Hilversum and Surrounds Local guidebook
Food scene
Albert Heijn grocery stores - we have two of them within a 5 minute walk. Open till 9pm.
The Dutch LOVE their apple pie and this is one of the most authentic spots in Amsterdam. You will see it packed with locals getting their daily dose of delicious apple pie.
506 locals recommend
Winkel 43
43 NoordermarktThe Dutch LOVE their apple pie and this is one of the most authentic spots in Amsterdam. You will see it packed with locals getting their daily dose of delicious apple pie.
Favourite local spots
Hilversum's center and lifeblood restaurant. Always vibey and a great place to sit outside on a sunny day or on a Saturday when the market is in place. Serves all types of food.
43 locals recommend
Foodhall Mout
1 MarktpleinHilversum's center and lifeblood restaurant. Always vibey and a great place to sit outside on a sunny day or on a Saturday when the market is in place. Serves all types of food.
Wednesdays and Saturdays this place is bustling. Come here to get your cheeses, mix with the locals, sample some of the Dutch favourites such as fresh haring, pom frittes met mayo and hot off the griddle stroopwafels. Many Hilversummers only buy their produce from this market.
9 locals recommend
Market area Hilversum
14 LanggewenstWednesdays and Saturdays this place is bustling. Come here to get your cheeses, mix with the locals, sample some of the Dutch favourites such as fresh haring, pom frittes met mayo and hot off the griddle stroopwafels. Many Hilversummers only buy their produce from this market.
Its a ten minute walk from the carpark but once you're there, its a beautiful swimming area with cool, deep water. Lovely for a sunset picnic.
7 locals recommend
Spiegel- en Blijkpolderplas
Its a ten minute walk from the carpark but once you're there, its a beautiful swimming area with cool, deep water. Lovely for a sunset picnic.
Great spot to hire an electric sloop, a small sailboat, canoe or SUP. Also, if you continue two minutes past Ottenhome, you come to a grassed beach on the water with a dedicated swimming area. Another favourite for a late summer picnic.
23 locals recommend
Ottenhome
20 ZuweGreat spot to hire an electric sloop, a small sailboat, canoe or SUP. Also, if you continue two minutes past Ottenhome, you come to a grassed beach on the water with a dedicated swimming area. Another favourite for a late summer picnic.
Just 20 minutes away by bike is one of the best tree climbing places in Europe. Built completely in the forest, using only nature's trees, you can spend 3 hours climbing on a range of routes, depending on your adventure level. Great for a family outing and why not top it off with a picnic under the trees afterwards. Important to book beforehand.
https://klimbos.nl/tickets/gooi-eemland/
18 locals recommend
Klimbos Gooi Eemland
9 Hoge VuursewegJust 20 minutes away by bike is one of the best tree climbing places in Europe. Built completely in the forest, using only nature's trees, you can spend 3 hours climbing on a range of routes, depending on your adventure level. Great for a family outing and why not top it off with a picnic under the trees afterwards. Important to book beforehand.
https://klimbos.nl/tickets/gooi-eemland/
Great tapas and on a sunny day the terrace is filled with sunloving guests.
13 locals recommend
VIDA Hilversum
7 NaarderstraatGreat tapas and on a sunny day the terrace is filled with sunloving guests.
Elegant and vibey, this is a great spot for a drink and dinner. An easy bike from our home
17 locals recommend
Brasserie Meddens B.V.
112 KerkstraatElegant and vibey, this is a great spot for a drink and dinner. An easy bike from our home
This is an original brown cafe. Open early for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s a great place to start a quiet morning, stay longer to read the paper or to play a round of chess
Café & Restaurant De Eendracht Hilversum
This is an original brown cafe. Open early for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s a great place to start a quiet morning, stay longer to read the paper or to play a round of chess
Over 45km of mountain biking through a gorgeous forest. Bike rental available in Lagse Vuursche, a 15 min bike ride away or ten min by car.
MTB-Rental.com | Mountainbike verhuur Lage Vuursche
Over 45km of mountain biking through a gorgeous forest. Bike rental available in Lagse Vuursche, a 15 min bike ride away or ten min by car.
Fietsenmaker Bussum (station)
Normal bikes for hire, directly at Bussum station. 10Euros/day
Van Beek Tweewielers
Make sure you book ahead for a regular bike.
Sightseeing
Fantastic for kids and adults. A real walking history of aviation, you get to go inside aeroplanes from all ages, hands on experience at landing a plane as well.
32 locals recommend
Luchtvaartmuseum Aviodrome
50 PelikaanwegFantastic for kids and adults. A real walking history of aviation, you get to go inside aeroplanes from all ages, hands on experience at landing a plane as well.
