At the Museonder, the discovery of De Hoge Veluwe National Park begins beneath the earth’s surface: the underground museum offers insights into living things from today and the past. This unusual perspective suits a region where nature and culture often sit side by side. Forests, heathland and drifting sands shape the landscape; museums and historic places offer other ways to explore its history.
From the Veluwe to the Achterhoek
Gelderland’s visitor regions include the Veluwe, the Achterhoek, the Betuwe, the Arnhem region and the Rijk van Nijmegen. The Veluwe encompasses extensive forests, heathland and drifting sands. In the Achterhoek, winding roads, hedgerows and hidden country estates give the landscape its character. Long cycling tours and regional produce are also among the experiences mentioned there.
In De Hoge Veluwe National Park, coniferous and deciduous forests, heathland, drifting sands and farmland meet. The park covers 5,400 hectares. Among its distinctive cultural sites are the hunting lodge Sint Hubertus, designed by Berlage, and the Kröller-Müller Museum, with world-famous visual art in and around the museum. More than 40 kilometres of cycle paths cross the landscape. Allow about three hours to visit the museum and sculpture garden; the sculpture garden contains more than 200 modern works by internationally renowned artists.
Veluwezoom National Park offers another perspective on the landscape: it covers more than 5,000 hectares and is shaped by forests, heathland, drifting sands, country estates and hills. From the Posbank, views extend as far as Germany. Those who enjoy comparing landscapes in detail will find not only forests and heathland here, but also more prominent ridges and country estates.
Museums and living history
Gelderland has approximately seven large and 120 small museums, each with its own story to tell. The Nederlands Openluchtmuseum offers an extensive introduction to Dutch history: in a 44-hectare museum park, original windmills, houses, farmsteads and a dairy bring historic ways of life to life. Historic trams are also part of the collection. Visitors can see working millers, blacksmiths, printers and conductors, and learn a craft themselves in a workshop; some workshops may vary.
Another historic trail follows the Roman frontier. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Frontiers of the Roman Empire – the Lower German Limes includes sites in Gelderland within the municipalities of Arnhem, Berg en Dal, Nijmegen, Overbetuwe and Zevenaar. The Limesroute is a 200-kilometre long-distance cycling route; the Romeinse Limespad is an approximately 300-kilometre long-distance hiking trail. Both follow the Limes between Katwijk and Nijmegen and pass more than 40 historic sites. The two ways of travelling offer different perspectives on the same historic line.
The region’s water defences are also part of its cultural heritage. The Dutch Water Defence Lines form a system stretching more than 200 kilometres, comprising forts, dikes, sluices, pumping stations, canals and inundation polders. The provinces involved are Noord-Holland, Gelderland, Noord-Brabant and Utrecht. The section of the Hollandse Waterlinies in Gelderland runs for approximately 35 kilometres through the Rivierengebied, from Fort Everdingen to Batterij onder Poederoijen.
Hiking and cycling
You can also choose shorter regional hikes based on specific routes. De Hoofdige Boer runs for 21.3 kilometres from the old Hanseatic city of Zutphen through a varied landscape with country estates to Almen. Verscholen Dorp is a 20.4-kilometre day hike through extensive forests near Vierhouten. The routes are similar in length but focus on different landscapes: one features country estates and the route from Zutphen to Almen, while the other takes you through the extensive forests near Vierhouten. Before setting out, check the relevant route description for current changes.
Gelderland is known as a cycling and hiking province, with varied landscapes, well-maintained cycle paths and distinctive walking routes. The main cycling network connects cities, villages and key facilities. Its express cycle routes are wide, comfortably paved and have few obstacles; where possible, cyclists have priority. Completed express cycle routes include the MaasWaalpad between Cuijk and Nijmegen and the F348 between Arnhem and Velp. Check current route conditions if you are planning a specific ride.
Apenheul offers another kind of nature experience: in some areas of the park, monkeys roam freely. The park is hilly and accessible to wheelchair users, with the exception of the Apenboompad and a bridge in the free-roaming area of François’ langurs and colobus monkeys. Since accessibility and individual visitor conditions can change, it is advisable to check the information again before your visit. This makes it easier to plan an outing to suit your interests, whether your focus is on landscape, art, history or activity.
Discover more destinations: Emst, Lochem, Overbetuwe, Doesburg, Berkelland, Barneveld, Neerijnen, Zevenaar, Aalten, Lingewaal, Oldebroek, Elburg, Bronckhorst, Ede, Apeldoorn, Arnhem, Beuningen, Brummen, Buren, Culemborg, Doetinchem, Druten, Duiven, Epe, Ermelo, Geldermalsen, Groesbeek, Harderwijk, Hattem, Heerde, Heumen, Lingewaard, Lochem, Maasdriel, Millingen Aan De Rijn, Montferland, Neder-Betuwe, Nijkerk, Nijmegen, Nunspeet, Oost Gelre, Oude Ijsselstreek, Putten, Renkum, Rheden, Rijnwaarden, Rozendaal, Scherpenzeel, Tiel, Ubbergen, Voorst, Wageningen, West Maas En Waal, Westervoort, Wijchen, Winterswijk, Zaltbommel and Zutphen.
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