Delft: English Walking Tour of the Old City Center

Overview

Join our English walking tour on Saturday or Sunday. See all highlights of the city center and learn about Delft's history from your guide. Your tour begins on the big Market Square, right in front of the towering New Church. From here you will explore Delft’s old town together with your guide, walking along picturesque canals and historic houses that date back to the Dutch Golden Age. See Delft’s famous sites like the leaning Old Church, and also discover its less-known gems like the former Dutch East India Company office and the Meat Hall, as your guide shares stories of legends like William of Orange, Vermeer, and scientist Antony van Leeuwenhoek. Expect fascinating stories, beautiful photo spots, insider tips, and details about Delft that most visitors would otherwise miss. At the end of the tour, your guide will also take a Polaroid photo of your group, a unique souvenir to remember your time in Delft. Perfect for travelers who want to understand Delft beyond the guidebooks.

Itinerary

1. Nouvelle Église de Delft

   Your guide will welcome you on Delft’s historic Market Square, one of the oldest market squares in the Netherlands, beside the statue of Hugo Grotius. This is both the starting and ending point of the tour. The New Church is the burial place of the Dutch royal family and of Grotius himself, and its tower is the second tallest church tower in the country. During the tour, your guide will place this iconic landmark in its historical and cultural context.

   · 10 min

2. Stadhuis Delft

   The historic Town Hall of Delft is one of the city’s most significant civic buildings. Your guide will pass by it when leaving the Market Square on the way to the Old Church. Behind its elegant Renaissance façade lies a turbulent history of fires, justice, and city governance, including its role as a former prison.

   · 10 min

3. Vieille église

   After leaving the Market Square, your guide will pass the former Butter House, the old Weigh House, and the historic home of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, before entering Delft’s former beer-brewing quarter. Here stands the Old Church, famous for its strikingly leaning tower. Inside lies the grave of Johannes Vermeer. Your guide will explain why its tower began to lean almost as soon as construction started.

   · 10 min

4. Museum Prinsenhof Delft

   Opposite the Old Church stands the Prinsenhof, a former monastery that later became a residence for William of Orange, known as the Father of the Fatherland. This site played a decisive role in Dutch history, as William of Orange was assassinated here in 1584. Your guide will explain how this event shaped the future of the Netherlands and why Delft became so closely linked to the House of Orange.

   · 10 min

5. Gemeenlandshuis van Delfland

   While walking along the Oude Delft canal, your guide will point out the oldest surviving house in the city. Since 1645, this richly decorated building has housed the local Water Board. Your guide will explain what a water board is, why it was vital to the survival and prosperity of Delft, and why water management has always been a matter of life and death in the Netherlands.

   · 10 min

6. Continuing south along the Oude Delft canal, your guide will pass some of the city’s most impressive historic residences. In the south of the city, you'll find two powerful reminders of Delft’s Golden Age: the former state weapons armory and the main building of the Dutch East India Company in Delft. Your guide will explain Delft’s role in the military, maritime, and commercial expansion of the Dutch Republic. Nearby, you will also see the exact location where Johannes Vermeer stood when he painted his famous View of Delft.

   · 10 min

7. Walking north along Delft’s second-oldest canal, once the city’s grain market, your guide will pass the former synagogue of Delft. This building reflects the long presence of a Jewish community in the city.

   · 10 min

8. Beestenmarkt

   The tour concludes at the Beestenmarkt, a former animal market located just behind the Market Square where the walk began. Today, this lively and picturesque square is one of Delft’s most popular gathering places, lined with cafés and restaurants. If you want, your guide will be happy to share local tips on where to enjoy a good beer, casual snacks, or a relaxed dinner, so you can make the most of the rest of your stay in Delft.

   · 10 min

How to use your ticket

You don't need to bring your ticket. Just tell your guide your full name.

Meeting point

What to know before you go

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Travelers

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

• From 1 days before : 100% refunded
• From 0 days before : 0% refunded

Reviews

Product code: 399542P35

Activity offered by Discover Delft via Viator.