Important: Wikitravel is exploring a license upgrade to CC by-sa 3.0, please give your consent or refusal here.

Gouda

From Wikitravel

Jump to: navigation, search
Gouda's Stadhuis
Gouda's Stadhuis

Gouda[1] is a city in the province South-Holland in The Netherlands. It is a typical Dutch city with lots of old building and pretty canals, and is a popular destination for a day trip. It is famous for it's cheese, it's 15th century town hall and the amazing glass windown in St. Janskerk.

[edit] Understand

Gouda has a population of just over 70,000. Most of the city is below sea level. As well as it's cheese, Gouda is also famous for it's stroopwafels and it's clap pipes.

[edit] History

Gouda is names after the Van der Goude family, who built a castle on the Gouwe River in the 11th century. The area was swampland. Over the next two hundred years peat was collected and the land was developed. In 1225, a canal was build connecting the Gouwe River with the Oude Rijn (part of the Rhine delta). This was used to help ship goods to France and further afield. Gouda became important because of this, and in 1272, was made a city. Lots of the canals were build around this time.

Over the years, there have been fires (1361, 1438), occupations (1572) and plagues (1574, 1625, 1636, 1673). In 1577, the castle was destroyed.

In 1667 a tax was introduced on the locally produced cheese. This raised a lot of money for the town. In 1668, the Waag (cheese weighing house) was built, to weigh the cheese and collect this tax.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By Train

There are two train stations in Gouda - Gouda (the main station, 5mins walk to the Maark) and Gouda Goverwelle (in suburbia). For the timetable check NS (in English).

Trains have been running between Gouda and Utrecht since 1855, and in 1944 the old train station was damaged by Allied bombing.

[edit] By Bus

Buses stop the at train station. Check the Connexxion website (in Dutch) for more detailed information.

There are buses to and from Gouda from the following places:

[edit] By Car

Gouda is directly located on the A12 and A20.

  • Den Haag - about 20 mins. Take the A12 towards Utrecht
  • Rotterdam - about 15mins. Take the A20 towards Utrecht.
  • Amsterdam, Schiphol or Leiden - Take the A4 towards Leiden, then the N11 (via Alphen aan den Rijn). Or (slightly longer, but without leaving the motorway), take the A4 to Den Haag and then the A12 to Gouda.
  • There are road works on the A4, the main road between Amsterdam and Utrecht. Driving to Gouda this was is not recommended until they end in 2012.

[edit] By Plane

The nearest airports at in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

[edit] Get Around

Map of Gouda centre
Map of Gouda centre

[edit] By Foot

The centre of Gouda is small and very easy to walk around. All the main sites are here, inside the canal, De Singel, which circles Gouda centre. A lot of the street are pedestrianized. The main shopping street, Kleiweg, is pedestrianized and bike free. At the centre of Gouda and the end of Kleiweg is the Markt. The Stadhuis and De Waag are here, and this is where the cheese market takes place.

[edit] By Bike

If you want to travel outside the centre of Gouda, by bike is a good option. Most of the streets in the centre are bike friendly, the main exception being Kleiweg. You can walk along this street with your bike, just don't cycle. As you would expect in a Dutch city, there is lots of parking everywhere for your bike. Make sure you lock it. Bike theft is very common in the Netherlands.

Bikes can be rented from:

  • NS Rijwielshop Gouda, Stationsplein 10 (on the north side of the train station), ☎ 0182-516 111. To rent a bike you need ID and to pay a deposit. Booking is essential.  edit

[edit] By Taxi

[edit][add listing] See

Gouda is a typical and beautiful Dutch town. It's a great place to wander, checking out the old building and the quite canals.

