Arnhem

History

Though the early tracks of settlements showed that the early residents of Arnhem descended from the forests on the hills, Arnhem was not built on the banks of the river Rhine, but a little higher along the Sint-Jansbeek. Arnhem arose on the location where the road between Nijmegen and Utrecht/Zutphen split. Seven streams provided the city with water, and only when the flow of the Rhine was changed in 1530, was the city located on the river.
in 1543, it fell to the emperor Charles V. As capital of the so-called "Kwartier van Veluwe" it joined the Union of Utrecht during the Eighty Years War in 1579. After its capture from the Spanish forces by Dutch and English troops in 1585 the city became part of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces of the Netherlands.
The French occupied the town from 1672 to 1674, and preoccupied it from 1795 to 1813.
In the 19th century, Arnhem was a genteel resort town famous for its picturesque beauty. It was known as "The Little Hague of the East", mainly because a number of rich former sugar barons or planters from the Indies settled there, as they did in The Hague.
In the World War II, during Operation Market Garden, the British 1st Airborne Division were given the task of securing the bridge at Arnhem. A second battle of Arnhem took place in April 1945 when the city was liberated by the British 49th Infantry Division fighting as part of the First Canadian Army.

By car

Arnhem is connected with multiple highways.
A12 : (west-east) The road connects the city of The Hague, with the German border, connecting to the German Autobahn A3.
A50 : (north-south) Is a highway in the Netherlands, stretching from Eindhoven in the southeast up to Zwolle in the northeast of the country.
A325 : The highway between Arnhem and Nijmegen

By train

Arnhem has four train stations to its name: is the main station of Arnhem, opened in May 1845. The station, which with 40,000 passengers per day is the ninth busiest station of the Netherlands, has two exits, one of which, Sonsbeekzijde, is on the west side of the train station, and can be identified as the elevated walkway across the tracks. As the exit's name implied, it is closest to Park Sonsbeek. The city side exit is found on the east side, and has escalators and steps going down. Here you're find on-the-go shops, though these are quite expensive compared to their counterparts outside of the station. The city centre is a few minutes away by foot. Optionally, you could take a (trolley) bus from the bus station, which is incorporated into the train station. It too can be found on the city side of the station. Arnhem Centraal is on the Amsterdam — Frankfurt am Main InterCity Express (ICE) line, as well as an international stopping train to Dusseldorf (RE 19) serviced by Abellio. Sprinters, Intercity's connect to 's-Hertogenbosch, Utrecht, Amsterdam, Schiphol, Ede-Wageningen, Wijchen, Zutphen and many more. Stoptreinen serviced by Arriva and Breng will get you to Doetinchem, Winterswijk or Tiel.
The other three stations in Arnhem which connect to more urban areas of the city, are:

• , on the south bank of the river Rhine,
• , near the shopping centre of the same name; and
• , near the Steenstraat and the Klarendal Fashion Quarter.

By plane

Arnhem is near several airports:
Amsterdam-Schiphol airport (AMS), The largest airport in the Netherlands, and the fifth largest in Europe. 110 km to the northwest. Train takes about 75 min, and will cost €17.70 one way. Schiphol airport gets served by most major carriers, and has an excess of 100 flights per day to the United States alone.
By car: Take the A12 to Utrecht, Then heading to Amsterdam via A2 and then A9 to Schiphol Airport. Expect this to take anywhere from 60–75 minutes in regular traffic.
Weeze Airport (NRN), 80 km southeast of Arnhem just across the border with Germany, near the village of Weeze (Germany). Although Ryanair (the biggest airline serving the airport) and the airport advertise with the name Düsseldorf-Weeze, the airport isn't near Düsseldorf. The city of Düsseldorf is 80 km to the southeast of the airport. Weeze serves over 50 destinations across Europe, Northern Africa and Western Asia.
The only direct public transportation from Weeze to Arnhem is a taxivan costing €16 euro one-way, and you will have to make a reservation beforehand. For timetabling see the taxivan's website. Journey time will be about 70 minutes. Pick-up and drop-off in Arnhem will be at the Gelredome Stadium/McDonald's. If your plane lands shortly before the bus is scheduled to leave give them a quick call on the tarmac and they will wait for you.
Otherwise, the more adventurous can take a bus from Weeze to Kleve, then a train to Nijmegen, where you can catch a connecting train to Arnhem. This journey can take between 2.5 and 3 hours.
Eindhoven Airport (EIN), 85 km to the southwest of Arnhem. From the airport you take bus 401 to Eindhoven Central Station and then a train to 's Hertogenbosch (which is the same as Den Bosch). In 's Hertogenbosch, change trains and take the train to Arnhem. This journey will take you approximately 100 minutes by public transportation.
When driving, take the A50, (Zwolle-Eindhoven) which skirts the west of the metropolitan area to the Eindhoven ring road (A58/A2) Airport exit is exit 29 on the A2.
Flughafen Düsseldorf (DUS), about one-third the size of Amsterdam-Schiphol, but with plenty of international connections, including to the USA, and gets served by all the major airlines in Europe. Although it doesn't get nearly as many flights as Amsterdam does, it's cheaper, doesn't have nearly as many congestion problems, and generally much less hassle at the airport.
From Arnhem's main train station you can take the ICE train to Düsseldorf Hbf, where you can take S1 to Flughafen terminal. The train to Düsseldorf Hbf will take around 70 minutes.

