We’ve been exploring the Dutch countryside for over a year now and we still have loads of places to visit. Orvelte has been on my bucket list for a very long time. This historic village is located in the North of the Netherlands in a province called Drenthe. Popular cities in this region are Assen and Meppel which are better known than the small village called Orvelte.
Orvelte is one of the historic villages of the country and it is pretty unique because the whole village is one enormous museum. The village is free to enter and move about which is cool but there are a lot of paid things to do in Orvelte, Netherlands that you can take part in too. I’ll be covering all those things in just a bit.
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⏰ Looking for the best place to stay when visiting Orvelte? The B&B Slaoperij is located right in the heart of the cute village and provides breakfast too! ⏰
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Important Things To Know About Orvelte, Netherlands
- Orvelte is car free so you can’t drive through it but it is fairly small so walking through it is a breeze. My toddlers did the whole thing without as much as a grumble. There are two parking spots where you can park.
- Orvelte is free to enter but you will have to pay at individual attractions which can add up. That’s why it is good to know all about the different things to do in Orvelte before you visit so you can plan your trip in advance.
- Plan around the weather. Orvelte is largely open air so if the weather is bad, you won’t really enjoy yourself.
- There are loads of things to do in Orvelte so you need to plan your time out depending on the timings of each show.
- Don’t forget to take a photograph of the map when you enter the town. This will help you plan your route.
Where To Stay In Orvelte
Generally speaking people don’t stay in the town. This is because it is pretty easy to get to the town and back from most parts of the country. This is especially true if you have a car. We drove from Groningen and were there in a little under an hour. The journey is a little longer from Amsterdam.
Staying in the town is however an option that you should consider because there are loads of things to do in Orvelte. The place is very calm and there are lots of spots in the outdoors that you can head out and explore. The iconic Drenthe landscape is one of the most picturesque areas in the country and we often consider ourselves blessed to stay so close.
B&B Slaoperij
⭐️ Rating: 8.4/10 (148 Reviews) Price: $90 per night 📍Location: Schoolstraat 8, Orvelte Details: Read more on booking.com now!
One of the best places to stay in if you are visiting is right in the heart of the town. B&B Slaoperij is located centrally and is a stone’s throw away from all the attractions. It has a garden, free parking and even an electric charging station so it is super convenient.
One of the attractions of this place is the morning breakfast that is served. The breakfast is included in the room rate which makes it a no-brainer. You can indulge in a variety of pastries and cheese all served with a view. This is especially true on days when the sun is out and the weather is good.
“Great stay highly recommended! Such peace! and beautiful nature we could so enjoy the morning, the birds who came to visit us during breakfast a nice set table on the terrace in the sun. And haunt the sweet one-eyed pirate pussy, rest and rest again!!!”
Luc (read more reviews now!)
Oh and if you fancy heading out on a trail or to visit some of the nearby attractions, they will even pack a lunch for you. You do have to let them know in advance.
Best Time To Visit Orvelte
Orvelte is open all year round. You will however find that the best time to visit Orvelte is during spring and summer. This is when there are loads of activities organized. We visited during winter and there was barely anyone around. Most of the activities like the horse carriage were closed or unavailable. It was still an amazing place to visit and wander around.
Things To Do In Orvelte
As I mentioned, there are plenty of things to do in Orvelte, Netherlands. Not everything is free though so keep that in mind.
1. Walk Around Orvelte
Orvelte is really quaint and walking around the town is one of the best activities. The walk is super easy because it’s a well paved road. In fact, it is wheelchair and stroller accessible. There may however be some difficulties getting into one or two stores but 90 percent of the town is accessible.
The architecture of the houses is one of the things that you should pay attention to when walking around. You will notice that the thatched roofs are very different from the architecture of the buildings that you will see when you visit cities like Amsterdam. This is just one of the things that makes Orvelte so unique.
2. Take The Horse Carriage
You technically don’t need a horse carriage to get around Orvelte. This is because the town is super small. It is however one of the things to do in Orvelte that most of the kids love. It’s fun to see how the people and goods were transported back in the day.
3. Eat A Hot Stroopwafel Or A Cake From The Bakery
There’s a small and really cool bakery where you can stop for a bit and get a nice big stroopwafel as a snack. The stroopwafel is made on the spot so it’s nice and hot. It’s the perfect snack on the go. We even refilled our water bottles here. They also have an assortment of cake, pies and other delicacies that you can try here. One of the best things to eat is the apple pie. The Dutch and the Germans have truly mastered this art!
Plus you can take these goodies along with a cup of hot coffee and just plunk yourself at one of the numerous picturesque locations in the town. Its the perfect way to enjoy the scenery.
4. Schaapskudde
The one reason why we wanted to visit Orvelte is because it has a cool sheep farm. You get to see and interact with the sheep. My kids love watching them wherever we go and it seemed like a good activity. Unfortunately the sheep were not available that day which was a bummer.
5. Zoo Bizar
The Zoo Bizar was the first place that we visited when we reached. At first I was really skeptical whether the price was worth it but in retrospect, I have to say that it was absolutely worth it. We spent about an hour and a half here even though it’s very small. The zoo bizar is a small zoo in Orvelte which houses a racoon, armadillos, a corn snake, squirrels, hedgehogs, among other animals.
You get to see these from close and it’s a lot of fun to watch the animals scurry around. The zoo also has an intimate show where the children are taught about and allowed to handle the animals. The show is in Dutch and you can still ask questions in English. But honestly, its pretty amazing despite the language difference.
It also has a souvenir shop attached where you can buy some interactive toys for the kids. A coffee shop and a washroom are also options that you can use.
6. Tourist Info + Museum
We almost walked by this spot but I wanted to check out the information center for this post so I went in. The Tourist information center has a number of souvenirs for sale that are locally produced but it also has a museum attached that is really cool and free to enter.
The museum is a reconstruction of a 600 year old barn which is one of the oldest farms in the country. It has wax figures of animals inside so you can see just what the barns back in the day were like. They also have some cool events for children here. In our case, the kids had to hunt for rats holding alphabets. You had to collect all of them to form a word. A pretty cool activity for all ages.
7. Catch A Meal With A View
Now I know I mentioned eating stroopwafels and cake but there is another alternative when it comes to food. Café Warmolts is the village cafe that provides typical Dutch fare. It has a nice outdoorsy space where you can enjoy the warmth of the sun or you could choose to sit inside where it is warm on winter days. Popular favorites in this restaurant are Dutch pancakes (they tend to be huge so order with an appetite!) and waffles. Don’t forget to try out the local Drenthe bitters.
The restaurant also has a cute supermarket adjacent to it where you can shop for local Drenthe products. You will find that they make great souvenirs from the Netherlands.
Orvelte is definitely one of the offbeat locations in the Netherlands. One that is visited mostly by locals and a handful of people that have heard about it. It is extremely beautiful. It is one of those gorgeous places in the Dutch countryside that I keep talking about when I tell people to travel beyond Amsterdam.
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- Kinderdijk – A gorgeous windmill village and UNESCO site
- Things to do in Amersfoort
- How to get from Amsterdam to Amersfoort
- Restaurants in Groningen you should try
- What to wear in Amsterdam for every budget
- What to pack for Amsterdam
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