Eastern Netherlands

The East of the Netherlands is mostly visited by local visitors for its forests and historic cities.

This part of the Netherlands will be less well known to most travelers. Geographically, its often forested and hilly landscape sets it apart from the archetypal cow-filled meadows of the western part of the country. Many people move here after their retirement and life is generally lived at a somewhat slower pace than in the west.

• Gelderland
• Overijssel

• Apeldoorn — a very green city with lots of monuments and parks, as well as the home to Het Loo Palace
• Arnhem — an important historic trade city
• Deventer — another one of the "Hanzesteden", it dates from the 9th century
• Ede — base for cycling trips to the Hoge Veluwe National Park
• Enschede — largest city of the Twente region
• Nijmegen — oldest city of the country, known for its 4-days march which attracts walkers from all over the world, left-wing politics and large student population
• Tiel — another old and historic town, and one of the largest fruit production centres of the country
• Zutphen — first town to get city rights in medieval times
• Zwolle — another historic town and the only Dutch city home to a 3 Michelin-star awarded restaurant

• Hoge Veluwe National Park — the country's largest national park with heathlands, sand dunes, and woodlands
• De Weerribben National Park — one of Europe's important swamps home to herons and otters

Although there are many different local dialects in this area, they are of no concern to travelers.

The area has good connections with the rest of the country as well as with neighboring Germany.

Depending on where you want to go, you can get around by train, but for other destinations a car or bus may be required.

• The Kroller-Muller museum on the High Veluwe contains scores of Van Gogh paintings.