In this blog post, I wanted to share my travel advice for people wanting to visit the probably oldest city of the Netherlands: Nijmegen. While – with the whole coronavirus situation going on – this is not really an option for anyone for the foreseeable future, it could still be a great thing to put on your ‘What I’m doing after I’ve survived a pandemic’ bucket list.
I think we can all agree that the existence of tourists is the number one thing that makes doing anything in Amsterdam a stressful experience. The perk of Nijmegen is that it has all the beautiful aspects of Amsterdam, such as the traditional buildings, beautiful parks, and cute little cafés, but with a lot fewer people.
Museums
Even though Nijmegen is considerably smaller than Amsterdam, it still offers a great variety of different museums. Het Valkhof is a great option for people who are interested in history and because of the convenient location close to the city centre, it is very easy to get to. In particular when it is warmer, the Afrika Museum is a great choice,) because it has a huge outdoor area and is very interactive. Important to know here is that the museum is in Berg en Dal, a town right next to Nijmegen which is a bit more difficult to reach via public transport than the city centre. (especially when it is pouring rain and you have to walk for 30 minutes straight) Lastly, the muZIEum is a must-see. It is a museum about blindness. Here you also have the fun opportunity to walk through the city blindfolded with a cane, to experience for a short time what it might feel like to be blind.
Cafés
After walking blindfolded into poles for the past thirty minutes, it is time to refuel. The small cafés in Nijmegen are by far my favourite aspect of the city. Especially if you want to go out for brunch, Nijmegen is the place to be. Philipse café is a great place to check out in regard to that. If you want a good, yummy lunch spot, I can only recommend 't Hoogstraatje. Having lived in Amsterdam for more than 1 ½ years now, I can confidently say that, in my professional opinion, Het Hoogstraatje makes the best pancakes in the Netherlands. You can get everything from your simple apple pancake to seasonal specialities. They also have amazing coffee and cake, if you are looking for a small pick me up. And for all of us millennials out there, they even have fairy lights hung up on the deck.
Ooijpolder sunset time
Parks
Going with the whole summer theme (it stopped raining for the past three days and I’m in a state of bliss) let’s talk about nature. Nijmegen has a few parks scattered all around the city but the prettiest spot by far is the nature reserve Ooijpolder. The great thing about Ooijpolder is that it is so big. You can go for a hike or do a bike tour but also just relax at the beach. A little disclaimer: the nature reserve does have wild horses and cows. They pose no threat whatsoever but laying at the beach and suddenly looking into the eyes of a cow three centimetres away from your face might be scary nevertheless.
Aaaand that was my small Nijmegen city guide. I hope that this was helpful for some of you even though you might not be able to use my tips for a little while.
Thank you for reading and good luck with your first week of online learning.
Tot ziens,
Hannah