This summer I took a quick day trip from Amsterdam to Zwolle by train. The charming town is only a short 1h ride away and, even though it’s small, it is packed with everything I love: art, history, good coffee and tons of charm. Whilst I am in no way an expert and don’t want to pose as one, having visited merely once (for now), I’d like to share with you what got me so excited about Zwolle:
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Where is Zwolle and How to Get There?
Zwolle is the capital of the province of Overijssel and has approximately 135,000 inhabitants, making it roughly the size of Haarlem or Bruges. You’ll find it 110 km north-east of Amsterdam, and trains between the two cities run twice an hour.
From Amsterdam to Zwolle: every 8 or 38 minutes past the hour, from platform 10b.
From Zwolle to Amsterdam: every 16 or 46 minutes past the hour, from platform 3.
The Netherlands has a very unfussy train network and you can easily tap in and out at the gated train stations with your credit or debit card. It makes getting onto a train and seeing more of the country so easy.
My Zwolle Background Story
Two years ago, I took part in the European Heritage Days in Den Haag and visited the Royal Waiting Chamber at Den Haag HS. There, I picked up a book on Royal Waiting Chambers, a mostly out of print edition. Only Boekhandel Bloks in Zwolle had one of the last copies and kindly sent me one to Berlin. I have been keen to visit Zwolle and the bookshop ever since that lovely encounter.
I had only checked a few pictures of Zwolle online, but what I saw was genuinely positive: a gorgeous town with a well-preserved, star-shaped Hanseatic canal system. A typical Old Town with a market square, historic brick buildings and remains of the former city walls and gates. For summer 2026, I had made a visit to Zwolle a top priority.
Random Fact: Zwolle is home to one of The Netherlands’ most famous restaurants, De Librije. The restaurant was awarded its third Michelin star in 2004 and has held on to all three ever since, regularly drawing visitors and foodies from across The Netherlands and beyond
5 Reasons why I loved my Day Trip to Zwolle
In a very untypical Carolin-style, I explored laidback Zwolle by merely walking around. Usually I plan and pin places of interest in advance, but this time I only had Boekhandel Bloks on the list, and the rest? Purely let me take by surprise.
Bookstores: Zwolle’s rich Literary Side
Boekhandel Bloks is a small antiquarian and second-hand bookshop on Papenstraat, one of Zwolle’s oldest streets. The entrance is a bit unassuming so don’t walk past! Owner Theo carefully selects books covering art, history and a variety of more unusual subjects for his collection. Before opening his own shop, Theo worked for De Slegte, the Dutch and Belgian second-hand bookshop chain, and one of my favourite bookshops, so the selection of well-curated art books and books on niche subjects is intentional. His shop is housed in a historic brick building, adding to the wonderfully old-fashioned atmosphere.
Another impressive bookstore is Van der Velde, located inside the former Broerenkerk. The impressive 15th-century church was built by the Dominicans and has been home to a bookstore since 2013. During an extensive restoration in the 1980s, 16th-century ceiling paintings and decorations were uncovered beneath later layers of paint, revealing just how richly decorated the church had once been. The centrepiece of the interior is the enormous Schnitger organ, donated by Pieter Queijsen in the 18th century. The organ remains in remarkably good condition and is still played today.
Zwolle’s love affair with books is nothing new. By the late 15th century, the city had already established itself as an important centre of book production. Johannes de Vollenhoe, Zwolle’s first known printer, was active here from 1477, and between 1477 and 1523 the city’s printers produced at least 267 different editions.
The city’s literary tradition goes back even further, to Thomas à Kempis, who lived at the Agnietenberg monastery outside Zwolle from 1399 until his death in 1471. A saying traditionally attributed to him seems particularly appropriate for a city with such a long relationship with books: “In omnibus requiem quaesivi et nusquam inveni, nisi in angello cum libello” – “I sought rest everywhere, but found it nowhere except in a little corner with a little book”.