By bicycle

Arnhem is on EuroVelo 15 and LF-3.
For information on the adjacent German section, see Rhine Rad Weg.

By bus

Arnhem is the only city in the Netherlands that uses trolleybuses as a means for public transportation. The bus station is next to the train station in the city centre. There is a fast and frequent trolleybus network. From here you also can take a local bus or buses to cities as Apeldoorn (bus 91 and 231) and Nijmegen (331 stops only on the main stopping places, also 33 but he takes a longer route). Timetables and prices can be found here.

By bicycle

There is a bike rental at the Stationsplein (Station square) next to the exit of the Station. (Tel. +31 26 4421782) The rate per day is €5.20, per week (5 days or longer) it's €21.
At the bike rental a deposit of €25 per bicycle is required. Payment by credit card is accepted. It is possible to take out a bicycle insurance. The premium amounts to €0.50 a day per bike. The deposit amount is doubled when a bicycle insurance is not taken out.

By taxi

There are several taxi services in Arnhem. The most common service is Taxi Arnhem, they can be reached 24/7 at +31 26 260 26 26. You can also arrange for the taxi to pick you up from Schiphol Airport or Eindhoven Airport.
Taxis can be found waiting near Arnhem Central Station. Taxi drivers in Arnhem do not use Uber, Lyft, or a similar service, so you have to phone a taxi to book one.

By car

There are several car rentals in Arnhem:

• Europcar, Boulevard Heuvelink 5. +31 26 445 3701
• Hertz, Bergstraat 2. +31 26 351 3222
• KAV, Stieltjesweg 17. +31 26 351 5819

Points of interest

• De Gruyterpassage

  address: Roggestraat 43
  De Gruyterpassage is a covered, 75-metre-long pedestrian passage built in 1916 in the Art-Nouveau style. It was originally used as a grocery store until about 1980. In 2006, after restoration, the passage reopened as part of a shopping complex.

• Duivelshuis

  address: Koningstraat 38
  This 15th century house was once owned by Maarten van Rossem. Today it belongs to the city and is used as the mayor's office. Duivelshuis litterally means Devil's house owing its name to the satyrs on the front facade.

• John Frostbrug

  address: Nijmeegseweg
  This is a 1948 replica of the bridge made famous in the film A Bridge Too Far. John Frost was the commander of the unsuccessful British assault on the original bridge during the 1944 Battle of Arnhem. The original bridge was destroyed by an allied air raid after the battle to deny its use to German forces.

• Koepelkerk

  address: Jansplein 60
  This octagonal neo-classical church stands in the middle of Jansplein, a public square, and was built in 1837-1838. It is used today by the Reformed Church.

• KorenmarktKorenmarkt (literally: corn market) is a small, attractive city square lined with sidewalk cafés.

• Postamt

  address: Jansplein 56
  The former post office is in a Neo-Gothic building built from 1888 to 1890.

• Sabelspoort

  address: Eusebiusplein
  This Baroque-style city gate was built in 1642 and is the only surviver of four original city gates.