Fantastic day out for kids. A place where touching and feeling is encouraged, you can easily spend hours here. There is also a great deck to eat your packed lunch on whilst overlooking Amsterdam.
603 locals recommend
NEMO Science Center
2 OosterdokFantastic day out for kids. A place where touching and feeling is encouraged, you can easily spend hours here. There is also a great deck to eat your packed lunch on whilst overlooking Amsterdam.
https://www.kaasmarkt.nl/en
One of the oldest cheese markets in the world, its been in existence since the 1600's. Visit on a Saturday to see the opening of the market, the weighing of the cheeses and how the cheese handlers transport their goods. Combine it with lunch on one of the canals, a perfect day out.
Holland Cheesemarkets B.V.
46 Jan Steenstraathttps://www.kaasmarkt.nl/en
One of the oldest cheese markets in the world, its been in existence since the 1600's. Visit on a Saturday to see the opening of the market, the weighing of the cheeses and how the cheese handlers transport their goods. Combine it with lunch on one of the canals, a perfect day out.
Keukenhof
166A StationswegFor those who love flowers, it doesn't get much better than this!
An easy train ride from Hilversum, this is fast replacing Amstedam as the No.1 city to visit. Described as a city that has everything, there are museums, canals, beaches and great shops to explore.
372 locals recommend
Haarlem
An easy train ride from Hilversum, this is fast replacing Amstedam as the No.1 city to visit. Described as a city that has everything, there are museums, canals, beaches and great shops to explore.
Neighborhoods
An area on a lake but also characterised by green, small windy streets and lots of fingers of water in between. Its loaded with cafes and bars on the water, a great area to explore by boat, bike or SUP.
28 locals recommend
Loosdrecht
An area on a lake but also characterised by green, small windy streets and lots of fingers of water in between. Its loaded with cafes and bars on the water, a great area to explore by boat, bike or SUP.
The Hilversum area has a series of connected mountain bike trail. Spend half a day under the canopies of trees exploring the many trails available. Mountain bike rental is available and is a 20 minute bike ride from the house to the beginning of the trail.
https://www.mtb-rental.com/
58 locals recommend
Lage Vuursche
Hoge VuursewegThe Hilversum area has a series of connected mountain bike trail. Spend half a day under the canopies of trees exploring the many trails available. Mountain bike rental is available and is a 20 minute bike ride from the house to the beginning of the trail.
https://www.mtb-rental.com/
City/town information
Just a 25 minute direct train ride away from Hilversum, its an easy in and out. Where to being with all the sights - Van Gogh Museum, Rijks Musuem, Jewish Reistance Museum, hidden churches, Free Walking Tours, Canal Tours, Memo for the kids - in short, A LOT!
25 locals recommend
Amsterdam Centraal railway station
StationspleinJust a 25 minute direct train ride away from Hilversum, its an easy in and out. Where to being with all the sights - Van Gogh Museum, Rijks Musuem, Jewish Reistance Museum, hidden churches, Free Walking Tours, Canal Tours, Memo for the kids - in short, A LOT!
City advice
Getting around
Parking
Download ParkMobile app for easy parking all over the Netherlands. Pay per minute with no cash needed.
Book before you go
The Van Gogh Museum
Book in advance to ensure your slot
Book before you go
Rembrandt van Rijn Museum Amsterdam
https://tickets.rembrandthuis.nl/en/tickets
Booking not required but helpful to ensure you don't have to wait in line.
Getting around
Knooppunt app.
Be sure to download the app for biking to nearby towns. Hilversum is perfectly located amongst many scenic towns and forest land. Plan a circular route, the options are endless from Laren, Bilthoven, Nederberg van Borst, Martindijk - you can even bike to Amsterdam via one of these beautiful routes.
Don't miss
The Wednesday and Saturday market in Hilversum
Always bustling, come sample some of the Nethelands best. From fresh haring (fish) to stroopwaffels or a variety of cheeses - its a treat!
Don't miss
Renting a SUP
There are so many places around to dip a SUP into and explore the area. Pick a nature reserve or the locals backyards, there are so many options, all within an easy 5-10 minutes of the house.
Getting around
Rent a bike
There is no easier way to get around and it makes you feel immediately like a local. Take time to learn the basic bike rules and then begin exploring many of the areas by bike. Its a bikers world in the Netherlands!!
Getting around
Getting around Hilversum
The best way to get from A to B in Hilversum and the surrounds is by bike. 8 min cycle from the home are two train stations and from there direct trains to the airport or to Amsterdam, Utrecht, Haarlem and Schiphol airport. If biking is not an option, the bus is also readily available. Buy your ticket ahead of time otherwise it’s quite pricy.