25 Apr THE VENLO CITY GUIDE
Often overshadowed by other cities in The Netherlands, we had yet to visit Venlo. Time for a city guide!
It is to say that Venlo has pleasantly surprised us. For one thing, there are enough food options, comfortable hotels to stay in, and plenty of Dutch “gezelligheid”. Three main (and important) ingredients that Venlo certainly possesses. This city guide will tell you exactly where to go, where to eat and what else makes Venlo well worth your visit.
Where to Stay in Venlo
Generally speaking there aren’t that many quirky boutique hotels to choose from, but there are a few that certainly stand out and we know you will love. We stayed at Mr. Jigs during our visit. Honestly, the location is more than perfect, just a 3 minute walk from the city centre. It’s a small but modern boutique hotel with neat rooms, comfy beds to rest your head and friendly staff. Breakfast is served at the reception entrance where you can find colourful seats and a bar that is open until 11PM. Mr. Jigs offers 2 family bedrooms, so do bring your kids! Funny one liners on the doors (such as; where to hide your mother in law) and a no bullshit attitude makes this trendy hotel stand out from the others.
Mr. Jigs
Another tip we want to give you is LOODS18B. This industrial B&B is located in the city of Venlo and opened in 2019. Renovated by locals, this is a unique accommodation perfect for couples or friends and sleeps 6 people in total! This private space also has a patio garden so perfect to relax after strolling around in the city.
Loods18B
If you prefer to stay somewhere a bit more quiet, drive for about 10 minutes and you’ll find De Maashof. This hotel is more spacious and often used as a business hotel but it offers a lovely restaurant and spa. From here you can easily travel to the green parts of Venlo such as De Groote Heide or nearby villages such as Arcen or Steyl.
Comfortable rooms at De Maashof
Where to Eat & Drink
If a good lunch is what you are seeking, we kindly refer to our article about our top 10 lunch spots in Venlo. But nevertheless, there are plenty more restaurants and cafes we want to highlight. If there is one thing for certain, you won’t be leaving Venlo hungry or thirsty!
BREAKFAST & LUNCH:
- Mocca Coffee Company: An Instagram dream, colourful smoothies, pancakes, chicken & waffles!
- Milk & Cookies: Tasty breakfast, good coffee!
- Bij de Buren: Great (Tapas) lunch, located next to the coolest record store in Venlo!
- BLVD: The place to be when it’s sunny and when it rains they have round tables and velvet sofas. Delicious food! Also open for dinner!
- Mout: This foodhall with 8 different food stalls and beer brewery will open soon!
DINNER & DRINKS
- Eddy’s Steak ‘n Sushi: A must visit for dinner! Amazing sushi so do try one of their rolls!
- Grenswerk café: This trendy spot is situated next to the concert hall Grenswerk and offers a lot of vegan options on the menu. They are open for lunch but during the evenings you can often find local DJ’s so it’s a great place for dinner and drinks.
- Nena Pizza: Eat authentic Napoli pizza in this trendy Pizza place, great for an evening with friends!
- La Trattoria: More Italian but only open for dinner. Located at the Grote Markt in Venlo.
- Loft 23: If you are looking for something a bit fancy, visit this location in the oldest bank building in Venlo. Known for organically grown vegetables and high-quality dishes.
- Mad Pianos: Enjoy performances during dinner by several artists! After you finish your meal, tables will be pushed to the sides and people start to make their way to the dance floor.
- Cafe de Klep: Definitely come here for unique/special beers or warm summer evenings as they have a great beer garden in cutest street of Venlo.
- De Keizerin: Great for speciality beers and small snacks. This bar has a cozy vibe, like sitting in your livingroom!
- Rhummery the Rub: A small but cozy pub with nice music, a great place to start your night out in Venlo!
Beergarden at Café de Klep
Mocca Coffee Company
What to see & do in Venlo
First of all, the centre of Venlo isn’t that big with only 35.000 inhabitants, so our advise is to walk around and discover! That being said, we would like to steer you in the right direction so you won’t miss out on some must visit spots.
Shopping
Venlo has countless shops and we especially love the small unique ones. We love the historic streets combined with large shopping streets but to find the best onces you’re best to visit De Parade, De Klaasstraat, Gasthuisstraat and Jodenstraat. Our favourite shops are; Pand 9, Boutique, De Borrelwinkel (for snack’s & wine), Lekker Ruiken, Fes Concept store, Sounds Venlo.
De Grote Markt
This is the main square in Venlo, located opposite the City Hall. Like many cities it’s where most people will head if they are new to the city. Here you’ll find cafes, bistro’s and larger shops. It can be quite touristic so if you’re looking for something a little more local and hidden, wander the smaller streets and you’ll find many boutique stores and charming spots.
De Grote Markt
De Keizerstraat
This cute and narrow street is known by the locals as ‘Floddergats‘. This is also the street where you find Bij de Buren, Café de Klep and De Keizerin. Somehow this street is yet to be discovered by most of the German tourists so it remains a local gem.
Entrance to the Keizerstraat
(Street) Art in Venlo
If you wander around Venlo, you’ll also notice some street art. At Parade 50 for example, you can find historic faces on the wall, almost as if its scratched on the wall. Accompanied by poetry from Jaap Robben, we love this piece named; Forgotten Faces.
One of the most famous art pieces in the city is the “Vreedzame Krijger” that you can find next to the bridge on the riverside.’The boots of the Hunter‘ is a work of art by the artist Pii Daenen and is located next to the city office. This artwork draws attention to the issues surrounding nature, the environment and over-consumption.
Vreedzame Krijger
Museum van Bommel van Dam
This contemporary art museum is a must visit for art lovers and a perfect option for rainy days. The museum showcases different expo’s throughout the year so keep an eye out on the website to see what’s on. Oh, make sure you take a look in de “Grote Duikbril” which offers a nice view over the city!
In and Around Venlo
Venlo is located right next to one of our most important rivers, De Maas. Follow the river and enjoy a picnic on the grass or explore the pretty nature. Visit Op de Heide on the Groote Heide and eat a typical Limburgse pie after a walk on the heath. For the best ice-cream you must stop by Clevers, which is located in Arcen – a cute historic village where you can also find the massive Kasteeltuinen Arcen. For more tips just outside the city, check this article!
Visit the pretty Kasteeltuinen in Arcen
So now you guys know exactly where to go in Venlo! Check our articles below for more tips in the Netherlands!
Love,
Wander-Lust
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