  • Gouda Tourist Office (VVV), Markt 27, ☎ 0900-4683288 (, fax: 0182-583210), [3]. M 1PM-5:30PM, Tu-F 9:30AM-5:30PM, Sa 10AM-4PM.  edit
  • Stadhuis (Old Townhall), Markt 1 (Middle of Markt), ☎ 0182-588482. M-F 10AM-noon 2PM-4PM, Sa 11AM-4PM(3PM Oct-Mar). The Old Townhall on the market square is the oldest Gothic town hall in The Netherlands. Build out of natural materials between 1448 and 1450, it is now a museum. Every hour, on the side of the building, there is a little puppet show, showing the city rights being handed over to Gouda, as happened in the year 1272. €1.50.  edit
  • The Cheese Market and De Waag (Cheese Weighing House), [4]. The cheese market is on every Thursday morning in the summer. The Waag is open 1 Apr-31 Oct, Tu-Su: 1PM-5PM, Th 10AM-5PM. Check out the cheese market, eat some cheese, see the old cheese weighing house, built by Pieter Post in 1668, now a museum to (you guessed it) cheese! Adult €3.50, child €3.  edit
  • St. Janskerk (St. John’s Church). This church is famous for its beautifull stained glass windows. It is the largest cross shaped church in the Netherlands.  edit
  • Museumgouda (Gouda Museum), Achter de Kerk 14, ☎ 0182-331000 (, fax: 0182-331019), [5]. W-F 10AM-5PM, Sa-Su noon-5PM. This museum traces the history of Gouda. There are displays of archaeology, old clay pipes, pottery and paintings. Information and guided tours are available in English. Over 18:€5, under 18:free.  edit
  • Museumhaven Gouda (Gouda Harbor Museum), [6]. This museum tracks the history of Gouda harbor and shipbuilding. There is also some old ships and building to see. All the information is in Dutch.  edit
  • Verzetsmuseum Zuid-Holland (The Resistance Museum), Turfmarkt 30, [7]. The history of the Dutch resistance in World War II. Article info and guided tours available in English. Adult: €3, child: free, concession: €2.  edit
  • The Vier Gekroonden, Naaierstraat 6. An old house in Gouda. Listed as one of the top 100 listed building in the Netherlands.  edit
  • Windmills. There are three windmills remaining in Gouda.  edit.
  • Molen 't Slot, Punt 17, ☎ +31 (0)182 524655.  edit
  • Molen de Roode Leeuw, Vest 65, ☎ +31 (0)182 522041. Possible to visit by appointment only.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

  • Cinema (Arcade Bioscoop), Lethmaetstraat 45, ☎ 0182-527773, [8]. Small 4 screen cinema in centre. English movies shown with Dutch subtitles. Little shop sells snacks and beer. €8-9.  edit
  • Play Golf, Sluisdijk 15, 2809 NA, Gouda, ☎ +31 (0)182 583933 (, fax: +31 (0)182 583715), [9]. Daily 8AM-sunset. Nine hole golf course, driving range, 18 hole putting green and restaurant. Equipment rental and lessons available. Weekends €30, weekday €20-25.  edit
  • Play snooker or pool (Sports Palace), Lange Groenendaal 110, ☎ +31 (0)182 548502 (), [10]. 5PM-midnight Tu-Su. Play snooker, pool or darts. You can also get lessons. There is a bar too.  edit

[edit] Festivals

  • Gouda Bij Kunstlicht, Lethmaetstraat 45. In the month of December, the city centre gets lit up in special ways. This also contains the Candlelight night on the second Tuesday of December.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

Inside a Gouda cheese shop
Inside a Gouda cheese shop

Most shops are open M-Sa 9AM-5PM. Almost everything is closed on Sundays.

  • Gouda cheese. This world famous cheese gets its name from the town. It's been made locally with cow's milk since the middle ages. The cheese isn't made in the town itself, but the surrounding area. Check out the Cheese market (see See section) or some of the amazing cheese shops in the town.  edit
  • Goudse stroopwafels. These traditional Dutch cookies were first made in Gouda in 1784. Two thin wafers with a caramel filling. Yummy!  edit
  • Kleiweg. This is the main shopping street. Your find the usual high street shops and department stores.  edit

[edit][add listing] Eat

There are lots of small cafes and bars at the north of the Markt.

