Veldhoven between heritage and nature

In Veldhoven, outdoor art, local history and nature trails meet a range of ways to spend your time in the area. You can explore heritage routes, take a walk through woodland or discover the town through a museum, sports facilities and events. The routes also vary considerably in length—a useful guide when choosing outings to suit your own travel plans.

Heritage and stories from Veldhoven

Museum ’t Oude Slot is also an educational centre. Its exhibitions are often inspired by its extensive collection of popular prints. If you are interested in art and history, the museum offers a different way to explore these subjects than a walk through the landscape or local history. It is easy to reach by public transport.

The Veldhoven heritage routes also share local history along the way: QR-code signs tell stories about the past, prominent residents and special events. Historical photographs and short audio clips complement the stories. The two route maps are available to download as four-page A4 PDFs. You can look through the content in advance or use the maps to plan your visit.

Another historical site is the Toterfout archaeological site, with its Bronze Age burial mounds. It has been protected as a Rijksmonument, or national monument of the Netherlands, since 19 November 1968. The 16-kilometre “Tweede Wereldoorlog in herinnering” route passes places in Veldhoven that recall pivotal events of the Second World War. It combines a longer distance with a clear historical theme.

Art trails, forests and routes of varying lengths

Het Groene Lint is a 24-kilometre art trail between the centres of Eersel and Eindhoven. The route follows the Gender, Run and Dommel waterways. In Veldhoven, it follows the Run, bringing nature and art together. The artwork Mensenputten stands outdoors by the river along the route. This lets you encounter art and landscape not just in an exhibition, but also as part of a walk.

For a shorter walk, the three-kilometre Molenvelden route is a different option. The nature area is known for its beautiful beech avenues. The Toterfout-Halfmijl walking route offers another landscape experience: it passes through varied woodland, with coniferous and deciduous trees separated by wide sandy paths. You can follow the route with the IVN Natuurroutes app; check that the app is currently available before your trip.

The nine-kilometre “Geheimen van Veldhoven” route also offers a clear point of reference: it runs between Zandoerle and Zeelst and passes 22 monuments. “Monumenten in het groen” is designated as a cycling route. A GPX download and a brochure are available, and you can also follow the route interactively using the IVN route app. Check the app’s current listing before your trip.

Wildlife, activities and events

The Zoo Veldhoven collection consists mainly of parrots, as well as birds of prey, flamingos, pelicans, zebras, ring-tailed lemurs and alpacas. There are also two large playgrounds. If the playgrounds are important to your visit, check their condition in advance. The zoo is outside the town centre, where public transport runs less frequently, so plan your journey ahead of time.

City Sport Veldhoven has several pools: a 25-metre pool, a 20 × 10-metre multipurpose pool and a therapy pool. Swimming and exercise classes are offered for babies, toddlers, preschool children, children and adults. School groups wishing to learn about farm animals and nature at Kinderboerderij De Hazewinkel must get in touch in advance. Teaching materials with worksheets are available for the butterfly garden.

CityFest is a free weekend of music, culture and festivities that is open to everyone. It takes place in Veldhoven on the last full weekend in September. If you would like to combine your stay with the festival, check the exact event dates before you travel.

Discover more destinations: Veldhoven, Uden, Boxmeer, Woudrichem, Gemert-Bakel, Boekel, Best, Zundert.

See the full regional travel guide: North Brabant.