Veere is a historic town in Zeeland in The Netherlands. I had never heard of Veere before until a friend of mine told me about this cute little town she used to go to with her parents and sisters when she was younger. She told me I needed to go there and I am happy I did!
Turns out it’s not that far from where I live!
Enjoy the view of Veere on top of ‘De Grote Kerk’ (Church)
You can’t miss the Grote Kerk (the Great/big Church). The reason why it’s called the Grote Kerk aka the Great/big Church is because at any place in Veere you can see the Church. At this Church they organize concerts (mostly classic music) and exhibitions. It is also possible to climb the tower which has an amazing view of Veere and its lake.
The Cisterne
If you don’t want to climb the tower it is also nice to walk the grounds of the Church. Here you will find the Cisterne.
The Cisterne is the only monument of this nature in the Netherlands. It was built in 1551 for the Scottish merchants to wash their wool. It is supplied with rainwater through the roof of the Grote Kerk. The well was in use until 1938! Until then the well was used as a water supply for the people of Veere.
Visit ‘De Schotse Huizen’ museum (The Scottish Houses museum)
In the 16th century Veere was once the centre of the profitable wool trade between Scotland and the Low Countries. There was even a Scottish colony established. Because of this Veere was an important city in the Dutch Republic. If you want to know more about the history you can go to the museum called ‘De Schotse Huizen’ (The Scottish houses). The museum tells the story of the long lasting trade relation between Scotland and the city of Veere. You can also still see a bit of Scottish thru out the town, including the town hall which you can visit as well.
Take a boat trip on the Veere Meer lake
When you are done walking around you can take a boat trip of 1 or 2 hours on the Veere Meer lake. This trip will take you pass the beautiful nature islands, let you see the wild horses on the waterfront and you can watch the boats and yachts at the marina.
Rent a bike and explore the city
If you don’t want to sit down and get some more exercise in, you can always rent a bike instead. But you can also do both!
Walk on the old city walls
Want to learn more about the history but also get some exercise done?! Then you should walk on the old city walls. Along the 1 kilometer walk there are various information boards with fragments from Veere’s history. If you get tired you can always rest on the benches along the way and enjoy the view.
Enjoy old Dutch sweets in Oma’s candy store
I just LOVE candy! If you do too, you should check out Oma’s snoepwinkel (Grandma’s candy store) and if you don’t you should check it out anyway!
In this little store you can find more than 101 different kinds of old fashion candy. Bringing back many memories.
Taste a famous pastry ‘Zeeuwse Bolus’
A must eat in Zeeland is the ‘Zeeuwse Bolus’. So Veere is the perfect place to taste one! The ‘Zeeuwse Bolus’ is a sticky pastry, it’s likened to a cinnamon roll bun but way better!
When you taste this delicious pastry and can’t get enough of it I recommend buying a bag and try to make it at home!
Shop and get lost in the little streets
When you are done exploring Veere you can check out the stores and when you are done shopping you can explore the streets as well.
Visit one of the towns nearby
You can combine Veere with other towns like Middelburg, Goes, Domburg, Westkapelle, Vlissingen and so on.
