---
title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Nijmegen, Netherlands (2026 Guide) | Wimup"
description: "The 10 best things to do in Nijmegen, mapped and ranked. The Sunset March over the Waal, the Valkhof and its chapel, a brewery in a 12th-century commandery and where to eat."
url: https://wimup.com/city/nijmegen
type: City guide
updated: 2026-10-22
publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com)
---

# Top 10 Things To Do in Nijmegen

Nijmegen, Netherlands · Europe · By Wimup Editorial, 13 min read

Nijmegen claims to be the oldest city in the Netherlands and marked 2,000 years in 2005. It sits on a hill above the Waal, near the German border and far from the Randstad. The ten entries below run from the Valkhof down to the river, across its bridges and out into the polder.

## Quick answer

The best things to do in Nijmegen are the Sunset March across De Oversteek at dusk, the Valkhof with its 11th-century chapel, the renovated Valkhof Museum, the Stevenskerk tower and a beer at De Hemel. Two days covers the centre, the Waalkade and the Freedom Museum at Groesbeek. Come in May, June or September, and book months ahead for the Vierdaagse week in July.

## Quick facts

- **Best months:** May · Jun · Sep
- **Ideal length:** 2 days
- **Budget per day:** €100–170
- **Language:** Dutch
- **Getting around:** The centre on foot, bikes and Breng buses beyond it
- **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://en.intonijmegen.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## The 10 best things to do in Nijmegen

### 1. Walk the Sunset March over De Oversteek

Memorial · De Oversteek, Nijmegen

Every evening at sunset a veteran leads a silent walk over the bridge named for the 1944 Waal crossing, while 48 pairs of lamps light up at marching pace, one for each soldier who died. Anyone may join, and it costs nothing.

- **Time:** 30 min
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Sunset
- **Tip:** Check the start time on sunsetmarch.nl

Links: [Website](https://www.sunsetmarch.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 2. Stand on the Valkhof above the Waal

Park · Valkhofpark, Nijmegen

The hill where Charlemagne and then Barbarossa kept a palace, now a park with the Sint-Nicolaaskapel of around 1030 and the choir ruin of a 12th-century church. The belvedere at its edge has the widest view of the river.

- **Time:** 45 min
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Late afternoon
- **Tip:** Walk on down to the Waalkade

### 3. See the Romans at the Valkhof Museum

Museum · Kelfkensbos 59, 6511 TB Nijmegen

Ben van Berkel’s 1999 building, renovated and reopened in 2026, holds the Roman finds that make the case for the city’s age, from helmets to glass, beside old masters and modern art. Give the archaeology floor most of your time.

- **Time:** 2 hrs
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Weekday morning
- **Tip:** Closed on Mondays

Links: [Website](https://www.valkhofmuseum.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 4. Climb the Stevenskerk tower

Church · Sint Stevenskerkhof, Nijmegen

The city’s great church was built between the 13th and 15th centuries and rebuilt after the 1944 bombing. Its tower is 183 steps, climbed with a guide, and the top shows the whole bend of the Waal.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Clear day
- **Tip:** Climbs run on set days only

Links: [Website](https://www.stevenskerk.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 5. Take a table at De Waagh on the Grote Markt

Square · Grote Markt, Nijmegen

The Renaissance weigh house of 1612, where merchants once had their goods weighed for tax, is now a café with a terrace on the main square. Order a drink and look up at the gables that survived the war.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** €€
- **Best at:** Saturday market
- **Tip:** The terrace fills from noon

### 6. Drink the house beer at De Hemel

Brewery · Franse Plaats 1, Nijmegen

The city brewery works in the cellars of the Commanderie van Sint-Jan, a 12th-century complex that began as a pilgrims’ hospital. It brews beer and turns some of it into vinegar and mustard. Taste upstairs, then tour the cellars.

- **Time:** 1.5 hrs
- **Cost:** €€
- **Best at:** Weekend afternoon
- **Tip:** Tours outside weekends by appointment

### 7. Ride through history at Velorama

Museum · Waalkade 107, 6511 XR Nijmegen

The national bicycle museum shows more than 250 machines, from walking bikes and velocipedes to royal bicycles and Wim van Est’s Tour de France bike. In the country of bikes, this is the collection to see.

- **Time:** 1.5 hrs
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Rainy day
- **Tip:** Closed during the Vierdaagse

Links: [Website](https://www.velorama.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 8. Cycle the Ooijpolder

Nature · Ooijpolder, east of Nijmegen

Flat river land east of the city, part of the Gelderse Poort, with dikes, flood meadows and brick villages. A loop of around 40 km reaches Millingen and comes back over the wooded hills of Berg en Dal.

