Den Bosch, also known as ‘s-Hertogenbosch in Dutch, is a city in the South of the Netherlands. It’s a small but charming city and because of its size, it’s a city you can easily see and enjoy in just one day and the shopping and food scene in Den Bosch is great! Therefore, I have put together this Den Bosch itinerary to show you why you should spend one day in Den Bosch as it’s a city not to be missed on your Netherlands trip!
Forget the crowds of Amsterdam, Den Bosch should be your next Dutch Break!
One Day in Den Bosch!
Breakfast in Den Bosch
To start your one day in Den Bosch well, head to Yoghurt Barn for breakfast in Den Bosch. it’s a chain of cafes but inside it feels more like an independent cafe. They sell a variety of yoghurt pots, toast options, smoothies and cakes. I went for the ‘Fabulous Fig’ which consisted of some yoghurt, chopped fig and fresh mint on some brown toast. It was a gamble as it seemed like a strange option but the gamble paid off as it was delicious.
Boat Trip in Den Bosch
Den Bosch isn’t surrounded by as much water as other cities in the Netherlands but it’s still got a fair few rivers and canals going through it meaning you’ll see plenty of water as you walk around the city.
I’d suggest taking a boat trip in Den Bosch on your one day in Den Bosch along the Binnendieze river, the river flows in and underneath the city so it will help to get your bearings, see some of the most famous monuments and learn a bit more about the city from the skipper or guide on the boat!
Famous Buildings in Den Bosch
Back on dry land, there are a few monuments in Den Boschthat need to be seen up close – St John’s Cathedral is one of them. Built between 1370 and 1529 is the pride and joy of Den Bosch. Another good building to visit is De Mariaan, it’s the oldest brick house in the Netherlands, built in the 13th Century.
It’s been home to the tourist office since the ’60s and is known as the living room of Den Bosch.
Lunch in Den Bosch
For the best place to go for lunch Den Bosch on your one day in Den Bosch, head to Robbie’s Store and Restaurant.
Robbie’s is easy to appreciate from the moment you walk in. It’s a beautiful store selling an abundance of unique products however to really appreciate Robbie’s you need to know the story behind it.
This Store was created by Nikki Wolfs, an incredibly creative women who trusted her instincts of starting a 1000m2 store selling fashion and lifestyle products as well as opening a cafe inside. The letters within ‘Robbies’ all mean something and represent a Dutch word however as an English translation they follow the lines of Rebel, Business, Entrepreneurship, Energy. This is what she bases all of her business decisions on from which products to bring into the shop to the staff she employs.
The fashion items in the store are from various European brands for a mix of styles and the lifestyle products for sale are a mix of unique items. The Christmas items and displays were particularly impressive when we were there in November!
But you’re here to eat too because Robbie’s is one of the best restaurants in Den Bosch. Robbie’s is open for coffee’s, breakfast and lunch and I can recommend Robbie’s Quiche as a good lunch option! There is also a chocolate store next door so make sure you get a sweet treat before leaving!
Shopping in Den Bosch
Whilst we’re on the subject of unique stores, Den Bosch’s is one of the best places for shopping in Holland. Its windy streets are full of shops and the shopping scene, in general, is fantastic so make sure there’s room in your suitcase!
A few shops that we visited and I would recommend popping into are:
Westside – a few doors along from Robbie’s Westside has a quirky feel with lots of unique products from books to clothes to art to homeware and furniture.
On my trip, like with Robbie’s, we were lucky enough to hear from the owner who was very passionate and proud of his products and newly opened art gallery upstairs. Regarding his older items, of which we saw items that date back to the 60’s, he said they make sure every item was in good condition 10 years ago, its good now and will be good for another 10 years so you know you’re buying a good product!
Piet Zoomers – a department store with a difference, and when I say different it just feels very boutique-like although it sells a range of items and even has a cafe inside (this is a theme you’ll notice a lot, it seems like the ‘in’ thing is to sell coffee in your store and I think it’s a great idea!).
It’s inside a former post office and is home to Dutch and international brands. The clothes here were particularly nice and unique.
X-works – a super unique store that sells leather products, bags in particular, and all of their products are made in Holland from cows in Holland. This ensures that not only is the quality fantastic but it’s very ethical too. I dare you to go in here and find a bag you don’t like!
Aside from these shops, although there are also a lot of commercial and chain stores in Den Bosch such as Zara, H&M etc there are plenty of other small, boutique, independent stores so keep an eye out and give yourself time to wander in and out of them.
Chocolate Bomb at Stadsherberg Pumpke
Between shopping, if you can fit any more food in then I would suggest going to- Stadsherberg Pumpke for a ‘chocolate bomb’! Den Bosch is famous for these chocolate and cream treats and apparently people even get off the train at Den Bosch on their way to or from work to go to a bakery near the station and get one, or more!
Hotels in Den Bosch
You may need to drop some bags off after a few hours of shopping and get ready for the evening.
I stayed at Uylenhof Hotel which hosts a range of apartments perfect for 1 person in a studio apartment or up to 4 adults in a 2-bed apartment. They’re perfectly located and you have to cross a little canal to get to them which I found special. The shower was great, the beds were comfy and the breakfast that is brought to your room in the morning was really good so overall this is a great option!
Dinner in Den Bosch
For dinner in Den Bosch, be sure to head straight to Korte Putstraat which is a small walking street full of restaurants.
From what I saw of Den Bosch during the day I didn’t expect to see a street like this at all but it was a pleasant surprise. The restaurants serve a range of cuisine’s and although we were lucky enough to eat in a few of the restaurants I would recommend Lux which serves French cuisine with a global twist.
I definitely experienced the global twist by having the Gamba & Red Curry which is prawns in a Thai red curry sauce. I could have eaten this 3 times over it was so good! Even on a Thursday night, this place was really popular and I can see why.
I hope this gives you some ideas of what to do in one day in Den Bosch or convinces you that you need to visit! It’s a city that isn’t visited as much by tourists, especially compared to the likes of Amsterdam and Rotterdam and because of this it has a really local feel.
It’s small but there is plenty of things to do in Den Bosch, the people of Den Bosch are lovely and it’s the perfect base to get to other areas of the Netherlands from. I flew into Amsterdam Schiphol, caught the train from the train station in the airport and within an hour I was in Den Bosch.
- For more of my posts on The Netherlands check out:
- 6 Feel-Good Things to do in The Hague!
- My 10 Tips For Visiting Amsterdam as a Solo Traveller.
- Walking Guide from Amsterdam Centraal Station to the Rijksmuseum.
I visited Den Bosch with Visit Holland however all thoughts and opinions are my own.