• Sint-Eusebiuskerk

  phone: +31 26 4435068
  address: Kerkplein 1
  This medieval church has high towers equipped with a glass elevator and a panoramic viewing platform. The church hall is closed due to renovations until September 2019, but the towers remain open.

• Sint-Petersgasthuis

  address: Rijnstraat 71
  Sint-Petersgasthuis (Saint Peters guest house) was built around 1354 to provide overnight accommodation for homeless people. The brick building has two bartizans (castle-like turrets) and a statue of saint Peter at the top of the façade.

• Stadswaag

  address: Markt 38
  The city scale (stadswaag) building dates from 1761-1768 and is constructed of brick with natural stone with decorative parts. Today a restaurant occupies the building.

• Synagoge

  address: Pastoorstraat 17a
  The Arnhem Sjoel was built from 1852 to 1853 in an eclectic style, mainly a fusion of neoclassicism and neo-Gothic. It was restored from 2001 to 2003 and still serves as a place of worship for the Jewish community of Arnhem.

• Walburgis

  address: Sint Walburgisplein 1
  Saint Walpurga Church is the oldest church existing in Arnhem today. It was built in the 14th century and restored in the mid-19th century. During World War II, it was gutted by fire; after which the church was rebuilt and expanded. Today, known as the Walburgis, it serves no religious functions, but is used as a venue for expositions and concerts.

• Waterval Jansbeek

  address: Rijnkade, 6811
  This small water feature lies along the riverside Rijnkade (Rhine quay) promenade. An old wharf-side crane is on display between the water feature and the John Frost Bridge.

• Wall of Fame

  address: Boterdijk
  Along the Boterdijk you can see a lot of legally-placed graffiti.

Zoo

• Burgers' Zoo

  phone: +31 26 442-4534
  address: Antoon van Hooffplein 1
  A large zoo showcasing animals in their original habitats. The zoo is divided into several different areas, including Desert, Ocean, Mangrove and Safari.

Museums

• Airborne Museum Hartenstein

  address: Utrechtseweg 232
  A museum dedicated to the Battle of Arnhem, fought in September 1944. During the battle the building was the headquarters of the British forces fighting in and around Oosterbeek and Arnhem. The Museum shows a diverse and extensive collection of original weapons, uniforms and equipment alongside interviews, pictures and videos about the battle. In addition to this collection, the museum has an award-winning Airborne Experience exhibition, that depicts the area as it appeared during the battle. The museum also describes the German and civilian perspectives of the battle. Near the museum, there is also the Airborne War Cemetery. It was established in 1945 and is home to 1759 graves from the Second World War. Soldiers of several nationalities are buried here, including British, Polish, Canadian, Dutch, Australian and New Zealanders.

• Airborne at the Bridge

  address: Rijnkade 150
  This is an information centre with display panels and audio/video presentations about the Battle of Arnhem. Large windows at the centre overlook the river and the John Frost Bridge, the objective of the battle. There are staff present to answer questions. The centre is a branch of the Airborne Museum Hartenstein in Oosterbeek.

• Historische Kelders

  address: Oude Oeverstraat 4
  39 interconnected cellars from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries are preserved and restored under the shopping streets of Arnhem.

• Molen De Kroon

  address: Klarendalseweg 82
  Windmill De Kroon was built in 1870 and still is in working order. It is designated as a Rijksmonument.

• Molenplaats Sonsbeek

  address: Zijpendaalseweg 24A
  The water mill produces organic flour and the mill barn sells its products plus baked goods.

• Museum voor Moderne Kunst

  phone: +31 26 442-3164
  address: Utrechtseweg 87
  A small modern art gallery specialised in Dutch artists.

• Nederlands Openluchtmuseum

  phone: +31 26 357-6111
  address: Schelmseweg 89
  A large outdoor museum featuring windmills and many other heritage buildings. It reflects old as well as more recent Dutch traditions. In the museum you can buy a lot of traditionally made goods, ranging from food, to drinks to paper to other goods. A tram line circles the park running vintage trams on a fairly frequent basis connecting various clusters of heritage buildings.

• Nederlands Wijnmuseum

  phone: +31 26 445-5912
  address: Velperweg 23
  A museum showcasing everything related to making wine.

