandicrafts.com. Located in a 16th-century former brewery, this beautiful store sells antiques and collectibles as well as Dutch craftwork.
Shopping
There are plenty of markets selling everything from flowers and books to antiques and cheese, but if you’re looking for fashion, head to the ultramodern Zuidpoort centre.
Hot spot
Belgian Beef Café Belvédère, 8 Beestenmarkt, 00-31-15-2123297, www.bbcbelvedere.nl. This is one of the liveliest bar-restaurants in Delft. As the name suggests, it has an impressive array of Belgian beers – and live music, too.