Winterswijk

Understand

Winterswijk, which name means something along the lines of "Place where Winter lives", was founded around the year 1000 and remained an isolated part of the country until 1830, when a road from Borken to Zutphen via the city was built. Ten years later, a wave of migration hit the town. Many of its citizens moved to the United States, particularly Michigan. After 1870 the town became a producer of textiles and eight years later a railway connecting the town to Zutphen was established to benefit this textile trade. One of Winterswijk's most notable citizens has to be Piet Mondrian, who lived in Winterswijk from 1880 to 1892. During this period, Mondrian started the painting career that would make him famous.

Getting there

By car When travelling from Utrecht, use the A12 in the direction of Arnhem and pass it, turning on A18 following signs for Enschede / Doetinchem. Once the Highway ends, take a right. At the second intersection, turn right following signs for N318 to Winterswijk. From the German side of the border, take Autobahn A31 to exit 33 Gescher / Coesfeld and follow Highway B525.

By train From any location in the country, take a train to Arnhem or Zutphen. From these two cities you can take a train to Winterswijk. Trains from either location go to Winterswijk every 30 minutes.

By bus From Enschede station take Bus 73, as of 2025 this will take about an hour and cost €11.87, running from 07:00, Saturdays from 08:00, Sundays from 09:00 until 22:00. From Vreden, across the border, take Bus R71 running Monday to Saturday with a Van-type bus, groups of more than 5 need to reserve ahead at RVM.

Getting around

Winterswijk can best be travelled by bike, though taking a car or bus, especially when visiting nearby locations outside of the city, might be recommended. When using a bus, use 9292.nl, a website created by Dutch public transport companies which will help you plan your journey.

See

1 Villa Mondriaan, Zonnebrink 4, ☏ +31 543 515 400. Tu-Th S-Su 09:00-17:00 F 09:00-16:00. The former house of Piet Mondrian, which has been turned into a museum. Adult €12.00 under 18 free. (updated Aug 2018) 2 Jacobschurch (Jacobskerk), Markt 1, NL-7101 DA, ☏ +31 543 522 303. closed from Oct 2025 for renovations. Gothic church tracing back to the 13th century (updated Oct 2016) 3 GOLS Museum (Transit Oost), Kleine Parallelweg 5, NL-7101 HN, ☏ +31 543 515 714. Will re-open in 2017. A museum housed in the old GOLS Train station. It has seven of the original vehicles used in the public transport system of the Achterhoek, and a model railway, displaying what used to be the station-network of Winterswijk (updated Oct 2016) 4 Berenschot Water Mill, Wooldseweg 72, 7108 AB (Taxibus line T10, stop Berenschot), ☏ +31 6 1083 8531. Water mill dating back to 1652, in modern times home to a restaurant, at the edge of a small nature reserve. Not disabled-accessible (updated Dec 2025)

Do

1 Winterswijk Quarry (Steengroeve Winterswijk), Steengroeveweg 50, [email protected]. The only active quarry of significance in the Netherlands. This limestone quarry itself is of relatively low economic importance for construction materials, but what makes it unique is that an exceptional combination of geological circumstances pushed 240 - 236 million year old deposits from the Trias era almost to the surface. As a result, the quarry is famous for its rich deposits of fossils, shells, and several minerals of which Celestine is the most appreciated by collectors. The quarry is opened to visitors a few times per year, during which collecting fossils and minerals is allowed. There is usually a waiting line for registrations, so sign up as fast as possible to secure access to the quarry when it opens. (updated Mar 2019)

Eat

1 De Revolutie, Markt 27, NL-7101 DA, ☏ +31 543 535 600. (updated Oct 2016) 2 Restaurant La Promenade, Markt 24, NL-7101 DB, ☏ +31 543 520 968. (updated Oct 2016) 3 De Nachtwacht, Satinksplas 1, NL-7101 GG, ☏ +31 543 512 469. (updated Oct 2016) 4 Café-Restaurant 't Weurden, Weurden 1, NL-7101 NG, ☏ +31 543 513 760. (updated Oct 2016)

Sleep

Hotels 1 Hotel/Restaurant Stad Munster, Markt 11, NL-7101 DA Winterswijk, ☏ +31 543 512 121. Four-star hotel in the centre of Winterswijk. €94. (updated Oct 2016) 2 Hotel Frederikshof, Frederikshof 2, NL-7103 CA Winterswijk, ☏ +31 543 517 755. Four-star hotel on the outskirts of Winterswijk. €65. (updated Oct 2016) 3 Hotel/Restaurant Centraal, Misterstraat 68, NL-7101 EZ Winterswijk, ☏ +31 543 522 294. (updated Oct 2016) 4 Hotel Bulten, Parallelweg 72, NL-7102 DH Winterswijk, ☏ +31 543 513 762. Three-star hotel near the train station. (updated Oct 2016)

Campsites and bungalowparcs 5 de Italiaanse Meren, Buitinkweg 7, 7107 BE Kotten, ☏ +31 543 563 271. (updated Apr 2019) 6 Camping De Rotmanshoeve, Bekeringweg 1, 7107 AM Kotten, ☏ +31 6 536 927 24. (updated Apr 2019) 7 Camping Renskers, Aalbrinkstegge 5, 7107 AG Kotten, ☏ +31 543 563 293. (updated Apr 2019) 8 Camping De Appelweide, Wilterdinkweg 3, 7107 AE Kotten, ☏ +31 6 517 220 76. (updated Apr 2019) 9 Recreatiepark Het Winkel, De Slingeweg 20, 7115 AG Winterswijk Brinkheurne, ☏ +31 543 513 025. (updated Apr 2019) 10 Minicamping Tönsmanshoeve, Aarninkweg 2, 7108 CE Woold, ☏ +31 543 564 457. (updated Apr 2019) 11 De Brömmels, Meerdinkweg 5, 7108 BJ Woold, ☏ +31 543 564 518. (updated Apr 2019) 12 camping De Harmienehoeve, Brandenweg 2, 7108 AX Woold, ☏ +31 543 564 393. (updated Apr 2019) 13 Vreehorst Camping, Vreehorstweg 43, 7102 EK Winterswijk, ☏ +31 543 514 805. (updated Apr 2019) 14 Vakantiepark De Twee Bruggen, Meenkmolenweg 13, 7109 AH Winterswijk Miste, ☏ +31 543 565 366. (updated Apr 2019)

Go next

Winterswijk is an easy link to Germany, with cities such as Bocholt, Münster and Duisburg not far out of reach. You can also stay in the Netherlands and visit nearby cities such as Arnhem, Doetinchem, Enschede or Zutphen.