Delft

Canals, blue pottery, Vermeer’s legacy

Delft is a small city in the Netherlands known for its historic canals, brick buildings and rich history in science and art. Founded over 800 years ago, it became famous as the birthplace of Johannes Vermeer, whose paintings capture everyday life with careful detail. The city’s architecture shows medieval influences alongside modern design, while its museums display original works and scientific inventions. Delft is also home to a renowned technical university and a thriving pottery tradition that still produces distinctive blue ceramics today.

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City in Netherlands

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$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 8.2

General Safety:	8
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	6
Tap water:	9

Read details

5/5

English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, and shops. Most signage is bilingual, and locals are friendly and helpful. Communication is easy for international visitors.

Highlights Attractions Getting there Hotels Tips Travel costs Safety Articles

Last update: 12 Oct 2026

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Delft Summary

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‘Best for’ scores:
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Charming for canals and historic heritage. Walk quiet canal streets, visit pottery museums, explore historic churches and relax in cozy cafés.

Place score

7.5

Best at:

Walkable

Spotless

Museums

Architecture

Historic sites

Personal score

Suited for

👶 6

Families

🧓 6

Seniors

❤️ 8

Couples

🛡️ 7

Travel Beginners

Netherlands – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type F Type C: Type F: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Euro (EUR) £1 ≈ €1.19
Cashless info:	Rating 5/5 The Netherlands is highly cashless, with almost all businesses accepting card payments. Contactless payments and mobile apps are widely used, and cash is not always necessary. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is appreciated but not compulsory in the Netherlands. In restaurants, a tip of 5-10% is standard. Taxi drivers usually expect a small tip or rounding up, and hotel staff appreciate small tips.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed in most places in the Netherlands, including parks and on the streets. However, there are some restrictions in specific areas or during festivals.
Public smoking:	Smoking is banned indoors in public spaces, including bars, restaurants, and public transport. Smoking areas are designated in many public places.

King's Day (April)	A national holiday with celebrations, parades, and festivals. Expect large crowds, especially in cities like Amsterdam.
Christmas (December)	Festivities are widespread, but cities can be crowded, and prices for accommodation may rise.
Sinterklaas (December)	Celebrations for the Dutch Christmas tradition, expect family-oriented events and high demand for accommodation.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 112 (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Bolt, Ola
Other:	The Netherlands has a well-developed infrastructure and public transport system. Be prepared for high bike usage in cities like Amsterdam, and expect occasional rain throughout the year.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Delft, Netherlands

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Jan

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Feb

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Mar

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Apr

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May

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Jun

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Jul

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Aug

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Sep

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Oct

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Nov

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Dec

High season:	May - Sep.
Shoulder season:	April, Oct., Dec.
Crowdedness:	7 (Many tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Tulip fields around Delft and Keukenhof bloom from early April to early May

Many shops and museums close on King's Day (27 April) and Christmas Day

Don't miss

🎨 Visit Royal Delft factory and watch artisans paint pottery
⛪ Climb Nieuwe Kerk tower for panoramic city views
🏰 Explore the leaning tower of the historic Oude Kerk
🏛️ Discover Dutch Golden Age history at Prinsenhof Museum
🚶‍♂️ Stroll along scenic canals lined with charming old houses
🛍️ Browse antiques and local crafts at Delft’s bustling markets

You've been here?

Why travel to Delft?

