Can a town the size of a postage stamp hold centuries of Dutch history? Delft says yes, and then paints the proof in blue.
Criss-crossed by quiet canals and framed by gabled guild houses, Delft feels made for slow wandering. It’s very cute, like a mini version of Amsterdam.
You can tour workshops that still fire the world famous Delft Blue, step inside the Johannes Vermeer Center and learn about how the artist once chased perfect light, or lounge in Markt Square with a stroopwafel.
Delft pairs this painterly charm with serious dose of history.
William of Orange moved here to lead the revolt against Spain and was assassinated in his Delft mansion in 1584. To the Dutch, he’s the father of the Netherlands.
His elaborate tomb dominates the Nieuwe Kerk, where jurist Hugo Grotius also rests. Anthonie van Leeuwenhoek, pioneer of the microscope, was born here the same year as fellow Delft resident Johannes Vermeer.
Prosperity from butter, cloth, beer, and later pottery funded a lively art scene. The wealth grew when the Dutch East India Company set up shop and locals began producing Delft Blue pottery in 1645.
This Delft guide rounds up the unmissable spots for first time visitors. You’ll find monuments, museums, and a few under the radar corners locals love.
For each stop, you’ll find practical visiting tips. That way, you can spend less time planning and more time soaking in Delft’s easy charm.
>>> Click here to pre-book a Delft walking tour
What To Do In Delft
Vermeer Centrum
The Vermeer Centrum Delft is housed in the old painters’ guild where Johannes Vermeer once served as dean.
Instead of originals, it offers high quality reproductions and clever multimedia. They pull you straight into Delft’s 17th century art scene and the quiet brilliance of its most famous son.
The visit flows across four levels. You start upstairs in a gallery on Vermeer’s life and studio in Delft, then to a floor that unpacks his tools, pigments, and obsession with light.
The basement is the finale: all 37 known paintings displayed full size and in order, each paired with concise audio commentary.
Interactive rooms explain how string, pins, and a camera obscura helped Vermeer nail perspective and that unmistakable soft glow.
Displays decode his visual language (pearls, lutes, maps, cupids) and reveal how each prop nudges the viewer toward stories of love, longing, or moral tension hidden in seemingly placid everyday interiors.
Grab the tap-activated audio guide, and plan on spending 1-2 hours.
If Vermeer has ever intrigued you—even just that Girl with the Pearl —this stop deepens the fascination without overwhelming your schedule or wallet.
>>> Click here to pre-book at ticket
Market Square
Markt Square is Delft’s living postcard.
City Hall struts its stuff on one end. The Gothic spire of the Nieuwe Kerk rises at the other. And a fleet of canal-side gables fills the space between.
Cafes, cheese shops, and Delft-Blue boutiques crowd the perimeter.
Most stock tourist staples, so expect clogs, tulip bulbs, and porcelain that’s mass-produced abroad.
If you want an actual hand-painted vase, head to the Royal Delft factory store and be ready to spend a few hundred euros.
Visit on a Thursday and the square turns into an open-air market.
Stalls overflow with wheels of Gouda, crates of fresh produce, still-warm stroopwafels, and the day’s herring catch.
Delft’s Blue Heart
I have to add a cool public sculpture to my list! It’s in a small square beside the New Church right off Market Square.
The Blue Heart was designed by Dutch sculptor Marcel Smink and unveiled in 1998.
It’s a hollow heart made of triangular blue tinted glass panels held in a stainless steel frame. It glows from within after dark.
The blue color tips its hat to Delft Blue porcelain. The heart shape marks this spot as the city’s symbolic center and popular meeting point.
Nieuwe Kerk (New Church)
The New Church is one of Delft’s top historic attractions.
This is where William of Orange is buried, and you can see his elaborate, canopied tomb.
In good shape? If so, I recommend climbing the 376 step tower for panoramic views of Market Square and Delft.
