Delft is another great city to visit in the Netherlands. The city is famous for its porcelain (known as Delftware), but beyond its porcelain you’ll also find a few more things to do. Delft has more of a small town feel than cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and for me, that can made it an enjoyable and relaxing visit. So if you have the time, consider adding one day in Delft.
Things to Do in Delft
Delft is light on sights, especially compared to nearby Amsterdam, but there’s still a handful of things to do. Since there’s fewer things to do, you should have no problem fitting everything you want to see into one day in Delft.
Shop for Delftware
You’re in Delft. It almost feels wrong to not even look at Delftware. Delftware is a famous porcelain that’s painted in a vibrant blue color. If you’ve never seen it before, don’t worry. While you’re in Delft, you’ll find more shops offering up more Delftware than you thought possible.
Need a mug? Visit a shop in Delft. Need a plate? Visit a shop in Delft. Need salt and pepper shakers? Need a mini porcelain pig? You guessed it. Visit a shop in Delft. You’ll find all of this, and more at shops across Delft’s city center.
For even more, you can visit the Royal Delft Museum. Here, you’ll find more Delftware, but you’ll also find a tour that walks you through how Delftware is made. If you are going to visit, keep in mind that you’ll have a 30 minute walk each way to the factory from the Old Town. You can utilize a bus or take a taxi to save yourself some walking.
Check out Some Churches
I always say that it’s not a list of things to do in Europe unless there’s a church to visit. On this list, I actually have three churches that are worth mentioning. There’s the Old Church (Oude Kerk), the New Church (Nieuwe Kerk), and my favorite of Maria van Jesskerk.
The Old Church and the New Church go hand in hand—if you buy a ticket for one church, you get entrance into the other church. The Old Church is more subtle, while the New Church has a slightly larger wow factor. But both churches hold the tombs of notable residents. In the New Church, you’ll find the tomb of William of Orange (whose dynasty still runs the Netherlands today). Meanwhile at the Old Church, you’ll find the tomb of Johannes Vermeer.
I’ll be honest. I visited both churches, but wasn’t super impressed with either. I’m glad I went, because now there’s no wondering, but I felt kind of let down because they weren’t as grand as I was expecting.
I entered Maria van Jesskerk on a whim. It wasn’t on my list of things to see when I visited Delft, but I was walking past and the door was open. Since it was free to visit, I popped in. Wow! This church impressed me so much more than both the Old Church or the New Church. Quite honestly, I found myself wondering why this was the free church.
So my advice? Save your money on a visit to the Old Church and New Church and visit Maria van Jesskerk instead if you’re looking for a beautiful church.
Check Out a Market
Maybe I just got lucky, but there were two markets happening when I spent my one day in Delft. The first wasn’t super exciting as it seemed to be more of a flea market for the locals. However, there was also a produce market selling all sorts of fruits and vegetables, as well as flowers, breads, and plenty of prepared food as well. This was a fun wander.
Stroll the Canals
Similar to how it feels wrong to not include a church on a list of things to see and do in a European City, it also feels wrong to not include canals while talking about a city in the Netherlands. All over the Netherlands, you’ll find gorgeous canals and Delft is no exception. Take your time, wander, and search for what you think is the prettiest canal in the city.
Visit the City Hall and City Markt
This was some of my favorite architecture in Delft. The City Hall is stunning and sits right across from the New Church. Market Square sits between the New Church and the City Hall. When I visited Delft, this was where one market was taking place on this square. But if there’s no market, you’ll still find some things. There is a handful of restaurants, some tourist shops—including several selling Delftware—and some nice architecture.
Bonus: Vermeer Center
I didn’t do this, but I feel like I have to mention it. For those with an interest in art, specifically of Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer, you can visit the Vermeer Center to learn about his life. Vermeer was born in Delft, so it makes sense why you’ll find this here. Though do keep in mind that the Vermeer Center does not have any original Vermeer’s in its collection.
Getting to Delft
Delft is easily connected to many other cities in the Netherlands. It sits right on the train line between Rotterdam and Amsterdam, so if you’re traveling between these two cities, you could hop out for a short visit.
Delft to Rotterdam: 15 minutes
Delft to Leiden: 20 minutes
Delft to Amsterdam: 60 minutes
How Long Do You Need in Delft?
I know this is all about one day in Delft, but I only spent a half day in Delft and felt like that was sufficient. It should be noted that I did not tour the Delft factories. Instead, I limited myself to a visit of Delft’s city center. At most, I would think one day in Delft is enough time, if you really want to explore everything on this list in depth. But for most travelers, I think a half day is sufficient.
So, if you only visit for a half day, what do you do with the rest of your day? Consider pairing Delft with another small Dutch town. You could comfortably visit both Leiden and Delft in one day and not feel rushed. Or if you’re here in spring, you could do what I did. I visited the Keukenhof in the morning and then explored Delft in the afternoon.
One Day in Delft – A Rough Itinerary
I’d suggest arriving in Delft and starting your day with the City Markt, City Hall, and main square. From there you can move on to exploring the churches. Whether you visit all three or just one, visit at least one church in Delft. At this point, take a break and grab something to eat. In the afternoon, visit the Royal Delft Museum and learn more about the porcelain. Throughout the day, you can check out the canals as you make your way from one area of the city to the other.
So What Do I Think?
I’m glad I spent one day in Delft. As much as I loved Amsterdam and can’t wait to go back, I enjoyed seeing smaller cities in the Netherlands too. Delft was a cute, idyllic town and was perfect for an afternoon (although it would have been nice if the weather cooperated a bit better). However, I think it is important to note that Delft doesn’t have the same amount of sights as some other cities. If you expect to be as entertained in Delft as you were in Amsterdam, you’ll be disappointed.
I spent a few short afternoons in several Dutch cities. I visited Rotterdam, Leiden, Haarlem, and Delft, and spent a short afternoon in each. Leiden was my favorite, although it should be noted that this was the first of the three that I visited, so maybe there’s some bias. However, Delft is my next favorite and I much preferred it to Haarlem.
So if you’re looking for a break from one of the bigger cities, take a look at spending one day in Delft. It’s a great place to spend an afternoon.
Continue Your Adventure
Amsterdam: You can’t visit the Netherlands without visiting the capital city of Amsterdam.
Leiden: Amsterdam is wonderful, but expensive. For a great base, that’s also a fun small town to explore, check out the town of Leiden.
Rotterdam: The second largest city in the Netherlands has a completely different feel than Amsterdam. Check out Rotterdam when you visit the Netherlands.
Keukenhof: A spring visit to the Netherlands is not complete without a visit to the Keukenhof Gardens. For those who can’t make the visit (or those just looking for some inspiration), check out my photo tour of Keukenhof.
Netherlands Travel Guide: Start planning your trip with my Netherlands Travel Guide.
Itineraries: For those with limited time, try a long weekend in the Netherlands. For those with more time, try my 10 Days in Paris, Belgium, and Amsterdam itinerary.