• Trolley Bus Museum

  address: Remisestraat 4
  Besides many photos of Arnhem's tram, trolley and diesel buses, the museum also features numerous items of public transit paraphernalia mostly in display cases. The museum also has a working trolley bus switch mounted on the ceiling of one of the rooms. The museum's owner may guide you through the rooms.

• Water Museum

  address: Zijpendaalseweg 26-28
  Interactive and educational museum about water. Make a trip through a sewer or learn about dikes and how water is used all over the world.

Events

• The Living Statues exhibition is one of the great summer attractions for the city, with around 250 competitors from around the world. The event takes place during the last weekend of August and dates back to 1996. On Saturday the catwalks belong to child performers, whilst adult actors perform on Sunday afternoon.
• The Airborne March is an annual Dutch commemorative event of remembrance that began in 1947 and takes place on the first Saturday in September in Oosterbeek near Arnhem. Over 34,000 people took part in the 65th march in 2011.
• The Gelredome is a stadium home to Arnhem's football club Vitesse. The premises are also used for various concerts and event, such as the annual monster truck show Monster Jam. The Gelredome is accessible in a few minutes from the central station and the city centre by busline 7.
• King's Day (formerly Queen's Day) is a national holiday celebrated on 27 April. Festivities will be held in the city center.
• Other national holidays, such as Sinterklaas and Carnival, are also celebrated publicly with events and parades throughout the city.

Leisure & sports

Cinemas

• Pathé Arnhem

  address: Oude Stationsstraat 20

• Vue Arnhem

  phone: +31 263 514 514
  address: Hoogstraat 10

• Focus Filmtheater Arnhem

  phone: +31 264 424 283
  address: Audrey Hepburnplein 1
  At the Korenmarkt in the middle of the square, surrounded by cafes and bars. Here you find a bigger offer of all kind of movies.

Sports

• De Grote Koppel

  phone: +31 263 210 254
  address: Olympus 29
  Swimming pool in Vredenburg in southern Arnhem. Apart from a swimming pool, De Grote Koppel also offers squash and in-door skiing.

• Valkenhuizen

  phone: +31 264 428 218
  address: Beukenlaan 23
  Public swimming pool in northern Arnhem.

• Klarenbeek

  phone: +31 264 460 370
  address: Hommelseweg 536
  Open air swimming pool in Park Klarenbeek.

• Golfbaan Welderen

  phone: +31 481 376 591
  address: Grote Molenstraat 173

• House of Billiards

  phone: +31 26 446 4466
  address: Jansplaats 24-2,
  Pool hall with pool and snooker tables. You can also play carambole and darts. Serves beer.

Parks

• National Park de Hoge VeluweNorth of the city, the Hoge Veluwe National Park is the largest actively managed conservation area in private hands in the Netherlands. You can cycle to the park from Arnhem and back if you start early in the morning. If you go there by car or public transit, you can use the bicycles provided for free at the entry gates.

• Park Sonsbeek

  phone: +31 264 450 660
  address: Zijpendaalseweg 24A
  Expansive parkland & gardens with 18th-century mansion, fountains & a water mill, plus tea house. Sonsbeek is often home to public art exposures, and is by far the best-reached and most-used park of Arnhem.

• Park Zypendaal

  phone: +31 263 644 645
  address: Zijpendaalseweg 44
  Directly north of Sonsbeek, Zypendaal is a less-used park with features like Sonsbeek, but lacking the public art. The park, however, contains ten Rijksmonumenten, or recognised monuments varying from the entry gates to the 18th-century estate.

• Stadsblokken-MeinerswijkAt the southern part of the river Rhine, west of the Nelson Mandela Bridge. A pleasant area to walk, bike and relax. Wild Horses and walk freely in this area.

• Park de Steenen Kamer and Westerveld

  address: Drielsedijk 13A
  Two parks within walking distance of each other, directly south of Meinerswijk en de Praets. They are separated by a road.

• Immerloo Park

  address: Appelschahof
  Built in the 1970s, Immerloo is a spacious park in southern Arnhem bordering Huissen. The park is spacious, hosting several events, mostly in the summertime.

