Albrandswaard: Castle History and Tidal Wetlands

Albrandswaard combines a rich cultural history with a distinctive tidal landscape. Kasteel van Rhoon, traces of the Second World War, and paths through the Grienden give your trip a range of focuses: explore historic sites or experience the polder and wetland landscape on foot and by bicycle.

Castle History and Historic Sites

Kasteel van Rhoon is a Rijksmonument and a historic landmark in Albrandswaard. The Van Duivelandt family had it built around 1432. After several floods and fires, the castle acquired its present form in 1598. Visits are possible as part of the foundation’s cultural activities and during regularly scheduled guided tours. Each year, the foundation offers a program of theatre, cabaret, music, and exhibitions. As the program changes, check dates and any booking requirements before your trip.

The “Terug in de tijd” Liberation Route connects notable places in Albrandswaard that played an important role during the occupation in the Second World War. At each stop, you can use a QR code to access information about the place in the form of a photo, text, or video. The stops include the old town hall of Poortugaal. If you plan to use this content, check QR code access shortly before your tour. Another way to discover the municipality’s art, culture, and history is the “Blik op Albrandswaard” route using the Storytrails app; check its availability in advance.

Poortugaal also offers historic points of interest: the Dorpskerk is a Gothic cruciform church, built in its present form in the 15th century. The building known as the “Oude School” was formerly a public school; during the Second World War, people in hiding were regularly sheltered there. The Oudheidkamer Rhoon en Poortugaal was given rooms in the old town hall of Poortugaal in 1988, after the municipal administration offered them. It is open on Monday and Saturday afternoons from 2 to 5 p.m.; check the opening hours before your visit. A monument on the Essendijk in Rhoon commemorates the Watersnoodramp.

Tidal Wetlands and Trails

The Rhoonse Grienden are among the last freshwater tidal wetlands with willow stands in the Netherlands. Beavers have also built their lodges there. Forest, willow wetlands, reed beds, and rough grassland shape the freshwater tidal area of Klein Profijt. The Jungle Route runs for 2.5 kilometres through Klein Profijt’s willow jungle. For a different route, try the “Groene lint langs de Oude Maas”: it follows winding paths through the Rhoonse and Carnisse Grienden and the willow jungle of Klein Profijt.

There is a wheelchair-accessible route in the Rhoonse Grienden. Check the conditions before your visit. It is also worth checking current access conditions for other trails: some walking paths are closed for a period of two months, or bridges are opened; this period often falls in January and February. So check the conditions before setting out for a walk.

Routes by Length and Interest

For a longer exploration, consider the Rolf Route through Albrandswaard and Barendrecht. It is about 50 kilometres long in total and can be explored in sections by bicycle or on foot. Information boards along the route explain the cultural heritage hidden in the polders with text and images. The Jungle Route offers a different experience: its 2.5 kilometres lead through the willow landscape of Klein Profijt.

The routes with similar names differ considerably in length and what they offer. The Boerenroute through Buijtenland van Rhoon is about 2.5 to 3 kilometres long, with a shorter 1-kilometre option. A paved section is accessible to wheelchair users and people with pushchairs. The Buijtenroute, by contrast, is a 22.5-kilometre cycling route with a shorter option; it can also be completed on foot. Its two starting points are De Buytenhof in Rhoon and Restaurant Abel in Poortugaal. If you’re looking for a walk over a dyke into the polder landscape, you could also try the Vossenpad, which farmers have opened to visitors.

Polders and Seasonal Harvests

De Buytenhof combines one of the Buijtenroute’s starting points with seasonal farm experiences. Every year in September and October, visitors can pick apples and pears there. You can pick your own strawberries during the season, which usually begins in June and lasts about three weeks. If you’d like to plan your stay around these activities, take the usual seasonal dates into account.

Discover more destinations: Rhoon, Alblasserdam, Capelle Aan Den Ijssel, The Hague, Vlaardingen, Voorschoten, Kaag En Braassem, Delft.

For the main travel overview: South Holland.