Delft is a dream for anyone who loves history, art and a relaxed, walkable vibe. The city is famous for its Delft Blue pottery, ties to the Dutch royal family and as the birthplace of painter Johannes Vermeer. Climb the Nieuwe Kerk tower for sweeping views, explore quirky museums or just enjoy a coffee by the canals. Delft is compact and easy to explore, with plenty of cozy cafés and boutiques. Downsides? The weather can be wet and windy and canal-side cobblestones can be slippery – bring good shoes. Like elsewhere in the Netherlands, bike and pickpocket theft can occur, so keep an eye on your belongings and always lock your bike.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 New Church
2 Old Church
3 Het Prinsenhof
4 Royal Delft
5 City hall Delft
6 Museum Paul Tétar Van Elven
7 Vermeer Centrum

🎡Places for activities

1 Eastern Gate
2 Nieuwe Kerk

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Hortus Botanicus
2 Agnetapark
3 Vlietlanden
4 Bieslandse Bos
5 Wilhelminapark
6 Delftsche Schie
7 Schie
8 Delftse Hout

🎈Events

Delft Fringe Festival (June)
Delft Blues Festival (February)
Delft Chamber Music Festival (July/August)
Delft Jazz Festival (August)
Straatkunst Festival (June)
Delft Ceramica (June)
National Mills Day (May)
Triathlon Delft (May)
Christmas Market
Saturday Market (year-round)

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Explore on foot; the historic centre is compact and scenic.
Reserve Royal Delft tickets in advance, especially on weekends and school holidays.
Climb Nieuwe Kerk for skyline views; expect wind and steep stairs.
Shop Delft Blue away from Markt crowds; smaller studios often offer better stories and calmer browsing.

How to travel to Delft

Delft is easy to reach by train – just 15–20 minutes from Rotterdam or The Hague and under 50 minutes from Amsterdam. The main train and bus stations are next to each other and close to the city center. Rotterdam The Hague Airport is the nearest airport (about 20 minutes by taxi or public transport).

Access summary

From Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS): Direct train to Delft about 40–60 minutes.
From Rotterdam: Frequent trains to Delft about 15–20 minutes.
From Amsterdam: Direct trains from Centraal Station to Delft about 1 hour.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Delft

Delft offers a range of accommodation, from canal-side boutique hotels and historic guesthouses to modern chains and budget hostels. Most are in or near the old town, making it easy to explore on foot. Book ahead for festivals or summer weekends, as rooms fill quickly.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Hampshire Hotel Delft Centre

The Hague Teleport Hotel

7.8

Wings Hotel

8.5

Shanghai Hotel Holland

7.7

Grand Museum Hotel, BW Signature Collection

8.5

Hotel & Spa Savarin - Rijswijk, The Hague

8.7

ibis Styles Delft City Centre

8.6

Bastion Hotel Den Haag Rijswijk

7.5

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Delft

Delft is compact and walkable, with most sights in the historic center. Biking is popular and easy – just watch for slippery cobblestones and canal edges. Buses and trams connect the city and suburbs. The train station is a short walk from the center and trains run frequently to Rotterdam, The Hague and Amsterdam. Parking is limited and expensive – leave your car outside the center if possible.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

+19 %

Daily expenses in Delft are around 19% higher than the average across United States. That means you'll spend considerably more on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-3 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to EUR) is 3% better than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£68	£158	£410
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£26	£61	£121
🍝 Food per day	£34	£85	£242
🚕 Transportation per day	£8	£11	£47

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£41
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£16
🍟 Fast food combo	£11
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£11.50
☕ Cappuccino	£3.10
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£4.60

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£1.80
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£29
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£1.70

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£11.50
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£36
🤧 Cold medication	£5.50
💇 Basic haircut	£18

Safety information overview

General safety

Delft is very safe, with low violent crime. Take care near canals and on bikes — falls and bike theft are the main risks. Pickpocketing can occur in busy areas or markets; keep an eye on your belongings.

Health & Medical

Medical care is excellent, with clinics and pharmacies throughout the city. No special vaccinations are needed. Tap water is safe to drink. Emergency services are reliable and accessible.

Accessibility

Most attractions, hotels and public transport are accessible, but cobbled streets and some bridges can be tricky for those with mobility issues. The city is flat and easy to navigate overall.

Tap water

Tap water is safe, clean and widely available. Public fountains are found in parks and squares — refill your bottle as you explore.