This Is The Friendliest Small Town In The Netherlands
Zutphen earned town rights between 1191 and 1196. That makes it one of the oldest places in the Netherlands. The settlement sits in Gelderland at the confluence of the IJssel and Berkel rivers and has about 48,000 residents today. Centuries of prosperous trade through the Hanseatic League left their mark on the streetscape. A calendar packed with community events keeps the place lively. Visitors come to Zutphen for the kind of authentic Dutch experience you simply won't find elsewhere.
A Welcoming Town Then... and Now
Zutphen's historic town center is considered one of the best-preserved in the Netherlands. Highlights include the Wijnhuistoren, the "wine house tower" on the Groenmarkt, built in stages between 1616 and 1642 atop a wine-house site that goes back to the 14th century. You can climb it as part of a guided tour and learn about its carillon and its continuing role as the town's main meeting place.
The nearby Berkelpoort, a 14th-century stone-arched water gate that was part of the original city wall, makes for a wonderful photo where the River Berkel enters the old city. A ten-minute walk to the south, the Drogenapstoren tells an altogether quirkier story. Built between 1444 and 1446 as the Saltpoort city gate, it was bricked up not long after and later repurposed as a storehouse before becoming home to the town's official musician in the mid-1500s.
Known as Drogenap, his job description included greeting important visitors with suitable fanfare. As was typical of town musicians from this period, he would also have been a welcoming addition to weddings, parties, and other gatherings.
For a deeper dive into the role of the town's official musician and other periods in its history, head to Musea Zutphen. Housed in the 17th-century Hof van Heeckeren palace on Gravenhof, the oldest square in Zutphen, the entrance alone is worth the visit. Designed as a baroque shell grotto in 1697, it's lined with more than 10,000 shells, corals, and minerals brought back by sailors from Dutch trading companies. Other displays cover early Viking raids and the town's impressive art collection.
Zutphen's friendliness is perhaps most visible during its community events. The Zeldzaam Mooi Markt ("Rare and Beautiful Market"), held in the lively creative hub located on Laarstraat, sees chatty local artisans selling handmade and locally produced goods in a setting that feels like a neighborhood party.
Books In Chains
Zutphen's unusual "chained library," De Librije is another must-see attraction. Located within St. Walburgis Church, this rare book collection has remained virtually unchanged since 1564 and is one of only a few original chained libraries left in Europe. Founded by church wardens as a public reading room at a time when most citizens couldn't afford to buy books of their own, each volume is fitted with a metal clasp attached to a chain threaded through a locked rod. Books could be read, but could definitely not be removed from the premises.
This remarkable collection includes texts on law, grammar, religion, and the natural sciences. There's even an edition of Copernicus' groundbreaking On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres (De revolutionibus orbium coelestium) that was published in 1543.
Even without its rare books, the church is impressive. Highlights include a 14th-century wrought-iron candelabrum, an elaborate copper baptismal font from 1527, and monuments to former leaders of Zutphen. Guided tours of both the church and Librije are available, with friendly local volunteer guides eager to answer questions.
Zutphen's Hidden Courtyards
Outside the church, Zutphen's hidden residential courtyards (known locally as hofjes) are also fun to explore. The Oude Bornhof is the oldest and largest, dating to 1320. Originally a cleric's home and left in his will as shelter for the town's poor, its ornate gate and flower-lined corridor lead to a quiet garden.
Other courtyards worth visiting include the Agnietenhofje, the Luthers Hofje, and the Ruitershofje. To learn more about them and for a handy map, pop into the tourist office on Houtmarkt.
Ways To Explore Zutphen
Getting to and around Zutphen like a local will also have you feeling like you belong here. There's a fast, direct train from Amsterdam (journey time about 90 minutes), and Zutphen's station is close to the historic town center. Cycling is, of course, a great way to explore, and is a very common (and safe) mode of transport in the Netherlands, with plenty of dedicated cycling routes.
For a truly unique mode of transportation, whisper boat tours (silent electric watercraft) travel along the Berkel and the Grote Gracht. Running from April through October, skippers double as storytellers and are genuinely pleased to share the town's history.
The Netherlands' Friendliest Town
In a country known for its hospitality, Zutphen stands out as an especially welcoming place to visit. From reminders of long-ago traditions when town musicians welcomed newcomers with great fanfare, to modern-day markets where you can mingle with the locals, Zutphen is an ideal place to experience the Netherlands as the Dutch themselves know it.
