Hanseatic City of Elburg in Holland

The Hanseatic city of Elburg and its sights

The Hanseatic city of Elburg is one of the Town in Hollandthat have retained their charm. If you enter the place behind the city wall, which has been almost completely preserved, you have the feeling that you are entering a different time. That may be because the main street attracts the mass of visitors. You don't notice anything in the side streets. We stroll leisurely through the cobblestone streets and admire the buildings from the time of the Hanseatic League. You don't find cars here. They wouldn't even fit through some of the alleys. These are too narrow for a car to drive through. This ensures a heavenly peace in these alleys and a charm that is second to none.

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The old town of the Hanseatic city of Elburg is small but nice

In the Hanseatic city of Elburg, the medieval old town is still very well preserved. There is a main street through the place, on which most of the visitors are from late morning. Instead, we follow our companion, who leads us through the town on back roads. Good luck! Because that's how we get to know this delightful city much better. To this day it is surrounded by the medieval moats that protected the city from attackers. Behind it, the city wall provided further protection. This still exists today. The old town is not big. It extends 250 meters wide and 415 meters long in Gelderland. It is therefore all the easier to discover them on a tour of the side streets.

A Hasebol specialty from the Hanseatic city of Elburg

A culinary specialty in the restaurant De Haas

In Elburg, too, you can't do without culinary delights. In the De Haas restaurant on the main street we wait for our guide and try a Hasebol for our second breakfast. It is a kind of cream puff filled with cream and decorated with blueberries. Maybe a bit generous for a second breakfast, but you should try it.

In the cloister garden of the Agnieten monastery in the Hanseatic city of Elburg

A monastery and a wall house

The De Haas restaurant is located directly opposite the Elburg Museum. This is housed in the former Agnieten Monastery, a 15th century nunnery. There are exhibitions on the history of Elburg and its surroundings. However, we prefer to look at the city in the original. After a short detour to the monastery garden, we first go to the Muurhuisje, the Mauerhaus. This is a tiny residential building that was attached to the city wall. Eight people and more once lived in the smallest of spaces. Hard to imagine today. But this is what it looked like:

Muurhuisje Hollands beautiful cities — Muurhuisje on the city wall of the Hanseatic city of Elburg

A walk through the old town of Elburg

We follow the course of the city wall on our tour through Elburg. This path leads us through narrow streets that no car can fit. Past small houses, interesting museums, a church that impresses, and houses that tell stories. On the way we come across water pumps from which city dwellers used to get their drinking water. For us they are just right on this hot summer day. Can we always cool off there with fresh well water.

Holland flowered streets beautiful cities — Flower-decorated streets in the Hanseatic city of Elburg

The Botter Museum

We leave the old town through the Vischpoort city gate at the other end of the city and cross the moat that surrounds it. We walk past some restaurants to the marina. There is the Botter shipyard just a few steps from the old town. Botter is the name given to the wooden boats used by fishermen and merchants to sail the Zuidersee. Sometimes they stayed on the water for days or even weeks. Until their stores were full and the drive home to the port was worth it. Today you can get an impression of the life of the fishermen and merchants on board in the Botter shipyard. With a little luck, a botter is lying in the shipyard and is being prepared for its next trip. Sometimes there are also exits with a botter.

Botter shipyard in the Hanseatic city of Elburg

Opposite the shipyard Botter - only separated from the harbor entrance - is the small fishing the city. This is set up in the former fish auction building and is reminiscent of the time when fishermen still brought their catch onto land here.

That has to be in your suitcase for your visit to the Hanseatic city of Elburg

Comfortable Shoes, because in Elburg you will mainly be on foot. The old town is pedestrianized and there is a lot of cobblestone streets.
If you are planning an elegant evening in one of the city's restaurants, then you should comfortable pumps .
An backpack, in which you can store all the utensils for a day, is practical

Lunch at Aan de Gracht

A stroll through town makes you hungry. So our lunch at Aan de Gracht suits us perfectly. In good time during a heavy summer shower, we enjoy our lunch break even more. As always, I am curious about what is typical of the cuisine of the region and try a sandwich with smoked eel. Those who like smoked fish will love this one. Or do you fancy a tomato soup like Petar?

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Conclusion: take your time to visit the Hanseatic city of Elburg

Although the Hanseatic city of Elburg is not big, there is a lot to discover here. You can do that best if you take the time to discover the little things along the alleys. Visit the museum. Look at the monastery. Take a look into the Muurhuisje and get an insight into how cramped people used to live in these little houses. Be sure to stroll through the side streets. Only there will you get to know the real Elburg.

A visit to the Botter shipyard is also recommended. There you can best imagine what it was like in this place during the Hanseatic League. Elburg has charmed us. With its narrow streets. His people. The backyards and gardens. Not to mention his food. When do you eat eel? If you want to look at everything, you should take at least two days. Then you have time to study the history and development of this city since the times of the Hanseatic League.

Check out the city in Petar's video

Do you like to travel by motorhome?

Do you want to rent a motorhome? Then you will find information and a selection in these booking options here. Rent a motorhome or a camper near you here. Or would you prefer to stay overnight in a roof tent on the car? Also the overnight stay in camping tents is possible.
Check our packing list for campers to see whether you have packed everything for your motorhome tour.
You can stay at Recreation Veluwe Strandbad, Flevoweg 5, 8081 PA Elburg, The Netherlands. But there are other campsites near Elburg. There you can after a day trip in a Dutch Oven or on the portable grill or maybe on a campfire . You can also find Dutch oven accessories here.
Practical accessories for the mobile home you can also find here.
Why is a folding e-bike useful when camping?

Travel Arrangements

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

How to get there

Book yours here Arrival by plane, bus or train*. KLM and Lufthansa will follow Amsterdam. From there, it's best to take a car, because that's the only way you're flexible enough to get to know the localities in the region better.

Rental car

Cheap rental cars - book quickly and easily here

Accommodation in the Hanseatic city of Elburg

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Camping in the Hanseatic city of Elburg

There are a number of campsites in the vicinity of Elburg. One of them is Recreation Veluwe Strandbad, Flevoweg 5 in Elburg. There are bungalows and a family campsite there What you need for motorhome tripscan be found here. With our Motorhome packing list You'll never forget anything again.

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Source for the Hanseatic City of Elburg: research on site. We would like to thank Das Andere Holland for supporting this trip. However, our opinion remains our own.

Hanseatic City of Elburg in Holland - Sights