48 uur in Enschede
Two days in Enschede? In 48 hours, be surprised by the very nicest city in the eastern Netherlands: Enschede. This is where it starts.
On a city trip to Enschede
Maybe Enschede is not the first city that comes to mind when you are looking for a nice destination for your city break in the Netherlands. Thats's exactly why I say: come to Enschede and be suprised! Discover the best city in the east of the Netherlands: Enschede. Enschede does not bore you for a moment. This multicultural student city in Twente is bustling with life. Hundreds of stores, the liveliest catering square, a calendar full of events and countless fun outings. Whether you come for a city trip with just the two of you or with the whole family, in Enschede you look for the border and feel at home.
Experience our shopping streets and the Old Market Square
Hundreds of stores in Enschede's city center offer shopaholics what they are looking for. Familiair brands such as Zara, Mango and Primark can be found at H.J. van Heekplein. Start your fitting room routine here and then get inspired in our city's small streets. The Haverstraatpassage, De Heurne, Walstraat and Zuiderhagen are full of unique boutiques. That way you can put together your own style. That's shopping the Enschede way.
Nestled between these small streets is the Old Market. There gourmets meet the tastemakers. Cafés and restaurants line the square, overlooking the Grote Kerk with its bell tower. You are welcome at any time of day. Grab a terrace, order a sandwich and enjoy Twente's hospitality. The Oude Markt is where the heart of Enschede beats.
Twentsche Foodhal and Performance Factory: always a surprise
Eating at the Twentsche Foodhal is always different. Eight different cuisnes serve worldly dishes. They make your lunch, drinks or dinner a real food experience. You choose from a menu with honest ingredients. And at the bar, of course, you order a beer from Enschede brewers such as Stanislaus Brewskovitch. The cuisines also change regularly. So the Twentsche Foodhal continues to surprise again and again.
The Performance Factory is also surprising. Your are always experiencing something new here. This talent factory east of our downtown is buzzing and bubbling. Creative entrepreneurs, care and welfare, sports and culture are all under one roof. Fancy something new and active? How about skating at Skatepark De Fabriek or climbing at Cube Bouldergym? Or try padel, the fastest growing sport worldwide. Step out of your comfort zone at the Performance Factory.
Get inspired in Roombeek
Roombeek inspires everyone. This neighborhood north of the center was given a whole new face after the May 13, 2000 fireworks disaster. Architect Pi de Bruijn created a place for living, working, shopping and culture. This is where Rijksmuseum Twenthe, De Museumfabriek, Tetem Kunstruimte en AKI/ArtEZ Academie for Art & Design join forces. The Rijksmuseum Twenthe offers changing exhibitions. Each exhibition tells about culture in the present or past, with a leading role for art objects and paintings. A little further on is the do-museum De Museumfabriek. Here you can disover the "cohesion of things". Around the corner, art space Tetem connects modern art and technology in their high-profile exhibitions. In Roombeek, old and new are familair side by side. You can feel that.
Attention getter on Prinsestraat
The most beautiful synagogue in Western Europe is in Enschede. It is located on Prinsestraat, between downtown and the Volkspark. The house of prayer is still in use and is one of our highlights. With its three copper domes, it has attracted everyone's attention since 1928. What does it look like inside? The synagogue is happy to open its doors. Admire the style mix of art deco, Amsterdam School and oriental style here. During a tour, a guide will point out the special details. Stained glass windows and Torah scrolls, symbolism and mosaics. Meanwhile, you learn that the Amsterdam architect Karel de Bazel designed the synagogue, commissioned by the Enschede textile manufacturer M.I Menko. Also nice: especially for kids, the guide adapts his tour. Then the youngest visitors are sure to feast their eyes.
Nature reserve with military precision
In nature reserve Vliegveld Twenthe you can enjoy nature with military precision. This area is located north of the city. Until 2016, it was used as a military airfield. We then gave the area back to nature. Now it is a place for leisure. Walk around the old runway. Along the way you'll spot splitter boxes and bunkers in the bushes. In World War 2, they used these splitter boxes to hide fighter plane. A little further on, hangars are hidden in the forest. Along them meanders the Fliegerhorstroute. This 25-kilometer bicycle route got its name from the airfield that the Germans built here in 1940. On the bike you pass art, stories from the paste and nature. Along the way you will see marker stones and hear skylarks whisteling. Take a break, climb the lookout tower and imagine that airplaine engines once roared here.
West-Enschede: a discovery in itself
Entertainment, nature, architecture and art. The western corner of the city is a discovery in itself. You will find the University of Twente, the only dutch University with its own campus. Scattered among the trees on the former Drienerlo estate are buildings for education, research and housing. Walk the Architecture & Art Route and walk past Zilverling, Horst en Bastille in an hour. After this introduction, Go Planet Parc awaits. This indoor hall next to Kennispark Station is the place for entertainment. Take diving lessions, get into an e-kart, win with slander tag or view a movie. Afterwards, get some fesh air at Kristalbad. This nature reserve is located behind IJsbaan Twente, between the Twente Canal and the railroad. It used to be a place for breaststroke and bombing, now a home for waterfowl and peace-seekers.