- **Time:** Half day
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Spring
- **Tip:** Rent a bike at Nijmegen Centraal

### 9. Learn the liberation at the Freedom Museum

Museum · Wylerbaan 4, 6561 KR Groesbeek

The museum at Groesbeek, on the edge of the 1944 landing zones, tells the war, the occupation and Operation Market Garden from the region’s view. Pair it with the Canadian War Cemetery a short ride away.

- **Time:** 2 hrs
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Any weather
- **Tip:** Take a Breng bus from Centraal

Links: [Website](https://www.vrijheidsmuseum.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 10. Browse the Lange Hezelstraat

Street · Lange Hezelstraat, Nijmegen

Billed locally as the oldest shopping street in the Netherlands, it runs downhill from the centre with independent shops in houses from the 15th to 17th centuries. Finish in the Kronenburgerpark at its foot.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Weekday
- **Tip:** Many shops close on Monday morning

## Best restaurants in Nijmegen

Two Michelin stars for vegetables, three Bib Gourmand bistros and a weigh house on the square.

1. **De Nieuwe Winkel** (Two Michelin stars · Botanical · Centre): Emile van der Staak cooks a botanical menu, mostly plants, with two Michelin stars and a green star.
2. **Groenewoud** (Bib Gourmand · Modern French · Nijmegen-Oost): Modern French with a Bib Gourmand, served as a set menu or a single dish.
3. **Bistrot Regent** (Bib Gourmand · Bistro · Centre): A busy, classic bistro in De Nieuwe Winkel’s old home on Hertogstraat.
4. **Bistrobar Berlin** (Bib Gourmand · Sharing · Nijmegen-Oost): Sharing plates from an eclectic menu. Louder downstairs, calmer up.
5. **De Waagh** (Café-restaurant · Landmark · Grote Markt): Lunch or dinner inside the 1612 weigh house, terrace on the Grote Markt.

## Best bars & venues in Nijmegen

A pub pouring since 1542, two serious beer cafés and the stages where the city goes out.

1. **In de Blaauwe Hand** (Brown café · Since 1542 · Centre): A bar in the old cloth hall since 1542, pouring its own Rooie Tieptop.
2. **Café Samson** (Beer café · Centre): A changing tap list that leans Belgian, a minute from the Grote Markt.
3. **Café Jos** (Beer café · Nijmegen-Oost): A neighbourhood beer café with a long Belgian and craft list.
4. **Doornroosje** (Music venue · Stationsplein): The city’s rock and club venue by the station, two halls of 1,100 and 400. [Website](https://www.doornroosje.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **LUX** (Arts centre · Centre): Film, theatre and talks under one roof on the Mariënburg.

## Best museums in Nijmegen

Roman finds, a national bicycle collection and the story of 1944, all within half an hour.

1. **Valkhof Museum** (Archaeology · Art · Kelfkensbos): Roman Nijmegen, old masters and modern art, reopened in 2026. [Website](https://www.valkhofmuseum.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Velorama** (National bicycle museum · Waalkade): More than 250 bicycles, and the Gazelle archive, on the Waalkade. [Website](https://www.velorama.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **De Bastei** (Nature · History · Waalkade): Nature and city history built around the 16th-century Stratemakerstoren. [Website](https://www.debastei.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Museumpark Orientalis** (Open-air museum · Heilig Landstichting): The oldest open-air museum in the country, with Jewish, Arab and Roman villages. [Website](https://www.museumparkorientalis.nl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Freedom Museum** (Second World War · Groesbeek): War, occupation and liberation, told at the 1944 landing grounds. [Website](https://www.vrijheidsmuseum.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best history & heritage in Nijmegen

A medieval wall tower, the bridge of 1944 and the graves of the men who freed the city.

1. **Kronenburgerpark** (Park · City wall · Centre): A park laid out in 1876 to 1882 on the old walls, with the 1425 Kruittoren.
2. **Waalbrug** (Bridge · 1936 · Waal): Opened in 1936 by Queen Wilhelmina, taken by the Allies on 20 September 1944.
3. **Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery** (War cemetery · Groesbeek): The CWGC cemetery holds 2,610 Commonwealth graves of the Second World War. [Website](https://www.cwgc.org/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Commanderie van Sint-Jan** (Medieval · 12th century · Benedenstad): A 12th-century pilgrims’ hospital by the river, now the De Hemel brewery.

