Grave

Grave, being a fortified city on the southern side of the river Meuse, has been the subject of many sieges. These sieges happened during the Eighty Years' War, when the city fell in 1586 and became a subject of Spain. The city then was sieged again, though this time by the Dutch in 1602, which ended up in a Dutch victory. Both in 1672 and 1674 the city was under siege, first resulting in French, and then in Dutch victories, only for the French to retake the city in 1794.
The city, having been around for a good eight hundred years, is filled with Rijksmonumenten (National monuments), roughly 43 per square kilometer (the city is about 3 square kilometer big).

• VVV Grave

  phone: +31 486 870 067
  address: Hoofdwagt 2

By car

From Utrecht

First, head to Nieuwegein via either the A2/E25 or A27/E311. At Knooppunt Everdingen, where both highways meet, turn onto the A2 if you're not on it yet, heading for 's Hertogenbosch. Having reached 's Hertogenbosch, turn onto the A59 at the second interchange that allows you to do so (Knooppunt Hintham), heading for nearby Oss. Use exit 53 (Oss Oost) and turn onto the N324. Grave should be signposted from here on out, but reaching the city is as simple as following the N324 for a dozen of kilometers.

From Venlo

From Venlo, first turn onto the A73, heading for Nijmegen. Use exit 4 (Cuijk), and turn onto the N321, driving away from the city. The last nine kilometers to Grave are straightforward, following the N321 until it terminates in Grave. These last kilometers are signposted.

By public transit

Grave does not have a connection to the outside world via rail, but the city is connected via bus, connecting to Nijmegen (9), 's Hertogenbosch/Den Bosch (90), Gennep (92), Uden (99) and Boxmeer (238). Out of this lot Nijmegen is the easiest when visiting Grave via rail, as the city is the closest from this lot. If you're on the line between 's Hertogenbosch and Nijmegen, then either use bus line 90 or the train to Nijmegen to get to Grave. In the latter case, however, get of the train at Wijchen, and then take bus line 99 heading for Uden. This line crosses through Grave.

• Gemaal van Sasse

  address: Mars en Wijthdijk 1
  The first electrical pumping station of the region, built in 1928.
• The old city

• Het ArsenaalThe armory of the city, built where once the castle of Grave stood. After most of the fortifications were demolished in 1876, the Arsenaal too got a new function, namely that of Rijkspsychiatrische Inrichting (Mental hospital) which was housed there until 1993. Dutch designer Jan des Bouvrie has a rather unsuccessful designers centre in the building until 2006. Parts of the building can nowadays be rented out for events and congresses.

• Hampoort

  address: Sint Elisabethstraat 10
  One of the old city gates, dating back to 1688.

• Old city hall

  address: Hoofdwagt 1

Graafs Kazematten Museum

phone: +31 486 475 924

address: Mars en Wijthdijk

Museum that focuses on the defence of Grave. The museum consists of two parts, Kazematten North houses the exhibition about mobilisation and May of 1940 (i.e. the annexation of the Netherlands by Nazi Germany). Kazematten South focuses on the liberation of Grave (September 17th, 1944) and the retreat of the Nazi Germans.

Grave has a fair assortment of stored located within the old city walls, most of which can be found in the Hoofschestraat, Hofwagt and Rogstraat.

• Cafetaria Lepoutre

  phone: +31 486 473 132
  address: Elftweg 3

• Apollo

  phone: +31 486 422 589
  address: Sint Elisabethstraat 27

• Meneer Makropoulos

  phone: +31 486 474 150
  address: Hoofschestraat 13b

• Colori

  phone: +31 486 474 530
  address: Maasstraat 22

• D'n Eetkaemer

  phone: +31 486 420 816
  address: Maasstraat 16

• Steakhouse Don Kiesjot

  phone: +31 486 420 501
  address: Maasstraat 17

• Eetcafé de Maaspoort

  phone: +31 486 475 618
  address: Maasstraat 20, 5361 GG Grave

• Eten bij Tanja

  phone: +31 6 2513 6584
  address: Rogstraat 11, 5361 GP Grave

• Motel Koolen

  phone: +31 486 472 387
  address: Tolschestraat 1, Velp

More hotels, as well as campsites, can be found in nearby Wijchen, Oss or Cuijk.

• Wijchen
• Nijmegen lays claim to being the oldest city in the country, and this lively university city has the heritage to back it up.