Rhenen: Culture, Zoo and Nature

If you’re looking for a hotel in Rhenen, you can plan your stay around culture, the zoo, hiking or riverside scenery. Each destination has a different focus: the Cuneratoren showcases architectural history, Ouwehands Dierenpark offers animal encounters and attractions, while Blauwe Kamer, Kwintelooijen and Grebbeberg each offer their own nature and walking trails.

Culture in Rhenen: the Cuneratoren

The Cuneratoren was built between 1492 and 1531 and is 82 metres tall. The date range refers to its construction, while the measurement refers to the tower’s height—two different ways of looking at the same building. For the cultural part of a stay, the Cuneratoren is a specific highlight that brings a piece of Rhenen’s architectural history to life. If you don’t want to choose a trip based solely on outdoor activities, you’ll find a clearly defined theme of architecture and history here.

Riverside nature and viewpoints

Blauwe Kamer is a protected riverside reserve on the Rhine between Rhenen and Wageningen. On a short walk through the area, you’ll experience marshland, willow forest, flower-rich meadows and an old brickworks. You may encounter Konik horses and Galloway cattle along the way; they keep the area open. The focus here is on riverside nature, vegetation and the animals that help shape this landscape.

Grebbeberg is part of Nationaal Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug. There are several viewpoints along its steep slope towards the Nederrijn. A 13-kilometre hiking route on Grebbeberg offers views across the Nederrijn and Betuwe and includes a climb with 200 steps. Both the views and the flight of steps are therefore part of planning the route. Route details may change, so check the route information before setting out.

Hiking and mountain biking

Kwintelooijen has marked hiking trails of 1.5 and 3 kilometres, as well as a 2.7-kilometre mountain biking trail. Part of the area is a protected nature reserve. The two hiking distances let you choose between a shorter and a longer trail; the mountain biking trail is a separate option for a different activity. The distances make the trails easy to compare, but don’t indicate how difficult they are.

Landgoed Prattenburg has various hiking trails and guided walks throughout the year. Cycling and mountain biking are prohibited there. So the activity you have in mind is the first thing to consider when planning your day: Prattenburg offers hiking trails and guided walks, while Kwintelooijen also specifically has a mountain biking trail. If you want to explore on foot, you can compare the hiking options by distance or format.

Animal encounters and planning your visit

Ouwehands Dierenpark offers encounters with polar bears, the indoor RavotAapia adventure playground and the Expeditie Berenbos experience. These attractions offer different experiences, from animal encounters to an indoor play area. The park is accessible to people with disabilities and wheelchair users. If you have specific accessibility requirements for your visit, check the latest visitor information in advance.

Getting around and travelling there

TOP Rhenen Centrum is in the historic centre of Rhenen and is a starting point for exploring the forest landscape of the Heuvelrug and the river landscape shaped by the Rhine. Rhenen can be reached by public transport at least once an hour, seven days a week. This gives you a concrete reference point for your journey; check the timetable before you leave if you’re planning around it.

Discover more destinations: Elst.

Go to the main travel overview: Rhenen.