On the northern side of Hardinxveld-Giessendam lie open polder landscapes and the River De Giessen; the Merwede flows along the southern side. This gives the town two distinct connections to rivers. Open spaces, nature, tranquillity and water are considered important tourism assets here. Exploring Hardinxveld-Giessendam lets you combine this landscape with walking routes, ferries and traces of regional history.
Polder Landscapes and Walking Routes
The routes vary considerably in length and course. The Avelingen ANWB Route is 8.75 kilometres long and starts at the Avelingen car park in Boven-Hardinxveld. It follows unpaved and partially paved paths. At 12.7 kilometres, the Verkenning Tiendweg Hardinxveld-Giessendam walk is longer; it starts at the railway station on Stationsweg. The route runs along the edge of town and through the polder beside the Tiendweg.
The Pelgrimspad offers a longer stage: its seventh stage runs from Groot-Ammers to Boven-Hardinxveld railway station, ending there after 25.3 kilometres. The Hagi Wandeltochten are also held annually in Hardinxveld-Giessendam in March. You can choose from routes of 3, 5 or 10 kilometres. Check the dates for the relevant year before planning your trip.
You can also combine a range of experiences on the water. Riveer passenger and bicycle ferries connect Hardinxveld-Giessendam with Gorinchem, Sleeuwijk, Woudrichem and Werkendam. Timetables vary by season, so check current departures before travelling. During the summer season, the ferry service also reaches Slot Loevestein and Fort Vuren, attractions in the historic Vestingdriehoek. Sloops or canoes are available to rent along the Giessen for a boating route from Giessenburg towards Hardinxveld. Check current providers and offers in advance.
Museum and Archaeological Traces
At De Koperen Knop Museum, you can explore the history of the Alblasserwaard region in and around a 17th-century farmhouse. The museum is housed in a listed farmhouse at Binnendams 6. The complex includes a main building, a forge, a workshop for making hoops and an extensive garden. You can visit the current exhibition, explore cultural and historical heritage, and enjoy the museum garden. Exhibition content changes. The museum also offers guided tours; groups may need to book in advance.
The exhibition includes a reconstruction of Trijntje. Trijntje was discovered during excavations at Polderweg: the complete human skeleton is about 7,500 years old and is described as the oldest complete skeleton ever found in the Netherlands. Settlement traces more than 7,000 years old were also uncovered at Polderweg, on a former river dune known as a donk. Nearby is a second excavated donk called De Bruin.
If you are interested in local history through collections, the Historical Information Centre of the Hardinxveld-Giessendam Historical Association provides access to archives, photo collections, newspaper records and genealogical materials. This complements the museum’s view of Alblasserwaard history with local documents and photographic collections.
Windmills, Buildings and River History
The Tiendwegse Molen at Giessendamse Tiendweg 1 is a listed Rijksmonument and water mill. It once drained the Binnentiendweg section of the Giessen Oude Benedenpolder polder in Giessendam. It also served as a beacon or signal mill for the Nederwaard Water Board. The Hervormde Kerk at Peulenstraat 234 was built in 1729; its tower dates from 1821 and is a Rijksmonument.
De Wiel also tells of the defining force of water: this historic body of water was formed in 1396 by a storm surge and a breached dike. De Koepel at Het Laantje 1 offers a different architectural accent. The hexagonal tea pavilion dates from the second half of the 19th century; remnants of a park-like garden have also been preserved.
In Boven-Hardinxveld, the water tower has shaped the skyline since 1928. It is considered a functionalist industrial monument and a Rijksmonument. The HD1, built around 1905, is part of the maritime history and one of the surviving boats from Boven-Hardinxveld’s historic salmon fishery. The Contragewicht monument on Rivierdijk commemorates the region’s shipbuilding industry; it was originally the counterweight of a crane at the Merwede Shipyard. The Gemaal Mr. Dr. G. Kolff, a municipal monument, is also located on Kanaaldijk Zuid. Its grounds contain a flushing sluice and a chamber sluice, also known as a navigation lock.
Discover more destinations: Cromstrijen, Graafstroom, Lansingerland, The Hague, Schoonhoven, Nieuw-Lekkerland, Ridderkerk, Gouda.
For the regional travel overview: South Holland.
