Drentsche Aa National Landscape


Drentsche Aa National Landscape takes in a varied 10,000 hectares of ancient farms, deep woods and straggly heath that bursts into purple bloom in late summer. Cycling through this bell-shaped area just northeast of Assen is sublime, and there are maps posted at each knooppunt (numbered marker) to guide you around. National bike route LF14 goes right down the middle.

Several hunebedden (dolmens) can be spotted just north of Gasteren, in the centre of the park, and beside a medieval church at Rolde to the south.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Drents Museum

3.9 MILES

Painting and applied arts from the late 19th century and early 20th century, and contemporary realism, are the main focus of the art collection at the…

2. Kamp Westerbork

7.28 MILES

Of the 107,000 Jews living in the Netherlands before WWII, all but 5000 were deported by the Nazis to concentration and death camps in central and eastern…

3. Hunebedden Centrum

8.35 MILES

Excavated artefacts and information displays evoking the many stories behind Drenthe's remarkable collection of hunebedden (prehistoric burial chambers)…

4. Museum De Buitenplaats

9.07 MILES

In Eelde, 5km south of Groningen, this space is devoted to figurative art from around Europe. The main organic structure, which blends into its natural…

5. Groninger Museum

14.2 MILES

Those arriving by train can't help but notice the Groninger Museum. Occupying three islands in the ring canal in front of the station, the museum is, at…

6. Synagogue

14.37 MILES

Groningen's synagogue is one of the few working synagogues left in the country. Sporting Moorish adornments, the century-old structure now houses a school…

7. Urinoir

14.49 MILES

This urinoir was designed by no less than Rem Koolhaas, with an arresting photo collage. For once it also includes a female facility. It's two blocks west…

8. Aa-kerk

14.52 MILES

Located in the old harbour area, Aa-kerk was once a seaman's church dating to 1226. No longer a church, it is used as a concert and reception hall today.