Harderwijk

Harderwijk, like many of the Dutch cities, was founded during medieval times. The city is known to have been fortified with a wall by the end of the 13th century. The century after, the city started expanding southward. During this time the Grote Kerk (Great Church) was constructed as well. A second medieval expansion took place around 1425, this time expanding to the north.
The city had its own university since 1648. The most important person to attend this university has been Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist Carl Linnaeus. The university, along with the universities of Zutphen and Franeker were abolished by Napoleon in 1811.
Harderwijk, like nearby Elburg, was a member of the Hanseatic League. The Southern Sea, not yet disconnected from the sea by the Afsluitdijk and not yet reclaimed by man to create Flevoland and the Noordoostpolder, meant that Harderwijk was a coastal town with easy connections to the outside. The once flourishing fishers harbour is no longer home to tens of fishing boats, but instead offers docking space for yachts.
Nowadays, Harderwijk is most known for the Dolfinarium, the largest marine mammal park of the Netherlands. The park has, as the name implies, dolphin shows and many other fishes and marine mammals.

• VVV Harderwijk

  phone: +31 341 820 224
  address: Academiestraat 5

By train

Harderwijk has a single train station, which is serviced by the Nederlanse Spoorwegen. The station, , is located at a 15 minute walk from the medieval city. Follow the Stationslaan to get to the city directly.

By car

Harderwijk is located along the A28 (E232). To get to the city, get to either Utrecht or Zwolle and head for the one of the two that you're not in. Confusingly, the two exits that serve Harderwijk aren't named after the city. Instead they are named after nearby Ermelo and Lelystad (exits 12 and 13 respectively). As soon as you leave the highway, you will see Harderwijk. To get to the city centre, follow the Oranjelaan followed by Westeinde when coming from exit 12, and follow the Hoofdweg and Selhorstweg when coming from exit 13.

• Dolfinarium

  phone: +31 341 467 467
  address: Strandboulevard Oost 1, NL-3841 AB Harderwijk
  The Dolfinarium is the largest marine mammal park of Europe and is a must-see when visiting Harderwijk.

• Stadsmuseum Harderwijk

  phone: +31 341 414 468
  address: Donkerstraat 4, NL-3841 CC Harderwijk

• Grote Kerk

  address: Kerkplein 1, NL-3841 EC Harderwijk

• Vischpoort

  address: Vischmarkt 2, NL-3841 BE Harderwijk
  The only remaining medieval gate of Harderwijk

• Boat rental

  phone: +31 647 004 885
  address: Strandboulevard Oost 3, NL-3841 AB Harderwijk
  The best way to explore the randmeren, the lakes in the former Zuiderzee between the Dutch mainland and Flevoland, is by boat. This company offers luxurious boats which can be driven without having the proper paperwork. Routes to follow are given. Three sorts of boats are available: Motorboats, console boats and aluminium dinghies.

About every restaurant in Harderwijk can be found in the city centre.

• De Admiraal

  phone: +31 341 421 446
  address: Strandboulevard West 16, NL-3841 CS Harderwijk

• Brasserie de Bank

  phone: +31 341 472 582
  address: Smeepoortstraat 1, NL-3841 EG Harderwijk

• Basiliek

  phone: +31 341 415 290
  address: Vischmarkt 57, NL-3841 BE Harderwijk

• De Dolle Griet

  phone: +31 341 430 101
  address: Bruggestraat 22, NL-3841 CP Harderwijk

• The Lotus Lounge

  phone: +31 341 413 550
  address: Hondegatstraat 6, NL-3841 CG Harderwijk

• Bistro Mama's Vollen Pot

  phone: +31 341 410 041
  address: Vijhestraat 1, NL-3841 CW Harderwijk

• Bistro Vischmarkt 49

  phone: +31 341 769 135
  address: Vischmarkt 49, 3841 BE Harderwijk

• Allure Lounge and Dinner

  phone: +31 341 412 058
  address: Strandboulevard West 2, NL-3841 CS Harderwijk

• Best Western Hotel Baars

  phone: +31 341 412 007
  address: Smeepoortstraat 52, NL-3841 EJ Harderwijk
  Four-star hotel in-between the Muntplein and Grote Kerk/Kerkplein.

• Marktzicht

  phone: +31 341 413 032
  address: Markt 6, NL-3841 CE Harderwijk
  Three-star hotel in the middle of Harderwijk's historic city centre.

• Monopole

  phone: +31 341 412 104
  address: Buiten de Bruggepoort 3, NL-3841 CT Harderwijk
  Three-star hotel right by the boulevard along the Veluwemeer.

• Van Der Valk Harderwijk

  phone: +31 341 801 010
  address: Leuvenumseweg 7, NL-3847 LA Harderwijk
  Four-star hotel right by the A28.

Just a hop over the Veluwemeer brings you to Flevoland, the biggest polder ever created. Alternatively, you could move up a bit along the Veluwemeer, which would get you to Elburg, the only Dutch city that was fully rebuilt in medieval times to fit a grid pattern. Go to the south-east and you'll find yourself in the middle of the heavily forested Veluwe, one of the first nature reserves of the Netherlands. Other nearby cities include Hanzestad Zwolle, Apeldoorn, the city that isn't a city since it never got city rights, and Amersfoort, which like Harderwijk, is a medieval city with a historical city centre that has stood the test of time fairly well, surrounded by urbanised regions.