Discover Texel’s history and everyday life through the varied traces found in Den Burg: a stone guesthouse dating from 1599, a church with an exhibition, a memorial, as well as a market and a culinary route. If you are planning a stay here, you can first decide whether to focus on historic places or regional specialities. Practical planning points include where to start a town walk, Monday as the day for the weekly market, and the topics that interest you most on your walks.

History in houses, a garden and a church

The Texel House of Antiquities is in the centre of Den Burg, in a stone guesthouse dating from 1599. Its year of construction and former use as a guesthouse give this place a clear historical connection. The small museum De Oudheidkamer is also in the centre, in one of the oldest houses on Texel. The two houses therefore offer different ways to explore local history: the guesthouse has a specific year of construction, while De Oudheidkamer is distinguished as one of the oldest houses on the island.

Another trace of the past leads to the Wezentuin: a monastery was built there around 1400 and was used as an orphanage after the Reformation. The garden was given the name Wezentuin. This sequence—from monastery to later use as an orphanage, and the garden’s name—makes the site’s history particularly vivid. At the Protestant church De Burght on Binnenburg, you will encounter another aspect of the heritage: the church is a prominent landmark in Den Burg, and you can visit an exhibition about Texel’s religious heritage inside.

Memorial sites and walks

The De Goede Herder memorial is a bronze statue. It commemorates 142 Texel residents who lost their lives as a result of acts of war during the occupation. The memorial thus offers a specific point of remembrance, with a different focus from the exhibition on religious heritage at De Burght.

The Stadswandeling Den Burg starts at VVV Texel, Emmalaan 66. The route recommends climbing the tower of the large Burghtkerk, which offers views across Den Burg. If you would like to include this viewpoint, check access to the tower in advance. Another historical walk is led by guide Gelein Jansen. It passes characteristic buildings; along the way, you can also discover the cellars of the Wezentuin. Check the availability of this guided walk before making plans.

A work of art adds a contemporary perspective to the historical themes: Onbekommerd by Jan Wolkers stands in the pond opposite the bus station. You can note its exact location as a separate point of interest, independent of the historic buildings. This lets you choose between architecture, remembrance, religious heritage, guided history and art when planning, rather than combining everything into a single focus.

Weekly market and Texel specialities

The Weekmarkt Den Burg takes place every Monday in the centre, on the Groeneplaats. If you want to include the market in your plans, the day of the week is a useful detail for planning your trip. “Proef het Eiland – Den Burg” offers a different perspective on food and drink: this culinary route takes you through shops, restaurants and cafés in Den Burg and showcases local Texel specialities. These include artisan apple pie, lamb stew, sheep’s cheese and Texel liqueur.

The market and the culinary route offer different experiences: the weekly market is tied to Monday and the Groeneplaats, while “Proef het Eiland – Den Burg” connects local specialities with various shops, restaurants and cafés. If you enjoy discovering regional products, you can take inspiration from the examples listed; if you are more interested in local history, the guesthouse, Wezentuin, church and memorial offer their own points of interest.

Choose Den Burg as a place to stay

When searching for a hotel in Den Burg, you can first decide which of these interests you would like to shape your stay: history, guided walks, art or Texel specialities. Monday is a useful point of reference if the weekly market is part of your plans; check availability for the guided walk. This way, you can choose your stay based on what you would like to experience in Den Burg.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: De Koog, Oudeschild, De Waal, Oosterend, Den Hoorn, De Cocksdorp.

Back to the main travel overview: Texel.