Discover Zwartewaterland

When comparing hotels in Zwartewaterland, it helps to consider what kind of trip you’re looking for: along the Zwartewater, floodplain landscapes and seasonal birdwatching take center stage; Hasselt and Genemuiden offer insights into architectural history and crafts. Historic mills, museums, and water-management monuments also tell the story of different chapters in the region’s history.

Landscape and seasons along the Zwartewater

The floodplains of the Zwartewater invite you to take a walk along the raised, winding dikes on both sides of the river and its floodplain. From the paths along the Zwartewater, you can look out over the Mastenbroek polder and the peat meadows of the Olde Maten. This brings together walks along the dikes and far-reaching views over polder and peat landscapes, with each view offering something different.

Birds found along the Zwartewater include quail, cormorants, and storks. Geese are among the bird species mentioned for winter, while spring brings redshanks, black-tailed godwits, and curlews. The seasons therefore make a clear difference: in winter, geese are in focus, while spring birdwatching is all about other waders.

Hasselt: Pilgrimage site and historic townscape

Hasselt is one of the oldest pilgrimage sites in the Netherlands and has more than 70 Rijksmonumenten, or officially recognized Dutch historic buildings. Its historic city center and defensive belt were designated a protected townscape in 1982. Canals, quays, and monumental buildings shape the townscape’s distinctive character. The Oude Stadhuis is a late Gothic building. Visitors can see, among other things, a unique historic weapons collection, paintings, and changing exhibitions there; tours are available by appointment.

The Korenmolen De Zwaluw was built as a grain mill in 1857. Its history goes beyond its original function: in the 1950s, the mill was part of a pilot project for generating electricity and housed the first wind turbine in Overijssel. The restored lime kilns in Hasselt reveal another side of the region’s industrial history. Today, they are a unique industrial museum. Shells were fired here to make lime, a basic ingredient in mortar used in construction and building restoration. The limeworks finally closed in 1990, bringing an end to the last shell-lime works still operating in Western Europe.

Museums showcasing crafts and water management

The Tapijtmuseum in Genemuiden traces the development of the Genemuiden carpet industry, from making rush and coir mats to today’s factory production of 700 kilometers of broadloom tufted carpet per week. Permanent exhibitions include the machine hall, the world of floor coverings, a look inside a factory, and the workshop. Demonstrations show how rush mats are woven, how coir mats are made by hand, and how weaving is done on wooden looms and old weaving machines. The museum offers insight into both materials and working methods, as well as changes in production.

Since 2012, the Schoonewelle Museum voor Natuur en Ambacht has been located in Sluuspoort, where it houses rare natural specimens. Sluuspoort is Zwartsluis’s central visitor center; it is presented as easily accessible, with free parking. At the Oude Stoomgemaal Mastenbroek, the focus is on water management: it has served this purpose since 1856 and is considered one of the most interesting monuments of Dutch water engineering.

Routes and excursions

There are several ways to take boat trips through Weerribben-Wieden National Park from Zwartsluis. You can also rent a boat with a skipper for trips through the park. If you prefer to travel by land, the IJsseldelta region offers cycling routes along the dikes beside the Zwartewater, which also explore the history of Mastenbroek. The Ons Erfgoed App complements these routes with images, audio, augmented reality, and 3D experiences that bring cultural heritage to life along the way.

The main attractions are easy to distinguish: the paths along the river lead through a landscape with seasonal variations in birdwatching, while museums and monuments offer ways to explore crafts, water management, and architectural history. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus more on the landscape and boat trips or on the historical and industrial themes of the different towns.

Discover more destinations

Zwartsluis, Hasselt, Genemuiden, Zwolle, Losser, Staphorst, Hardenberg, Haaksbergen.

For the overarching travel guide: Overijssel.