Buren: Orange-Nassau history, orchards and waterways

Buren lies in the heart of the Betuwe. Extensive orchards define the municipality, while travel ideas range from historical sites to routes through river landscapes and activities on the water. In the town of Buren, you can discover the history of the House of Orange-Nassau, while nature areas and routes reveal other sides of the region. You can tailor your trip to whether you are most interested in culture, outdoor activities or water sports.

Orange-Nassau history and historical sites

Willem van Oranje married his first wife, Anna van Buren, in Sint-Lambertus Church on 8 July 1551. The church’s history goes back further: it was founded as a chapel in 1367 and mentioned as a parish church dedicated to Saint Lambert in 1395. The walking tour of Buren also takes you to the Weeshuis, the Prins van Oranje windmill and through the historic Plantsoen. Buren Castle once stood there. Around 1860, a park for strolling was created on the former castle grounds; the Plantsoen is a national heritage site (Rijksmonument).

Since 1988, Museum Buren & Oranje has been housed in the centuries-old, listed town hall on the market square. Its permanent exhibition, “600 Jaar Nassau en Oranje ten voeten uit,” features 148 portraits of members of the Stadtholder and royal families and covers six centuries of costume history. You can get a different view of the former castle at the small museum dedicated to Buren Castle: the permanent exhibition is in the entrance building of the public cemetery in the Plantsoen and includes, among other things, worked stone fragments from the castle collection. Admission is free.

The Prins van Oranje also brings together architectural history and craftsmanship. The round brick Dutch windmill was built as a grain mill in 1716; grain is still ground there using two pairs of millstones. The small shop sells flour ground on site and other handmade treats. Buren Synagogue was established in 1804 and is located in Kniphoek, in the oldest part of town, as one of the Muurhuizen built into the town wall. Today, it serves as a venue for exhibitions, readings, craft demonstrations and workshops.

Walking through the Betuwe landscape

Those wishing to explore the landscape on foot can find a variety of scenery along the regional trails. The Burensepad passes over a medieval dike, through a castle estate and through the fortified town of Buren. In the nearby Tichelgaten nature area, traces of former clay extraction and brickmaking recall how the land was used. Wet meadows, scrubland, alder woodland and areas of ruderal vegetation have developed in the excavated sections.

Rundje Landgoed Soelen is about three kilometres long and starts at the car park behind Huize Aldenhage on Achterstraat in Zoelen. Yellow markings indicate the route; it is considered particularly suitable for walks with children. Kasteel Soelen can be viewed on a walk around its moat, but the grounds inside the moat are not open to the public. The Teisterbantpad explores the landscape around Kerk-Avezaath and Zoelen: orchards, river ridges, meadows on river-clay soils, historic farmhouses and the old Landgoed Soelen are among the sights along the route.

Water, cycling and regional experiences

At Eiland van Maurik, nature, water and recreation come together in the floodplains of the Nederrijn. There is a beach and sunbathing lawns, and you can swim and sunbathe as well as sail, water-ski and fish. Check the water conditions before swimming. In the water sports area, WV Maurik operates a quiet, sheltered harbour with 120 berths.

The approximately 30-kilometre Water Rijk cycling route starts and ends at Eiland van Maurik. It follows the Nederrijn and the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal, passing along dikes, marinas and recreational lakes. This gives you a walking route with a stated distance and a considerably longer cycling trip to choose from for different day plans, without implying a walking or cycling time.

For further insight into regional agriculture, De Kortenhof offers guided tours of the fields and activities in agricultural nature conservation on request. In autumn 2026, Betuws Wijndomein offers wine tastings, courses, workshops and culinary wine-and-food experiences. Check the specific event dates when planning your visit.

Discover more destinations: Zoelen, Buren, Lienden, Ingen, Maurik, Asch, Beusichem, Eck en Wiel and Ommeren.

For the overview of the wider region: Gelderland.