This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. More information can be found under the site's privacy policy.
Here are my top 10 activities in Breda. My husband and I recently were able to visit Breda in the Netherlands. My husband was working, so I was touring it solo for a day. I loved this town because you could see how it is truly a tight community. The people all seemed to know each other and they were all very friendly.
People were really helpful and some of them even knew me by the time that I left the town. I’m pretty quiet but maybe they remembered me because of my American accent. Everyone waves and smiles at each other while riding on their bikes. It seems to be a pretty happy place where, “Everybody knows your name… and they’re always glad you came.”
Where To Stay:
The Hotel Nassau Breda is located right in the center of Breda. You will be able to park your car at a parking garage close by if you are driving. This hotel is a unique place to stay in because it’s an old monastery. Now there are striking portraits of nuns throughout the hotel. It was incredibly clean and it also had a great view of the city center’s Catholic church steeple. Click here for more info!
Don’t forget your travel insurance! We recommend World Nomads. Make sure to have coverage that includes medical expenses, trip cancellations, and coverage for your belongings from theft or damage. If needed, you may also want to include car rental insurance as well.
My Top Ten List for Breda:
1. The Open Market
I was surprised to see the open market on Friday morning. It was surprising because the open food markets in France are not operating yet because of the pandemic. The market was there all morning and started to close right after lunchtime. There were all types of clothing, materials, flowers, and food items being sold.
2. Park Valkenberg
Visiting this park is a must see activity in my travel book. It is a small park but incredibly lush and green. Valkenberg Park is right beside of the castle, which is the next site to see while visiting Breda.
The roosters are colorful and quite noisy! They were all over the park and definitely the highlight of my day in Breda.
3. Find the Breda Castle (Kasteel Van Breda)
The castle is now closed to the public. You can still walk around it and the military base where you will be able to snag a photo of the moat. The moat and base are pictured at the top of this post.
4. Find the Street Art
The street art of Breda is really impressive. There is a tour that you can take to see all of the paintings, but I toured the streets solo during this trip. You can visit my instagram account to view more images or Blind Walls Gallery to learn more about the available tours.
5. Biking and Walking Tours
There are several biking and walking tour options in Breda. A bike tour would definitely be the true dutch way to see the city. I recommend booking through Viator.com.
6. Shopping
Breda has a ton of shopping options. The streets are lined with retail and all types of small independent shops. People are well dressed here for sure! I have a friend who loves chocolate so I stopped in the Olala gourmet chocolate shop to buy a few gifts.
7. Hiking in Mastbos
I spoke with a few locals here and all of them mentioned visiting Mastbos for the hiking. I bet its also very green and lush like Park Valkenberg. It’s a quick 15 minute drive, so it’s easy to access if you want to venture out of the city for a little bit.
8. Find Saint Catharinakerk
You will love finding this little gem in Breda. Walk around to find the garden behind the church.
9. Visit the Breda Casino
The Breda Casino was closed due to the pandemic of 2020 during my visit, but it would be a fun place to visit during a cold or rainy day. You can easily walk to it from the city center. The casino was located by a small art gallery, which would be another indoor option to visit on a rainy day.
10. Visit De Grote Market and the Large Church Breda
This is the heart of Breda. There are no cars on most of the streets. The streets are small and narrow with plenty of pedestrians and cyclists. The Large Church of Breda will definitely capture your attention with the sound of its bells and its architectural details. The square is also where everyone comes together for their beverage of choice, meals, and the weekly market.
Bonus Activity:
I know the blog is called top 10 activities, but I wanted to add on one more bonus activity for my sincere readers. If you like gin or whisky, sign up for a tasting at whiskyandgin.nl.
Recommended Cafes and Restaurants:
If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, you will have no problem in Breda.
Sowieso Koffiebar offers a vegan burger, vegan lattes, smoothies, vegan scrambled eggs, falafel, and several other vegan menu options.
The Sunshine Lunch and Lounge is another quaint cafe that offers vegan lattes and an incredible vegan cheesecake!
I hope that you enjoyed reading about my top 10 activities in Breda, The Netherlands. This town truly amazed me with all of its charm, street art, shopping, and friendly people. If you are looking for another fun destination in The Netherlands, then you may want to check out my Dordrecht and Kinderdijk blog post.
I hope that it helps you to plan your time here when you visit! I will definitely be visiting Breda again. Have you been to Breda? I would love to know what I missed in the comments below.
Thank you for stopping by and remember to save one of the pins below for later.
