Discover Soest: History and Nature

If you are looking for a hotel in Soest, the interests you have for your stay can help you focus on what the area has to offer. Historic buildings and an audio tour sit alongside drifting-sand landscapes, hiking trails and experiences related to farming and horses. You can shape your stay around cultural history, nature or a specific activity.

Historic Sites and Routes

Museum Soest is housed in a listed monastery dating from 1868. In Kerkebuurt stood the village centre of the old farming village of Soest during the Middle Ages. Several old buildings have been well preserved there and were fully restored in the 1960s and 1970s.

At the heart of Kerkebuurt is the Oude Kerk, dating from around 1350. Two bells hang in the church; the larger one was cast in 1506 and is among the oldest bells in the Netherlands. This historic setting brings together the history of the church building and that of a remarkably old bell.

Another way to discover historic sights is the 4 km audio tour through Soest. It takes you to eight historic sights and can be completed on foot or by bicycle. The distance and number of stops give the tour a clear structure; you can choose between the two stated ways of getting around.

Landscape and Hiking Routes

The De Paltz estate was designed in 1876 by landscape architects Copijn and Springer. It covers about 80 hectares and combines beech avenues, vistas and bodies of water with an impressive villa, a coach house and a shepherd’s house. The landscape features and various buildings provide different viewpoints across the estate.

The Soesterduinen are an extensive area of drifting sand near Soest. They consist of the Langen Duinen and the Korten Duinen and are surrounded by deciduous and coniferous forests. The area is a popular place for hiking and cycling, as well as spending time in nature; various hiking and cycling routes also run through it.

For a hike in the Lange Duinen, the De Lange Duinen route starts at TOP Lange Duinen, a car park on Foekelaan in Soest-Zuid. From there, it follows the numbered junctions of the hiking network. By contrast, the historic audio tour is defined by its four-kilometre length and eight sights. These different details can help you choose the kind of route experience that interests you.

Farming, Horses and Culture

Museumboerderij Het Gagelgat conveys three centuries of farming history through an interactive tour about rural life in Soest in the past. Another offering there is “Aanschuiven bij de Boer”: on the last Thursday of each month, except during school holidays, coffee or tea with freshly baked cake, a homemade seasonal soup and a sandwich with ham or cheese are served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The price is €12.50. As the schedule may change, check the details before your visit.

At De Paardenkamp, visitors can join a guided tour with explanations from staff, as well as pet and feed the horses. A treasure hunt is also available for children. The programme therefore includes both information from staff and activities with the horses.

At the Herman van Veen Arts Center, concerts, festivities, exhibitions, seminars and lectures take place in the Kapschuur, in the shade of old trees. Events are held on a small scale and in keeping with the wooded surroundings. This cultural programme complements the themes of history, landscape and rural life that feature at the other places mentioned.

Discover more destinations: Soesterberg, Soestduinen.

Return to the main travel overview: Soest.