What to See in Gelderland, Netherlands

Gelderland is the Netherlands’ largest province by land area, combining forests, rivers, orchards, historic cities, and towns near the German border. The province is worth visiting for its varied landscapes and its long history, from the medieval County of Guelders to the Battle of Arnhem. Neywo offers free audio guides for three cities in Gelderland, with 197 narrated places in total across 12 walking tours.

What to see and do in Gelderland

A trip through Gelderland can take in woodland, river country, museums, historic buildings, and sites connected with the Second World War. These are some of the main places and areas to include in a Gelderland travel guide.

Explore the Veluwe

The Veluwe is the largest forest region in the Netherlands. In the north of Gelderland, it provides one of the province’s clearest contrasts with its river landscapes and urban areas. Forests are central to the character of this part of the province and make it one of the key areas to explore when looking for things to do in Gelderland.

The Veluwe is also home to several important cultural attractions. Apeldoorn has Het Loo Palace, while Otterlo is home to the Kröller-Müller Museum. Together, these places connect the region’s wooded setting with its artistic and historical heritage.

Discover Arnhem

Arnhem, the capital of Gelderland, is one of the province’s main cultural and historical centres. The city has the Netherlands Open Air Museum and Museum Arnhem, as well as large theatres, concert halls, and popular music venues.

Arnhem is also closely associated with the Battle of Arnhem, which brought heavy fighting to the area during the Second World War. The John Frost Bridge is one of the city’s important historical locations. Neywo’s Arnhem audio guide covers 88 narrated places, including Buitensocieteit Arnhem, Belvédère, the Netherlands Open Air Museum, and Airborne at the Bridge.

Visit Nijmegen

Nijmegen lies in the central-southern part of the province and is another important centre for culture and history. Its attractions include the Valkhof Museum, while the city also has a large theatre, concert hall, and popular music venues.

The city’s narrated locations include the Titus Brandsmakapel, St Steven’s Church, Petruskerk, and Sint Nicolaaskapel. These are among the 93 places covered by Neywo’s Nijmegen audio guide, making the city a useful starting point for exploring Gelderland’s urban heritage.

See the river landscapes of Rivierenland

Rivierenland lies in the southwest of Gelderland and includes the Betuwe. Major rivers and orchards shape the landscape here, giving the area a character distinct from the forests of the Veluwe.

Water has always been central to Gelderland. The Rhine, Waal, Meuse, and IJssel helped make the territory strategically important during the Middle Ages. The rivers also explain much of the province’s historical development: controlling them meant controlling movement, borders, and access through the region.

Explore the Achterhoek

The Achterhoek is the eastern part of Gelderland, beside the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Its name means “back corner,” and the area is also known as the Graafschap, meaning county.

The region is one of the four broad areas commonly used to understand Gelderland. Along with the Veluwe, Rivierenland, and the city-region of Arnhem and Nijmegen, it shows how varied the province is within a single destination.

Remember the Battle of Arnhem

The Second World War remains an important part of Gelderland’s history. The Battle of Arnhem brought intense fighting to the area, and historical sites connected with it continue to draw visitors to Renkum, Overbetuwe, Arnhem, and Oosterbeek.

The Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery in Oosterbeek is one of the main places of wartime remembrance. Together with the John Frost Bridge and other locations in and around Arnhem, it forms part of a landscape where the province’s recent history can be encountered directly.

Visit Zevenaar

Zevenaar is a town in eastern Gelderland with 16 narrated places on Neywo. Its notable locations include the Nederlands Hervormde Kerk, Lathum, Sint Martinuskerk, Helenakerk, and Nederlands Hervormde kerk.

For visitors interested in smaller towns as well as major cities, Zevenaar adds another perspective to the province. Its sites complement the larger museums, theatres, and historic locations found in Arnhem, Nijmegen, and Apeldoorn. The Zevenaar audio guide helps connect these places while you walk.

Gelderland’s history and landscapes

Gelderland’s history began with the medieval County of Guelders, which developed in the 11th century from territory around castles near Roermond and Geldern. The counts gradually gained the Betuwe and Veluwe, and later acquired Zutphen through marriage. The county became a duchy and resisted Burgundian domination before its ruler was eventually forced to cede the duchy to Charles the Fifth.

The territory later joined the Union of Utrecht during the revolt against Philip the Second of Spain. Its borders changed over time, with the southeastern part passing to Prussia. Gelderland also belonged at different periods to the Batavian Republic, the Kingdom of Holland, and the French Empire. In 1815, it became a province of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This history is closely tied to geography. Gelderland’s rivers and frontiers made it strategically important, while its forests, orchards, and towns created the varied landscape visitors see today. Its position in the centre-east of the Netherlands, next to North Rhine-Westphalia, also helps explain its long connection with wider European conflicts and ambitions.

Explore Gelderland with Neywo

Neywo has free audio guides for three cities in Gelderland, with 197 narrated places in total and 12 walking tours. Narration is available in 11 languages. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule.

Download Neywo to explore Gelderland through its cities, museums, churches, bridges, and historic sites.