Discover Willemstad

If you choose Willemstad as your destination, you can plan your stay around the history of the fortified town. The townscape is officially protected; Willemstad is also one of the eleven fortified towns of the Zuiderwaterlinie. Highlights include largely preserved fortifications, the Koepelkerk and the Mauritshuis. Walks, guided tours and the marina as a popular spot for water sports enthusiasts offer different ways to explore the town.

Fortified town and Zuiderwaterlinie

Willemstad’s bastions and ramparts are still largely preserved. Together with the officially protected townscape, they make the town’s fortification history a clear focus. The Zuiderwaterlinie also places Willemstad in a broader context: the town is one of the eleven fortified towns along this line. You can focus on Willemstad’s fortifications or explore the town as part of the Zuiderwaterlinie.

Koepelkerk and Mauritshuis

The Koepelkerk dates back to 1607. Its historical significance also lies in its original purpose: it was the first church in the Netherlands built specifically for Protestant worship. Its year of construction and purpose therefore offer two concrete points of reference if you would like to learn about church history. When the church is open, visitors can learn about its history from information panels and texts and climb the tower. Check the opening details before you travel if you are planning a visit or a climb up the tower.

The Mauritshuis is a national monument listed as a Rijksmonument. It is also fully equipped as a multifunctional visitor centre for the Stelling van Willemstad and offers modern interactive exhibitions. Its monument status and visitor-centre function describe different aspects of the building: it is both a listed monument and a venue for exhibitions about the Stelling van Willemstad.

The Mauritshuis also has a wide selection of free leaflets and routes for cycling and walking tours, as well as tips for day trips. These materials offer different starting points for planning your visit—from a walk or cycle ride to ideas for a day trip.

Walks, guided tours and waterways

The Willemstad town walk runs along the Volkerak and is a specific way to combine a walk around the town with a route by the water. The marina offers a different focus: it lies on the Volkerak and the Hollandsch Diep and is a popular spot for water sports enthusiasts. If you are deciding between a walk and a water-sports-related activity, the details are clear: the town walk runs along the Volkerak, while the marina is a popular spot for water sports enthusiasts and lies on two named waterways.

For guided town walks, “Op Stap in Willemstad” offers a range of tours that can be booked in several languages. As booking details may change, it is advisable to check them before planning. The “Rondleiding Militair Erfgoed Willemstad” tour has a different focus: it gives visitor groups access to two old powder houses and a First World War shelter. This tour is specifically focused on military heritage and differs from the guided walks through the fortified town.

Discover more destinations: Oudemolen, Moerdijk, Langeweg, Klundert, Fijnaart, Zevenbergen, Standdaarbuiten.

Go to the main travel overview: Moerdijk.