History: Zwolle’s Random Past
On this trip, I did not seek out museums or did much research beforehand. Instead, I let the town unfold and “tell” me its story, learning from whatever I happened to come across. The most random piece of history, and feast for my hungry Gemini mind, found me at the bookstore: the story of Hermen, a local who was most likely the victim of a brutal murder and whose remains now rest in the Broerenkerk aka The Van der Velde Bookstore. It sounds like a fever dream, but a good one if you ask me. If you had to spend eternity somewhere, I would totally want to rest in a beautiful church surrounded by books and art too.
During an archaeological excavation at Spinhuisbredehoek in 2010, a skeleton was discovered unexpectedly. What made the find particularly unusual was that both hands had been tied with rope and the skull showed signs of significant trauma, suggesting that this was likely a murder victim. Forensic research established that the person had lived sometime between 1316 and 1440 and was around 22–24 years old when they died. The remains could not be conclusively identified as male or female, and the city has since chosen to refer to the individual as Hermen.
A reconstruction of Hermen, including a remodelled face based on the remains, can be found on the top floor of the bookstore, while the original remains are now placed beneath a glass plate in the floor of the Broerenkerk. The church had historically been used for burials, and Hermen’s current resting place is a recreation rather than the original burial site.
It’s random, it’s a little creepy, but oooohhh so interesting.
Coffee: Zwolle’s thriving Cafe Scene
I value and love a decent coffee, and Zwolle did not disappoint. The city has a great range of modern cafés that invite you to sit down, relax and enjoy a good coffee whilst reading a good book.
My first stop was Anne & Max, a popular Dutch café chain, but it was so busy that I couldn’t find a spot. Further down the High Street, I loved the outdoor terrace at Barista and decided to sit down for my lunch break. I had originally ordered a chicken wrap, but somehow a pinsa with chicken salad and mango chutney arrived instead. It was actually very nice, so I wasn’t too bothered by the mix-up – especially as I received a 10% discount at the end for the mistake.
I had also pinned Brownies & Downies opposite Barista, but decided to continue further down the High Street towards the Van der Velde bookstore. After my visit, I stopped at Sam’s Specialty Coffee for an iced latte. The café itself is ultra-modern, and the coffee was exceptionally good. Once again, I was deeply impressed.
Zwolle may be relatively small, but life is clearly thriving here. The streets felt lively and busy, and not simply because I happened to visit in the middle of summer. Zwolle is also a university city, which gives it a youthful energy alongside its historic centre.
Shopping: Small Boutiques & Second-hand Heaven
I don’t know about you, but I am so fed up with seeing the same stores on every High Street across Europe. So many of the old own-brand clothing labels have disappeared, only to be replaced by the same pricey plastic clothes that seem to swamp every shop. Most clothes these days are made from acrylic, polyester or other synthetic materials, which I find increasingly concerning. I am one of those shoppers who reads the labels and actively looks for pieces made from natural fibres.
During my summer holidays, I found myself shopping mostly at smaller independent boutiques, selling labels I had never heard of before. While these pieces are usually a little more expensive, I was surprised by how reasonable the prices could be. If I saw a shirt or blouse for 35€ at Zara or H&M, I was quite happy to pay around 40–45€ for a 100% cotton blouse from an independent boutique instead. The difference in price wasn’t enormous, but the difference in quality certainly was.
Many of the independent boutiques I came across in Belgium and The Netherlands seem to source their collections from smaller European fashion wholesalers rather than from brands with their own network of physical shops. I noticed that several of the labels I found during my travels were also listed on Paris Fashion Shops, a French B2B marketplace connecting independent retailers with wholesale fashion suppliers. This also means that many of the pieces you find in these boutiques are labels you simply don’t encounter on the usual High Street, making the clothes feel considerably more unique.
Zwolle turned out to be particularly good for this, and I came across three lovely boutiques during my visit.
Vay is a chic boutique with a very classy offering of blouses, trousers, blazers and knitwear. The selection included Dutch brands such as Ambika and CC Fashion, with plenty of pieces that felt polished without being overly formal.
