Broek in Waterland
The most beautiful village in the Netherlands. And we live here.
Fifteen minutes from Amsterdam, centuries of calm
Where time stands still and no one wonders what time it is.
Broek in Waterland sits just fifteen minutes from the city, yet it feels like another time zone. A village of grey wooden houses, little canals with nowhere to be, and bridges you find yourself crossing a little more slowly. The highest concentration of national heritage monuments in the Netherlands — not in a museum, but out on the street.
No guide with a microphone. No queues. No clog shops. No 'experience'. No route maps with stickers. No dressing up in traditional costume for a photo with a local celebrity. Just a village where children still play outside, neighbours greet one another and no one is in a hurry. Not because they have to be, but simply because there's no reason to be.
Plan your day in Broek and pick out a walking route while you're at it.
Walk, cycle, lose your way.
Walking
No GPS, no destination.
Three walking routes start at Het Broeker Huis. A half-hour loop around the village past all the wooden houses and the Havenrak — pushchair-friendly. A ninety-minute polder walk along little dykes and through meadows. Or the Waterland route: three hours, out to Zuiderwoude and back along the Broeker Pad.
Cycling
Landscape in no hurry.
One of the finest cycling loops in North Holland begins and ends in Broek — via Zuiderwoude, Ransdorp, or simply wherever the mood takes you. Past ditches, sheep, windmills and silence. Start at cycle junction 46, in the middle of the village. And bring a rain jacket, because this is Waterland.
On the water
Broek from the other side.
Broek in Waterland is at its most beautiful from the water. Step aboard De Neeltje — our own boat, eight people max — with skipper Peter, who talks or stays quiet depending on the company. No cruise with headphones. No audio guide. Just the water, the wind, and a skipper who knows when to hold his tongue.
Doing nothing
Broek's favourite pastime.
The best thing about Broek in Waterland is that nothing is asked of you. A bench by the Havenrak. A coffee to go with it. Watching the ducks share the water with the sky. No programme. No route. No "things you simply have to see". Just sitting. Breathing. And slowly understanding why the people of Broek never want to leave.
Four spots where you'll linger longer than planned
A day in Broek in Waterland
St Nicholas' Church
Since 1628
The oldest building in the village, rebuilt on the foundations of the church the Spanish set alight in 1573. Inside: a painted ceiling, an organ that still sounds, and the gravestone of Neeltje Pater — merchant woman and shareholder in the Dutch East India Company. In 1775 she bequeathed Het Broeker Huis to the church, on the condition that it never be used for anything "other than the general benefit of the citizens".
The Famous House
Where Napoleon took off his shoes
On 15 October 1811 Napoleon rode into Broek, over streets strewn with flowers. He took off his shoes at the door — out of respect for the villagers' legendary obsession with cleanliness — and then burned his fingers on a red-hot lid. The village impressed emperors, yet remained entirely itself.
The Havenrak
The centre of everything
Once twenty metres deep and big enough for East India Company ships. Now the quiet heart of the village, ringed by grey wooden façades and benches where you can sit for no reason at all. Everything in Broek begins and ends here.
The Broeker Grey
Heritage monuments on every corner
In the Golden Age, Broek was one of the richest villages in Holland. More than eighty national heritage monuments still stand — with original "death doors" that open only for weddings and funerals. The local historical society runs guided tours.
Coffee before the walk, lunch after
From coffee to five courses.
In the middle of the village stands Het Broeker Huis: restaurant, village house and the starting point for your day. Begin with a coffee from Boontje — our own blend. Wander into the village or out across the polder. Come back for lunch — seasonal cooking, honest food, with the children at the table or just you on the terrace. Wednesday through Sunday, from early till late.
How to get to Broek in Waterland
Closer than you think.
Bus 312, 314 or 316 from Amsterdam Central — every five minutes, and sixteen minutes later you step out into the fairy tale. By car via the A10 and N247: a quarter of an hour. Parking is free, in the large car park on the Nieuwland.
By bike it's forty minutes, along the Noordhollandsch Kanaal. Or through the Volgermeerpolder. On an e-bike a touch quicker (a shame, really).
Things to do in Broek in Waterland
Events in the village house.
Frequently asked questions about Broek in Waterland
How to get here, food & drink and what there is to do in Broek in Waterland.
How far is Broek in Waterland from Amsterdam?
Sixteen minutes by bus from Amsterdam Central or Amsterdam Noord station (bus 110, 112, 314, 315 or 316), a quarter of an hour by car. About 30 minutes by bike.
Can I stay overnight in Broek in Waterland?
Het Broeker Huis has a B&B on the courtyard. Sleep in the heart of the village.
Can I eat in Broek in Waterland?
Restaurant Het Broeker Huis is open Wednesday through Sunday. Coffee, lunch and dinner — book a table or just drop in. There's always room for one more.
Is there parking?
Parking is free at the car park on the Nieuwland. From there you stroll straight into the village. Don't drive further into the village: after a fruitless lap hunting for a spot, you'll be right back where you started ten minutes later.
Are there walking routes in Broek in Waterland?
Three routes from Het Broeker Huis: a village loop (30 min), a polder walk (1.5 hrs) and the Waterland route (3 hrs).
Come as a guest, leave as a local
More than a day away.
Broek in Waterland isn't a day out. It's a day at home — somewhere else. Do come in.
Drop in, or first see what's on?