The bad news is that’s it’s a narrow spiral staircase with uneven steps. You can see between some of the steps, making it non-ideal if you’re at all afraid of heights.
You can also visit the royal crypt. It’s the final resting place of the Dutch royal family including William of Orange.
The church’s Gothic interior is also interesting. Though not what you will see have seen in Europe’s other Gothic churches.
If you get a combination ticket, you’ll have entry to the New Church, the Old Church, and the New Church tower.
Do the tower first. That’s where you have to put your bag in a locker anyway.
Keep your ticket with you to scan at the different entrances.
Oude Kerk (Old Church)
The Old Church features beautiful stained glass and a soaring tower.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. The tower is slightly leaning, skewed over 6 feet.
Inside the tower hang two giants: the Trinitas, or Bourdon Bell, and the smaller Laudate Bell.
The Trinitas was cast in the 1500s. it weighing nearly nine tons, the heaviest bell in the country.
The smaller Laudate Bell dates from the early 1700s. The Bourdon tolls only on rare occasions to spare the already-leaning tower.
Step inside the church to admire its vaulted wooden ceiling, grand organ, and vivid stained glass windows.
You’ll also find the tombs of Vermeer and other Dutch Golden Age figures like scientist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek.
Royal Delft
Definitely put the Royal Delft at the top of your Delft checklist. This is the last reminding factory of the original 17th century pottery. There were once 32.
The Porceleyne Fles factory has turned out hand-painted Delft Blue since 1653. It still fires every piece on site.
A ticket covers the factory floor, a small museum, and two quick videos that explain the clay, the cobalt paint, and the secret glaze recipe.
You watch artists ink vases in the painters’ room, then step into galleries filled with historic plates and one off showpieces. The craft that goes into each item makes the price tags in the exit shop easier to understand.
You can browse the shop or drop into the cafe without a ticket. But plan on an hour inside the factory. Seeing the brushes hit the porcelain is the real draw.
Your ticket includes an audio guide. It’s a self-guided visit that should take about one hour.
Though it’s a 15-20 minute walk from the town, this is the #1 attraction in Delft.
>>> Click here to book a ticket and tour of Royal Delft
Museum Prinsenhof
This interesting museum is housed in a former monastery where William of Orange lived and was assassinated.
William used the monastery as a campaign base during the Dutch Revolt. Fighting a long, drawn out war against the Spanish Catholics, he led the Dutch army to victory.
But Spain decided to assassinate him for his temerity. William was killed in the Murder Hall. You can still see bullet holes in the wall.
The museum‘s displays cover Dutch history, Delft’s role in the fight for independence, and decorative arts like Delftware.
Take A Canal Boat Tour
Delft’s peaceful canals are perfect for a relaxed canal cruise.
You’ll pass historic buildings, bridges, and see the town from the same perspective Vermeer might have.
Try to take a cruise mid-day to have a break from walking.
Browse the Saturday Market
Held in the Markt (main square), this large outdoor market sells cheese, stroopwafels, fish, flowers, antiques, and local goods.
The flower stalls are especially vibrant in spring.
Have Coffee at a Canal-Side Cafe
Grab a table at one of Delft’s many cafes lining the canals or even on the main square.
They’re ideal for people watching and soaking in the town’s relaxed, storybook atmosphere.
City Hall
City Hall is a Renaissance building with an ornate facade right on the Market Square.
The hall was built in 1618. Luckily it survived a fire-induced explosion in 1645, which devastated much of the town.
These days, it’s mostly used for weddings and events. But the exterior is a highlight.
Shop for Delftware
When Dutch East India ships returned from Asia bearing Chinese porcelain, Delft potters quickly copied the exotic new style. Except they decorated their pieces with scenes from daily Dutch life.
A whole new industry was born in the 17th century. And soon no Dutch home was without the blue and white painted tiles, jugs, and tulip jars.
Today, Delft bristles with shops selling Delftware. And you’ll find both new and antique pottery.
