Things to Do in Arnhem

The lovely moated Doorwerth Castle (Kasteel Doorwerth), located just 11 kilometers west of Arnhem, is a wonderfully preserved example of a traditional Dutch medieval fortress. Entered via a drawbridge, this impressive fortress was originally built in the 13th century of wood, only to be replaced by a stone structure after a devastating fire. It was later enlarged in the 15th and 16th centuries to its present impressive dimensions.

Museum Arnhem, set in the splendid gardens of the Reeberg, occupies an old mansion that once housed an exclusive Gentlemen's Club. Established in 1918, the museum boasts a large collection of both modern and contemporary figurative art, along with early 20th-century decorative arts and temporary exhibitions.

Just a short stroll from the Netherlands Open Air Museum, the Royal Burgers' Zoo is also well worth a visit — especially if you're traveling with children. One of the largest and most-visited zoos in the Netherlands, this popular attraction attracts upwards of 1.5 million visitors a year. Home to more than 2,000 animals, the zoo's most popular creature exhibits include pandas, along with numerous fish and marine species in its large aquarium.

Nijmegen — the country's oldest settlement and the largest city in Gelderland — is only seven kilometers from the German border, and just 24 kilometers south of Arnhem. This attractive city is situated on the left bank of the River Waal, where the southern branch of the Rhine approaches the sea.

After finding your way around the city's main shopping areas, including the famous Modekwartier Arnhem, known for its chic boutique shops and galleries, head to Arnhem's Old City Center. Following the narrow Rijnstraat and Roggestraat, you'll notice numerous smaller streets fanning off toward the Rhine and to the oldest parts of city.

In the Bronbeek suburbs between Arnhem and Velp, the Bronbeek Museum (Museum van het Koninklijk Tehuis voor Oud-Militairen) is located in a retirement home once occupied by army veterans who served in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army. Consisting largely of artifacts brought back by these soldiers stationed in far-flung Dutch colonies, the former royal palace was turned into a museum in 1863 and is one of the oldest in the Netherlands.

Located just eight kilometers north of downtown Arnhem, Hoge Veluwe National Park is one of the largest such parks in the Netherlands and is a must-visit when in the area. Encompassing some 13,800 acres, Hoge Veluwe is also the country's largest nature reserve, home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including deer, wild boar, mouflon, and numerous species of birds, making it a bird-watcher's paradise.

Also of interest to military buffs is Airborne Museum Hartenstein. Located in the Arnhem suburb of Oosterbeek, this fascinating museum is housed in the former 19th-century villa that served as Frost's headquarters.

Arnhem's bridge over the Rhine, immortalized in the film A Bridge Too Far, was famously held by British paratroopers for four days against overwhelming odds during 1944's Market Garden airborne operation. Renamed the John Frost Bridge (John Frostbrug) in honor of the commander of the paratroopers — also commemorated by a monument at the north end of the bridge — it's a poignant reminder of the strategic importance of the city through the centuries.

Spread across 82 wooded acres just four kilometers from the heart of Arnhem, the Netherlands Open Air Museum (Nederlands Openluchtmuseum) is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. Founded in 1912 by ordinary Dutch citizens wanting to preserve traditional ways of life and folk art from different parts of the country, this excellent museum focuses on the living and working conditions of both the rural population — farmers, craftsmen, and fishermen — as well as townsfolk up to the start of the 1900s.