Discover Oudewater: Hotels and rope-making history

Oudewater lies in the green landscape of the Lopikerwaard, shaped by pollarded willows, meadows, ditches and rivers. The old town is designated as a protected townscape under the Dutch Monuments Act. This gives you two clear aspects to consider when planning your trip: the protected townscape and the history of local rope-making. Museums and guided experiences explore different chapters, while the canal cruise and cycling route add further highlights.

Town history in the old town and museums

The Museum De Heksenwaag explores the history of witch hunts in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. The Stadsmuseum Oudewater is located in the town hall, where a unique medieval foundation can be seen. The two museums focus on different subjects: one centres on the history of persecution over several centuries, while the other features a medieval architectural relic.

You can climb the tower of Sint Michaelskerk on a guided tour. From there, you can look out over the town of Oudewater and the surrounding Groene Hart. The guided climb complements the museum visits with views of the town and its surroundings.

Experience rope-making

Touwmuseum Oudewater is housed in a historic ropewalk where ropes were twisted for centuries. Visitors can smell, touch and make ropes. The Oude Touwbaan dates from 1880, is 350 metres long and is considered Europe’s longest covered ropewalk still in operation.

The 31-kilometre Geelbuikenroute also connects with Oudewater’s rope industry. The cycling route tells the story of hemp becoming rope and passes hemp fields, the Touwfabriek and the Lange Linschoten. It links the subject of rope-making with a longer bike ride through the route’s named points of interest. The Touwtrein runs year-round by arrangement.

Canal cruise and practical information

On the Grachtenvaert, you can take a guided cruise through the canals and along the Hollandsche IJssel. Along the way, you’ll hear about monumental buildings, historic sites and remarkable stories from the town’s history. The boarding point is opposite the Toeristisch Informatie Punt on the Markt. Depending on the season, the Grachtenvaert departs on different days and at different times; tickets can be reserved online. Check the departure times if you plan to take the cruise.

Oudewater has no railway station, but can be reached by bus from Gouda, Utrecht, Woerden and elsewhere. The Molenwal and Tramweg stops are a few minutes’ walk from the historic centre. As timetables may change, check connections before your trip. The Toeristisch Informatie Punt Oudewater offers cultural and leisure packages, town walks and the Grachtenvaert. It also has numerous walking and cycling routes, as well as road, waterway and town maps.

When looking for a hotel in Oudewater, it helps to decide what you want to focus on during your stay: the museums and tower tour offer insight into the town’s history, the Geelbuikenroute explores the rope industry by bike, and the Grachtenvaert takes you by boat through the town’s waterways.

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