Pop into shops like Heinen Delfts Blauw or De Candelaer for ceramics. Or browse boutiques selling modern Dutch design. Delft is full of stylish, well-curated stores.
Usually the price tag on a genuine piece of Delft Blue is the same in town as it is on the maker’s own website. Royal Delft, for example, lists identical figures in its Delft showroom and its online shop.
The only extra online charge is the shipping fee and any import duty you might pay back home.
But Delft is a great place for bargain hunters. You can get discounted factory seconds or bargain items with only minor glazing flaws for half price.
If you want to try your own hand at making Delft pottery, head to De Porcelyne Fles. They offer 2.5 hour long workshops.
You can try your hand at creating your own blue and white masterpiece. Pre-booking is key! These workshops fill up fast.
Keukenhof
Visiting in tulip season lets you pair two Dutch icons—Keukenhof and Delft—without much travel time.
Keukenhof’s gardens in Lisse open only eight weeks a year, March 20 to May 11 2025. They’re an easy 35-minute drive from Delft.
If you skip a rental car, ride the train from Delft to Leiden in 20 minutes, then hop on the Keukenhof Express bus 854. Total journey is about an hour door to door.
A good spring itinerary starts early at Keukenhof when gates open at 8:00 am, before the tour bus surge begins.
Spend 2-3 hours among seven million blooms, then rent a bike in the car park to pedal a signed loop past working tulip fields toward Hillegom and Voorhout.
>>> Click here to pre-book a Keukehof ticket
Bike hire costs around €12 for three hours and puts you close enough for photos without trespassing.
By lunchtime, head back to Delft and park outside the compact center. Walk 5 minutes to Markt Square for a canal-side meal.
With your afternoon, hit the Vermeer Centrum, Nieuwe Kerk tower, and a Delft Blue painting demo at Royal Delft before cafes light their terraces at dusk.
With everything clustered so closely, 3-4 hours of relaxed sightseeing feels fairly un-rushed.
Tips For Visiting Delft
How To Get To Delft
Because of its central location just near Rotterdam and The Hague, it’s really easy to plan a visit to Delft.
Delft is only an hour from Amsterdam. You can book a guided tour, take the train, or drive from the city. You can also book a guided tour from Rotterdam.
How To Get Around
Delft is extremely walkable. And the town is best explored on foot.
But water taxis are available in the summer to give you an armchair ride through the heart of town.
Where To Stay
Most people only stay in Delft for a half day or day on a day trip. But it’s pretty centrally located and makes a great base for day tripping.
Plus, it’s much quieter than Amsterdam or Rotterdam, if that matters to you.
Hotel Arsenaal by WestCord has 63 rooms inside a 17th century weapons depot on the Oude Delft canal. Brick vaults, oak beams, rain showers, and a calm courtyard bar all make for a pleasant stay.
Hotel Johannes Vermeer is a former cigar factory turned boutique stay, just a minute from Market Square. Rooms ring a leafy patio. Top categories have church tower views and clawfoot baths.
Delft books up fast for tourist season in late spring and summer. Reserve 3 months in advance for that.
When To Visit
If you want to experience a Dutch market, come on Thursday. There are about 150 stalls on Market Square. Another smaller market is held on Saturday.
In terms of weather, May and June are the best times to visit. Temperatures are mild and daylight hours are long. Plus, the flowers!
July and August are the busiest months. This is a great time for outdoor dining and festivals.
September is also a pleasant month. But, if you visit from October to April, expect colder and wetter weather.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to the best things to do in Delft. You may find these other Netherlands travel guides useful:
- Tips for visiting the Netherlands
- One day in Amsterdam itinerary
- 2 days in Amsterdam itinerary
- One day in Rotterdam itinerary
- Guide to the Anne Frank House
- Guide to the Rijksmuseum
- Guide to MOCO Amsterdam
- Guide to the Stedelijk Museum
- Guide to Rembrandt House
- Guide to the Van Gogh Museum
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