Leave on foot for a nice walk or pedal away to explore Deventer and the surrounding countryside on a bicycle.

City Parks

The city is close to several parks, that are easy to get to from the centre, get some fresh air over here or take a walk:
In 1874 the fortress walls were demolished and the Rijsterborgherpark was constructed. A natural looking and varied park with highs and lows. In the park you will find the Bird Island (Vogeleiland), with various animal species, a charming restaurant, and regular music performances. After 100 years, this park is still very popular with the people of Deventer.

The Worpplantsoen is located on the other side of the IJssel. This park is known as the oldest public city walking park in the Netherlands! You can be there in a few minutes with the foot passenger ferry. In the park’s music dome you can enjoy music, dance and entertainment all summer long in the open air, for and by all ages.

Cycling and walking in the countryside

With the cycling and walking networks in the surrounding regions, you can easily map out beautiful walks. You will soon notice that the walking and cycling paths and routes are well maintained.

The following cycling and walking maps and routes are available from VVV Deventer Tourist Information, Brink 89 (Penninckshuis), or from the Deventer online shop.

Cycling along the River IJssel

Asparagus cycling route Deventer Route: 25/37/51 km. Discover and taste Salland! Step on the pedals and combine a bike ride along the IJssel and through Salland with Salland asparagus tasting. The asparagus season runs from the end of April to 24 June, but outside this period it’s also beautiful to cycle along this route. Route available for € 1.50.
Five Hanseatic rounds, Route Deventer-Zutphen-Deventer: 40 km. Cycling along the beauty and splendor of the Hanseatic cities on the River IJssel. This booklet contains six routes from various Hanseatic cities. Route available for € 1.50.

Cycling from Deventer through cycling junctions

Salland cycling network map: This popular map shows the cycling junctions between the Sallandse Heuvelrug and the river IJssel and useful tips about sights and various sample routes. Plan your own route along 520 kilometres of signposted routes. You can decide the length of the route yourself. Map available for € 5.95.
Veluwe bicycle junction map, Twente & Achterhoek: A perfect introduction to the area on the west side of Deventer. Junctions of no fewer than three recreational regions connected on one cycling map. That makes it extremely easy to explore the region by bike! Map available for € 7.95.
Vechtdal & Salland cycling map: Remains from the last ice age, catchment areas of small and large rivers and proud residents who still embrace the dialect. Discover this typical Dutch landscape with this cycling map. Explore the catchment areas of the Overijsselse Vecht, the IJssel and the bocage landscape that characterises Salland. Map available for € 9.95.
Veluwe cycling map: Do you want to discover just the Veluwe from Deventer? This map is beautifully detailed on a scale of 1:50,000. In addition to all cycling junctions, this map shows various thematic cycling routes and tips for the road. Map available for € 9.95.

Walking from Deventer

Salland walking network map: In this network, with 875 km of marked walking trails, you can map out endless walking routes using numbered route markers. These numbers are indicated on the walking map. The routes vary from 2 to 22 km. Five ready-made beautiful themed routes have already been included. Map available for € 6.95.
North-East Veluwe walking map: Characteristic for the east side of the Veluwe are the many brooks and streams, which offer beautiful routes to walk and cycle along. This walking map shows 7 of the famous Klompenpaden or Clog Trails. There are also various nature trails, adventure trails, city walks and many other walking trails, varying from 3 to 16 km. Map available for € 5.95.
Achterhoek walking network: Walk through farmyards and picturesque villages, past stately mansions and castles, over rolling hills with beautiful views. With the walking route selection system, you can easily map out routes from the 3,000 km of marked walking trails in the region and this walking map can serve as a useful aid. Map available for € 5.95.

Walking routes on estates around Deventer

Hazepad Walks: Discover the estates in the IJssel landscape with six route books, with short walks varying in length from 2 to 6 km. Walk through extensive forest areas, through the floodplains of the IJssel and across estates of the IJssel landscape, with beautifully restored country manors and farms. The booklets are available for € 2.25 each, or 6 booklets together for € 9.95.

Bicycle rental in Deventer

Didn’t bring your bicycle? No problem! You can rent a bike here:
• Hein van Langen Two-wheelers

Consider visiting one of the following attractions:

DAVO Beers, Sluisstraat 6

The one and only Deventer beer brewery! A place in Deventer where everything revolves around beer. The Brewpub is located in an old industrial building with an attractive interior. There is plenty to do here: Tasting with the Brewer, taste dozens of different specialty beers and have a chat with the brewer. www.davobieren.nl

Museum de Waag, Brink 56

De Waag has always been an important icon of Deventer. This is the oldest weighing house in the Netherlands that was specially built for that purpose. Where goods were once weighed, you will now find a museum full of old treasures of the city, established in 1915. The museum has a permanent exhibition about the history of Deventer, in addition to annually changing themed exhibitions. www.museumdewaag.nl

Museum Eicas Preview, Polstraat 6-a

EICAS in Deventer offers a unique opportunity to discover and create new worlds with works by the Dutch Nul movement and the German ZERO. The works of the Zero Movement are always the starting point for presentations by contemporary artists, modern thinkers and innovative researchers. www.eicas.nl

Climb the Lebuinus Church tower, Grote Kerkhof 38

Fancy a challenge? Climb the Lebuinus Church tower! The narrow spiral staircase to the second passage at a height of 46 metres consists of 220 steps. From the highest point you have beautiful views over Deventer and surrounding areas. In the months of April to October the tower is open to the public every Saturday, during Dutch school holidays the tower is also open from Monday to Friday. Access via the Lebuinus Church. www.lebuinuskerk.nl

Deventer is rich in religious buildings

Take the Lebuinus Church for example, Grote Kerkhof 38, which started the development of the city. This Protestant church is located on the Grote Kerkhof. The Lebuinuskerk is a gothic hall church and was built between 1450 and 1525. The cornerstone for the present tower was laid in the summer of 1459. www.lebuinuskerk.nl

In the Bergkwartier, the medieval part of the city, sits the Mountain Church (Bergkerk), Bergkerkplein 1. The St. Nicholas Church or Mountain Church in Deventer is originally a Romanesque cross basilica and is located on an old river dune in the Bergkwartier. The church was built in the years 1198-1209, near the then Deventer harbour quarter. It was founded in the heyday of the Hanseatic city. In the 15th century, the Mountain Church underwent various renovations, giving it its late Gothic character. The two characteristic spiers, for example, were built in that period (the lower part of the towers is still original).

The Penninckshuis, Brink 89, next to Deventer Tourist Information Office, is also a unique church building. Be sure to drop by and visit the church, which is hidden behind the urban facades of the Brink. Around 1588, the merchant Herman Penninck commissioned the construction of the church’s showy facade, which was meant to reflect his wealth and literacy. The facade with its statues is one of the highlights of the Renaissance in Deventer and in the Netherlands as a whole. At the end of the 19th century, the building was very dilapidated, the Mennonite Congregation had the facade restored and a church built behind it. The building is currently still in use as a Mennonite Remonstrant Church.

The last historic church building that can be found in the centre of the city is the Roman Catholic Broederenkerk, Broederenstraat 18. The Broederenkerk has a long and rich history starting around 1300, when a monastery was established here, and a church was added around 1335. The church was built by order of Eleonora of England, then Duchess of Gelre. www.heiigelebuinus.nl

But there’s more…

There are of course many more things to discover in Deventer, for more information you can contact the Deventer Tourist Information (VVV Deventer), at Brink 89. The Tourist Information Centre and souvenir shop is housed in the Penninckshuis.

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