When planning our summer trip to the Netherlands we spent a lot of time researching the country’s smaller towns. While cities like Amsterdam and Utrecht get most of the attention, we kept discovering photos of a beautiful canal-lined town called Zwolle.. The images showed historic streets, pretty bridges and cosy cafés, all surrounded by canals. It looked exactly like the kind of place we love to explore when travelling – picturesque and full of character. So we decided to plan a day trip. The perfect day trip from Amsterdam or from the Landal Landgoed t’ Loo park we were staying at, nearby. Zwolle turned out to be one of our favourite discoveries in the Netherlands. It’s compact, easy to explore on foot and packed with interesting things to see, from historic towers to quirky museums and excellent cafés. If you’re wondering about things to do in Zwolle, this guide covers the highlights we discovered during our visit – perfect whether you’re travelling as a couple, with friends, or with children in tow.
👩💻 About the author – Nichola is a family travel expert and has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, Lonely Planet Magazine and Wanderlust, amongst many others. She’s spent over a decade travelling the world with her children, finding the best places for you to explore too.
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Table of Contents
Why visit Zwolle?
Located in the north-east of the Netherlands, Zwolle sits on a small island surrounded by canals and waterways. The historic centre is largely pedestrianised, making it wonderfully peaceful to wander around.
Compared with the busy tourist hubs of the Netherlands, Zwolle feels local and still full of character. You’ll find beautiful historic buildings, interesting cultural attractions and some fantastic places to eat and drink.
It also makes a great day trip from Amsterdam or a lovely stop if you’re travelling through the eastern Netherlands.
Wander the historic streets of Zwolle
One of the best Zwolle things to do is simply to explore the old town.
The historic centre is compact and full of character, with narrow streets, traditional Dutch houses and pretty squares that feel almost unchanged for centuries.
Because so much of the centre is car-free, it’s a wonderful place to wander without a plan. We spent a lot of time simply strolling through little streets, discovering hidden courtyards and spotting beautiful old buildings along the canals.
If you enjoy slow travel and exploring cities at a relaxed pace, Zwolle is the perfect place for it.
Visit a traditional Dutch sweet shop – best things to do in Zwolle
One of the most charming places we discovered was Het Zwolse Balletjeshuis, a tiny traditional sweet shop right in the heart of the old town.
This shop has been operating in the same building for centuries. If you look closely at the doorstep as you walk in, you can actually see how the stone has been worn down over the years by thousands of people stepping inside.
The shop is famous for making traditional Dutch hard sweets called “Zwolle balletjes”, which have been produced here since 1845.
The sweets have a rich caramel flavour and are surprisingly addictive. It’s a small stop, but definitely one of the most memorable things to do in Zwolle.
Climb the Pepperbox Tower for views over the city
If you want a view across the rooftops of Zwolle, head to the city’s most recognisable landmark: Peperbus Tower.
Often nicknamed the “Pepperbox Tower” because of its distinctive shape, the tower rises about 75 metres above the city and offers panoramic views across Zwolle and the surrounding countryside.
Climbing the tower involves a spiral staircase, but it’s well worth the effort. From the top you can see the canals that surround the city and get a real sense of how compact and beautiful Zwolle is.
Even though the weather turned rainy during our visit, the climb was still a fun experience.
Find out more here.
Warm up in a café inside a converted church
When the rain started to fall during our visit, we ducked into one of the most beautiful spaces in the city: Waanders In de Broeren.
This stunning bookshop and café is located inside a converted Dominican church. The building itself is breathtaking, with high vaulted ceilings, historic stonework and modern design cleverly integrated into the space.
Shelves of books and beautiful stationery fill the church interior, making it feel both historic and contemporary at the same time.
At the back you’ll find a café where we stopped for one of the best hot chocolates we’ve ever had.
You choose your chocolate from large glass jars, and then hot milk is brought to the table so you can melt it yourself before adding whipped cream on top. It’s indulgent, cosy and the perfect way to warm up on a rainy Dutch afternoon.
Find out more here.
Visit Museum de Fundatie – Zwolle things to do
One of the most surprising sights in Zwolle is Museum de Fundatie.
At first glance, the building looks like a traditional 19th-century museum. But when you look up, you’ll see something unexpected, a huge egg-shaped modern structure perched on top of the building.