• Park Klarenbeek

  address: NL-6822 Arnhem
  In the north of Arnhem, Klarenbeek is a quiet park with a forested and open area. The first of which sees a lot of change in elevation.

• Park Presikhaaf

  address: NL-6826 Arnhem
  Opposite the mall of the same name, Presikhaaf is a park mostly used by students of the University of Applied Sciences HAN, which borders the park to the north.

• Park Angerenstein

  address: near Velperweg 137
  A ten-minute walk from Presikhaaf Station, Angerenstein is the source of the Julianabeek. The park used to house a monastery, but nowadays only has a 17th-century estate along with its property. The park is free to visit, with the landscape around it having been revitalised in 2004/2005.

• Rijkerswoerdse Plassen and Jubileum ParkSouth of the city, bordering Elst, the Rijkerswoerdse Plassen are a summer hotspot. The park features two large artificial lakes created in the 1980s, one of which has a beach, which see a lot of use during summer, whether that be for swimming or water sports.

The city center in Arnhem has four major shopping areas, that are connected with each other. They are the Roggestraat, Ketelstraat, Vijzelstraat, Rijnstraat. It's a pedestrian zone and has a length of approximately 1,5 km. These streets are paved with shops and boutiques, and form Arnhems main shopping area.
Just outside the city center near the Arnhem Velperpoort train station is the Steenstraat, a well-known shopping street.

Indoor Shopping Centers

• Winkelcentrum Kronenburg

  address: Kronenburgpassage 101
  A large indoor shopping center that offers free parking. It houses a wide variety of shops, catering and supermarkets.

• Winkelcentrum Presikhaaf

  address: Hanzestraat 157
  An indoor shopping center housing numerous shops and cafés.

Typical to Arnhem are the Arnhemse meisjes ('Arnhem girls'), a local type cookie. You can also enjoy a wide variety of traditional Dutch treats, such as stroopwafels, at many vendors and stores in Arnhem's city center. There's a wide variety of restaurants, especially in and near the city center, but also in the Kronenburg shopping center.

High-End

• De Steenen Tafel

  phone: +31 26 443 5313
  address: Weg achter Het Bos 1
  Exquisitely located restaurant ideal for high-class dining.

• Iveau Burgers & Wijnbar

  phone: +31 26 379 6825
  address: Kleine Oord 78
  Hamburger and wine bar; three time winner of the Horecava Tastiest Hamburger in the Netherlands competition.

• Bizar Bazar

  phone: +31 26 214 8800
  address: Ingenieur J.P. van Muijlwijkstraat 19a
  Inside a former church is this unusual, trendy and quirky restaurant where you can dine amidst old church furniture and a large mural of nude women. The food is middle-eastern/northern-African, and it also houses a bar and a hotel.

• La Rusticana

  phone: +31 26 351 5607
  address: Bakkerstraat 58
  An acclaimed Italian restaurant in the city center. What's best about this restaurant is the food: delicious pastas and a mouthwatering funghi trifolati, all made with quality ingredients. It's an all-round quality restaurant with a professional staff and authentic appearance. Ask for the sorbet ice cream as dessert.

• Restaurant Valkenburg

  phone: +31 26 361 52 00
  address: Westervoortsedijk 89
  Located along the river side, this place is half built on the water. It's rather vintage in terms of decoration but is widely praised for its excellent food.

Japanese

• Xu-Xi

  phone: +31 6 41480807
  address: Nieuwstad 16
  A go-to place for sushi. The restaurant may not be the coziest one in town, but the food makes locals come back time and again. They do take-away too, but no delivery.

• Miyagi & Jones

  phone: +31 26 303 4888
  address: Ingenieur J.P. van Muijlwijkstraat 23
  Japanese fusion restaurant.

• Sushi Koi

  phone: +31 26 351 3523
  address: Gele Rijders Plein 2
  All you can eat Japanese restaurant.

• Set For Wish

  phone: +31 26 820 0375
  address: Looierstraat 1-A
  Fully Japanese-themed ramen shop playing Japanese music and anime soundtracks. Also serves don and vegetarian options.

Italian

• Happy Italy

  phone: +31 26 744 0251
  address: Oude Stationsstraat 14
  Inexpensive Italian restaurant.

