NL
Delft
Canals, Delft Blue pottery and Vermeer’s home town, between Rotterdam and The Hague
Canals, Delft Blue pottery and Vermeer’s home town, between Rotterdam and The Hague
The market square links the City Hall with the Nieuwe Kerk, whose 109m tower can be climbed (376 steps) for views over the city. Inside is the mausoleum of William of Orange.
Photo: MatteoNL97, CC BY 4.0
The former convent where William of Orange lived and was shot in 1584 is now a museum; the bullet holes are still visible in the wall.
Photo: Jan Geerling, CC BY-SA 4.0
The last remaining earthenware factory of the 17th century, founded in 1653, shows how Delft Blue is still hand-painted, with a museum and factory tour.
Photo: Szilas, CC BY 4.0
Tree-lined canals with bridges and gabled houses run through the old centre. The Oude Kerk, from around the 13th century, with its leaning tower and the grave of Vermeer, stands beside one of them.
Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0
Delft’s only surviving city gate, with twin towers over the water, is a short walk east of the centre.
Photo: Michielverbeek, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cafés and restaurants line the Markt and the canals. Try Dutch apple pie, bitterballen with a local beer, or fresh fish from the Thursday market.
The Vermeer Centrum, showing reproductions of Vermeer’s paintings, is near the Markt.
Direct trains run from Amsterdam (about an hour), The Hague and Rotterdam (around 10 to 15 minutes). Rotterdam The Hague Airport is close, and Schiphol is reached by train.
The centre is best on foot or by bike.
The Netherlands uses the euro (EUR). Delft is cheaper than Amsterdam.
One full day covers the main sights.
Climb the Nieuwe Kerk tower, then visit the Prinsenhof and Oude Kerk.
Tour Royal Delft, then walk the canals to the Oostpoort.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Netherlands is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
Watch for cyclists everywhere.
Easy from Amsterdam, Rotterdam or The Hague.
Thursday market on the Markt.
The Nieuwe Kerk climb is steep and narrow.
Quick answers for planning time in Delft.
About an hour by direct train.
William of Orange and members of the Dutch royal family.
Delft; he is buried in the Oude Kerk.
Blue-and-white earthenware, made at Royal Delft since 1653.
Yes; its compact centre is easy to see in a day.
Planning a wider trip? Our Netherlands travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.