Next door, Sassy had a similarly well-presented selection, although with a slightly higher price point. They stock some lovely independent labels, including Reborn Antwerp, which made it another shop worth browsing.
Then there was Chic by Nic, a charming little shop full of colour and personality. Its selection was much more playful and romantic, and I immediately spotted a checked blouse with a tie mechanism that I couldn’t resist. It was by Lulumary, a Parisian fashion label, and exactly the kind of unusual piece I had been hoping to find.
And then came another small victory: I bought my first second-hand piece.
Appel & Ei is a second-hand clothing shop with several branches across The Netherlands, including Utrecht, The Hague, Leiden and Hilversum. I have to admit that second-hand shopping has never particularly appealed to me. The word “vintage” tends to conjure up images of chaotic shops bursting at the seams with clothes that are not always particularly clean, and sometimes simply unpleasant to touch. You know that feeling when you pick something up and immediately feel like you need to wash your hands afterwards? That.
Appel & Ei completely changed my mind. The shop was beautifully presented, interesting and the clothes were clean, carefully arranged and genuinely appealing. I was immediately drawn to a white JcSophie balloon skirt for 30€, and it was a complete no-brainer. The skirt was actually the first item that had caught my eye. I loved the soft fabric and lightness of the skirt, although I have to say it was tricky to find a suitable top as the skirt is kinda a big statement. My first second-hand purchase, and one I was actually excited to wear.
Zwolle also has an extensive and well-presented High Street, with plenty of familiar international brands alongside independent boutiques and smaller concept stores. Even MSCH Copenhagen has a small shop here, which I certainly wasn’t expecting to find. But it was the independent shops that made shopping in Zwolle such a joy. After years of feeling increasingly disconnected from shopping on the High Street, I found myself enjoying the simple thrill of discovering a beautiful piece of clothing again – an old passion of mine, rediscovered in Zwolle!
Art: Showcasing of Local Talent & Creativity
I was also pleasantly surprised by how much Zwolle showcases its local artistic talent. At the Academiehuis in the Grote Kerk, I visited the Proto Masters exhibition, featuring work by local artists and students. The exhibition runs until 20 September and brings together a wonderfully varied selection of photography, sculpture, painting and graphic design. Thomas Bartelds’ photography captures Zwolle from above, playing with unusual angles and compositions, while Alex Douw works with plastics and sculpture. Mohammed Abushaban’s graphic designs add another visual dimension, and Tali Farchi-VD Wouden’s lush botanical paintings immediately reminded me of Henri Rousseau. Individual works and smaller pieces are also available to buy in the exhibition shop, including cards, bookmarks and stationery, making it a nice opportunity to take home something created by a local artist.
Outside the church, the Glazen Engel (Glass Angel) by Dutch artist Herman Lamers has stood in front of the Grote Kerk since 2013. The approximately four-metre-high sculpture is made entirely of transparent glass and changes character depending on the light and weather: shimmering and almost weightless in the sunshine, more mysterious and sombre on a grey day. Its ethereal appearance is a striking contrast to the historic architecture surrounding it, while its placement directly in front of the church creates an interesting dialogue between the contemporary sculpture and the sacred building behind it. The angel has since become one of Zwolle’s recognisable landmarks — and, unsurprisingly, a popular subject for photographs.
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My day trip from Amsterdam to Zwolle surprised me in every way possible, and I am really looking forward to actively planning a return the next time I visit The Netherlands. Whilst walking around and checking out the businesses and interesting places, I noticed that Zwolle has this funny combination of medieval walls, Hanseatic heritage, bookshops in churches and a nationwide reputation as a food destination. All sides of the city that appeal to me and kept me engaged throughout the day.
The town is quiet, historic and slightly eccentric. And surprisingly, it has this strong literary and cultural atmosphere for its size that deeply spoke to me.
Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed my content and would like to support my blog & research, you can do so via Buy Me a Coffee.
Till next time,
Carolin
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