• Pizzeria Donatellos

  phone: +31 26 443 7444
  address: Jansplein 50
  Inexpensive Italian restaurant with typical Italian decor.

Vegan and Vegetarian

• KONIJNENVOER

  phone: +31 6 81026579
  address: Oude Kraan 72
  Vegetarian and vegan restaurant, with its name humorously translating to "Rabbit's Food".

Other

• Popocatepetl

  address: Gele Rijders Plein 39
  Mexican restaurant.

• La Cubanita

  address: Pauwstraat 11
  Cuban-themed tapas restaurant.

• STAN&CO

  phone: +31 26 720 0807
  address: Willemsplein 46
  Restaurant that also serves cocktails.

For Arnhem's nightlife visit one of the many pubs, clubs and bars on and near the Korenmarkt, including The Cavern, Bloopers, Jules, Aspen Valley, The Manhattan and The Move. The nightlife in Arnhem is predominantly active on weekends after midnight; on weekdays or before 12 on weekends you can expect to find most clubs mostly empty.

Cafes

• Mams Coffee & More

  phone: +31 26 382 8307
  address: Willemsplein 45
  Cosy place serving a large selection of excellent coffees, teas and cakes.

Pubs

• Mick O'Connells

  phone: +31 26 202 0258
  address: Jansplein 56
  An Irish Pub with a selection of Irish and domestic beers, pool tables and a couple of board and card games. Also hosts an indoor smoking area.

Bars

• 't Taphuys

  phone: +31 26 202 0258
  address: Jansplein 56
  Located inside the old post office is a unique type of bar where you can draft your own drinks from a selection of over 100 types of beer and 80 types of wine.

• 't Moortgat

  phone: +31 26 445 0393
  address: Ruiterstraat 35
  Cosy and casual bar with a large selection of craft beers.

• Café Vrijdag

  address: Velperbuitensingel 21a
  It's a simple but cosy bar. They serve good wine that goes well with the basket of bread with a variety of dips.

• De Beugel

  phone: +31 26 351 9440
  address: Duizelsteeg 20
  A cosy bruine kroeg (brown bar) serving Grolsch Beugels (a type of beer bottle), as well as several craft beers, single-malt whiskeys and food options.

• Babo

  phone: +31 26 443 4604
  address: Bovenbeekstraat 28
  Another place to enjoy wine, coffee and food. Everything is made or chosen for taste and quality. Pies and food are made by the staff.

• nJoy

  phone: +31 26 370 7240
  address: Bovenbeekstraat 5

Clubs

• Brigant

  phone: +31 26 848 2982
  address: Apeldoornsestraat 4a
  An alternative nightclub, frequently hosting events and live shows for electronic, metal, hip-hop and punk music.

• Stayokay

  address: Diepenbrocklaan 27
  A hostel in the north of Arnhem. It's near the hospital Rijnstate on a main bus route from the central station.

• Hotel Haarhuis

  address: Stationsplein 1
  A 4-star hotel opposite to the central station.

• Hotel Arnhem Centraal

  address: Willemsplein 18
  Near the city centre. It houses a Greek buffet restaurant (€19).

• Hotel van der Valk

  address: Amsterdamseweg 505

• Hotel Landgoed Groot Warnsborn

  phone: +31 26 44 557 51
  address: Bakenbergseweg 277
  Elegant country-park hotel on the outskirts of Arnhem surrounded by 750 hectares of woodland.

• NH Rijnhotel

  address: Onderlangs, 10
  Located on the River Rhine, this hotel offers 68 guest rooms with stunning views and many tourist attractions within a short distance.
• Hotel de Bilderberg, Oosterbeek

Camping

• Camping Warnsborn

  phone: +31 264 42 34 69
  address: Bakenbergseweg 257, 6816 PB Arnhem
  Has a recreation room with socket available (fir e.g. charging phones), seats and table. Wi-Fi available with extra charge. Separate field for “hiker &biker” though that seems to mean just with a tent.

From Arnhem, the Hoge Veluwe National Park and Veluwezoom National Park are just a hop away to the north. There are accommodations for the parks in the towns and cities surrounding it.
Arnhem and Nijmegen have very close ties, as a result, travelling from Arnhem to Nijmegen can be done witch ease, whether you're travelling by car (via A325) or train (direct line).