The contrast between historic and modern architecture is striking, and it immediately catches your attention when walking through the city.
Inside, the museum hosts a variety of art exhibitions ranging from classic works to modern pieces. During our visit we saw an exhibition of portraits titled “Face Value” created by Bob Dylan, which was fascinating to explore.
The viewing area inside the modern dome also offers wonderful views across the rooftops of Zwolle.
Find out more here.
Relax in one of Zwolle’s lovely cafés – things to do in Zwolle
One thing that quickly became clear during our visit was how good the cafés are in Zwolle.
The main square is a lively spot where locals gather to eat, drink and catch up with friends. In the centre of the square stands the striking Glass Angel Zwolle, which adds a slightly unexpected modern touch to the historic setting.
Just across from the sculpture we found a lovely café called Engel.
We ended up staying far longer than planned, enjoying fresh fruit juices and a delicious Dutch-style lunch platter. Thick rustic bread, creamy goat’s cheese, caramelised onions and apple made it one of the best lunches we had during the entire trip.
Sometimes the simplest meals while travelling are the most memorable.
Explore the city by bicycle
Cycling is such an important part of daily life in the Netherlands, and Zwolle is no exception.
Because much of the historic centre is designed for bikes rather than cars, cycling is one of the best ways to explore the city.
For a slightly different experience, we took a cycle taxi ride around the streets. It was a fun way to see more of the city while learning about its history from the driver.
Even as a family of five we somehow managed to squeeze into the back together, which made the ride even more memorable.
Visit the Nooterhof gardens – things to do in Zwolle
For a quieter and greener side of the city, head to Nooterhof Park.
This lovely space sits just outside the historic centre and combines gardens, nature areas and family-friendly play spaces.
The gardens are designed to support wildlife and local plants, with bee gardens, ponds and winding paths to explore.
There’s also a small café where you can grab coffee while enjoying the peaceful surroundings.
It’s a great place to relax after exploring the city streets.
Is Zwolle worth visiting?
Absolutely.
Zwolle might not have the famous landmarks of larger Dutch cities, but that’s exactly what makes it special. It feels authentic, relaxed and refreshingly uncrowded.
Instead of rushing between major attractions, you can spend your time wandering canals, discovering cosy cafés and soaking up the atmosphere of a beautiful historic town.
If you’re looking for things to do in Zwolle, you’ll find just the right balance of culture, food, architecture and local life.
Whether you’re travelling with children, exploring as a couple or simply looking for a quieter Dutch destination, Zwolle is a wonderful place to spend a day.
Read more of our Netherlands posts here
Check out our ultimate guide to Netherlands with kids for lots more inspiration of things to do in this wonderful country. Read our review of a family stay at Landal Coldenhove, nr Apeldoorn, Netherlands and a feature all about the Windmills at Kinderdijk. Also read all about taking the Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry.
Glad you guys enjoyed your day at Zwolle’s. The Netherlands looks interesting especially the shop, I love places that have survived many years of business but you can still see the history there within the structure.
What a amazing day out – I do love my cafes and these look gorgeous! The view and the glass angel are stunning too! Kaz x
I love the Netherlands and I’ve visited Amsterdam countless times but I’ve never heard of Zwolle! I’ll definitely add it to my bucket list for next time I’m in the Netherlands! x
What a beautiful location! The glass angel is beautiful! But I too find the museum funny! It looks like an alien has landed on top of it or something! Haha!
Zwolle looks a gorgeous town to visit. I love the glass angel and that hot chocolate sounds amazing. I think I’d like to go just to have one of those for myself!
I love the sound of the hot milk and the chocolate ball that would be a lot of fun! I’ve never been to holland but it looks like a lovely place to visit.
There’s so many places to go and visit! The Netherlands is still a place I have yet to explore fully. I’ve only really been to Amsterdam and Utrect. So will have to try and visit here too, thanks for sharing your trip!
Oh wow what a fantastic place for a day trip out of Amsterdam. I lived in Amsterdam for nearly a year before having kids and loved it so much, the whole of Holland has my heart, although I never visited Zwolle it’s somewhere I would love to go – in fact the whole country I would like to explore more than Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague
Laura x