  • Brunel, High Gouwe 23, ☎ +31 (0)182 518979, [11]. Modern French restaurant on a beautiful street. They also run the cafe at MuseumgoudA. Mains €21.50.  edit
  • De Zalm (means the Salmon), Markt 34, ☎ 0182–686976 (), [12]. Restaurant/bar in the Markt.  edit
  • Eetcafe Vidocq, Koster Gijzensteeg 8 (Down a little lane, just off the Markt.), ☎ 0182-522819 (), [13]. A great cozy Dutch feeling restaurant with great food (especially steaks). The menu is written on a blackboard the wall. Very popular.  edit
  • New Tandoor, Lange Tiendeweg 49, ☎ +31 (0)182 529733, [14]. 5PM-10.30PM Tu-Su. Indian restaurant, cheap price, good food. Mains €12-15.  edit
  • Scheeps (means Ships), Westhaven 4, ☎ 0182-517 572 (), [15]. Beautiful, more upmarket restaurant, with lots of pictures of ships on the walls.  edit
  • Xochimilco, Wijdstraat 29 (South of Markt), ☎ +31 (0)182 523120, [16]. 5PM-11PM Tu-Su. Mexican restaurant running for 18 years in Gouda. €14-20.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

  • Cafe Central, Markt 22-23 (On main square), ☎ 0182-512576 (), [17]. M 6PM-midnight, Tu-Su 9AM-midnight. A great traditional Dutch feeling cafe in the centre of town. Nice food and drinks, friendly staff and plenty of space.  edit
  • Tof, Markt 30, ☎ 0182-548897 (), [18]. Su-W 10AM-1AM, Th-Sa 10Am-4AM. Modern bar on the Markt. Popular with the younger crowd, especially on weekends.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Gouda is a very popular as day-trip. There is a limited supply of accommodation.

  • Campanile Hotel Gouda, Kampenringweg 39-41 (2km from town, at the A12 motorway), ☎ 0182-535555 (, fax: 0182-571575), [19]. 75 rooms with satellite TV and Wifi. Restaurant with buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner. Double/twin €80+.  edit
  • Hotel De Keizerskroon, Keizerstraat 11-13, ☎ 0182-528096 (, fax: 0182-511777), [20]. Budget hotel, right in the centre of town. Ensuite: Double €79.50, triple €95. Shared bathroom: Single €50, double €60, triple €69.50.  edit
  • Hotel De Utrechtsche Dom, Geuzenstraat 6 (In the centre), ☎ 0182 528833 (), [21]. Characteristic family hotel in the centre of Gouda. Breakfast included. Ensuite: Suite €125, double €80. Shared bathroom: Double €60, triple €80.  edit

[edit] Near By

  • Hotel Over de Brug, Ad en Vic Versteeg, Veerlaan 1, 2851 BV, Haastrecht (Take Provincialeweg West (N288) from Gouda), ☎ +31(0)182 501210, +31(0)182 501415, [22]. This traditional hotel on the River IJssel, is about 5km from Gouda, in the small town of Hasstrecht. It's an easy cycle to Gouda. There is a pub/restaurant. Free Wi-fi and parking. Double €67, Single €40.  edit
  • Tulip Inn, Goudseweg 32, 2411HL, Bodegraven (6km outsude Gouda, just off the A12. Can take bus 178 from Gouda.), ☎ 0172-650003 (), [23]. 64 rooms all with balcony. Renovated in Aug 2007. There are two restaurants and a bar. €65.50-95.50, Breakfast €12.50.  edit

[edit] Stay Safe

Gouda is, in general, a safe city, even at night time. There is a lot of petty car crime. Do not leave the radio or any valuables in view in your car. Recently, GPS systems have been stolen from the glove compartment, because the thieves have noticed the rings left on the glass from them.

  • Police Station, (In tourist office).  edit
  • Hospital (Groene Hart Ziekenhuis), Bleulandweg 10, ☎ +31 1820 566 666 (fax: +31 1820 566 601).  edit

[edit] Get Out

  • Oudewater - this village is 15km from Gouda. It is famous for it's witch weighing house, where they issue certificates proving people aren't witches.
  • Rotterdam - the second largest city in the Netherlands, and the second largest port in the world is only 15mins from Gouda. Check out its 20th century architecture and great shopping.
  • The Hague - home of the Dutch government and the residence of the Queen, this city is full of history.
  • Utrecht - the city has some great historic architecture and is a transport hub for the Netherlands.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!
Retrieved from "http://wikitravel.org/en/Gouda"