I’m always a sucker for intimate restaurants in old houses with open kitchens serving regional cuisine made with local ingredients. So, Van Der Dussen was right up my alley! The 13th-century house is tucked away on a quiet street in the old town. Through its history, the house has been a residence for Beguines, a […]
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Royal Delft
Royal Delft, established in 1653, is the last remaining original Delft blue earthenware factory. Here, you can take a tour through the factory to watch the production and the careful artisans who paint each piece by hand. During the tour, you walk through the museum, which houses an enormous collection of Delft Blue antiques. Basically, […]
Nieuwe Kerk, Delft
The Nieuwe Kerk anchors one end of Delft’s main square, Markt. You can’t miss the church’s soaring 100-meter spire. Climb to the top for vast views over the flat Dutch region. I did not bother going to the top since it was grey and snowy, but it apparently offers an enticing view on clear days. […]
Het Prinsenhof, Delft
This former 15th-century convent was William the Silent of Orange’s home. You’ll see references and tributes to William all over Delft, as he is celebrated for creating the Dutch Republic. He was a military commander who turned against the Habsburgs during the prosecution of the Protestants. From within walled Delft, William led the revolt that […]
Kleijweg’s Stadskoffyhuis, Delft
This cozy, sprawling café is a great stop for lunch. The café is huge and occupies an old terrace house and patio-barge. There are communal tables in the front where locals sprawl out with newspapers and a more intimate dining area upstairs. The local specialty here is the pancakes, which are basically open-face crepes. I […]
Delftware
Delft’s most famous product is its blue and white pottery. If you haven’t already seen it on a plate, maybe a vase, perhaps floor tiles or a thousand other items, get ready to be inundated. As you might imagine, here in Delft, delftware is everywhere – on the streets, in museums, in restaurants and shops. […]
Delft
It took us a few trips to the Netherlands to make it to Delft. The cozy city is between larger cities Den Haag and Rotterdam and en route to Amsterdam, so we always flew by it on the highway. A year ago, we even passed it up for a bunch of flowers! It’s a good […]
Around Lille’s Place du General de Gaulle
Lille’s main square, Place du General de Gaulle, house the city’s most magnificent buildings. The Vieille Bourse was built in the 17th century to rival the exchanges of other great cities. It contains 24 individual houses set around an interior courtyard. The Renaissance façade reflects the architect, Julien Destrée’s, expertise as a wood sculptor. Garlands, […]
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille
Palais des Beaux-Arts is Lille’s main art museum. It’s housed in an impressive 19th-century monument with interesting design touches. Napoleon, um, encouraged the museum’s initial collection by obtaining the pieces from churches and other monument throughout Europe. An assortment of art is here: 15th-20th century European paintings, prints and drawings, antiquities, 17th- and 18th-century ceramics […]
Lille, France
Lille is a 2.5-hour drive from our house, yet until now my husband and I continually passed it up for its more glitzy neighbors: gustatory Brussels, the sparking Champagne region, picturesque Brugges. It doesn’t help that Lille is not really known for anything, except its people, called Ch’tis by the rest of France. The Lillois […]