## Best neighborhoods in Nijmegen

The lower town on the river, the villa streets on the hills and the new island across the Waal.

1. **Benedenstad** (Old town · Riverside · Centre): The lower town under the Grote Markt, lanes dropping to the Waalkade.
2. **Bottendaal** (Residential · 19th century · West of the centre): Nineteenth-century terraced streets behind the station, small cafés on the corners.
3. **Nijmegen-Oost** (Villas · Cafés · East of the centre): The villa district on the hills, Daalseweg its café street.
4. **Lent and Veur-Lent** (New town · River island · North of the Waal): The north bank, reached on foot over the bridges, and the island in front of it.

## Best outdoors in Nijmegen

Floodplain, a man-made river channel and the first real hills a cyclist meets in the Netherlands.

1. **Ooijpolder** (Cycling · Nature · East of the city): Dikes, flood meadows and a watchtower in the Gelderse Poort.
2. **Spiegelwaal** (River park · Veur-Lent): The side channel dug in 2016 to give the Waal room, lined with paths.
3. **Duivelsberg** (Forest · Hills · Berg en Dal): A wooded hill at Berg en Dal on the German border, with steep climbs.
4. **Waalkade** (Promenade · Benedenstad): The riverside quay under the old town, best walked toward the bridges.

## Best day trips in Nijmegen

Arnhem and its battlefield, the Van Goghs of the Veluwe, a Brabant cathedral and a German castle town.

1. **Arnhem** (By train · Gelderland): The Netherlands Open Air Museum, a short train ride north. [Website](https://www.openluchtmuseum.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Kröller-Müller Museum** (Train and bus · Hoge Veluwe): Van Goghs and a sculpture garden inside the Hoge Veluwe park. [Website](https://krollermuller.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Oosterbeek** (Train and bus · Gelderland): The Airborne Museum in the villa that was the 1944 headquarters. [Website](https://www.airbornemuseum.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **’s-Hertogenbosch** (By train · North Brabant): Sint-Janskathedraal and the canals of Hieronymus Bosch’s home town.
5. **Kleve** (By bus · Germany): The Schwanenburg castle over a German market town, under an hour by bus.

## Festivals & annual events in Nijmegen (2026)

- **Carnival** (Feb–Mar): Parades and café bands in the days before Lent. In 2027 it falls on 7 to 9 February.
- **King’s Day** (Apr): The national holiday on 27 April: orange, street markets and stages in the centre.
- **Liberation Day** (May): The national celebration on 5 May, the day after the war dead are remembered.
- **Music Meeting** (May): A world and jazz festival over Pentecost weekend, held in city-centre venues.
- **Vierdaagsefeesten** (Jul): A week of free stages on the Waalkade, the Valkhof and the squares, Saturday to Friday.
- **Four Days Marches** (Jul): The Vierdaagse: tens of thousands walk 30 to 50 km a day, Tuesday to Friday, third week of July.
- **Open Monumentendag** (Sep): Listed buildings open their doors free for one weekend, nationwide.
- **Zevenheuvelenloop** (Nov): A 15 km road race over the seven hills to Groesbeek. The 2026 edition runs on 15 November.

## Must-try dishes in Nijmegen, Netherlands

- **Gelderse rookworst**: The province’s smoked sausage, best in pea soup or with stamppot.
- **Bitterballen**: Fried balls of beef ragout, served with mustard alongside a beer.
- **Erwtensoep**: Pea soup thick enough to stand a spoon in. A winter dish.
- **Boerenkool stamppot**: Mashed potato and kale, topped with rookworst and gravy.
- **Kibbeling**: Battered chunks of white fish from the market stall, with garlic sauce.
- **Poffertjes**: Tiny buckwheat pancakes under butter and powdered sugar.
- **Appeltaart**: Deep Dutch apple pie with cinnamon, served with whipped cream.
- **Stroopwafel**: Two thin waffles with caramel syrup. Rest one on a hot coffee.

## Nijmegen transport & airports

- **Nijmegen Centraal** (RAIL): NS intercity trains run to Arnhem, ’s-Hertogenbosch and Utrecht, and on to Amsterdam in about an hour and a half. Tap in with a contactless bank card. [Website](https://www.ns.nl/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Airports** (AMS): Schiphol is about an hour and a half by train, usually with a change. Weeze (NRN), just over the German border, is reached by bus from Centraal. [Website](https://www.schiphol.nl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Breng buses** (BUS): City and regional buses from Centraal, including Groesbeek, Heilig Landstichting and Kleve in Germany. Check in and out on board. [Website](https://www.breng.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Bike** (BIKE): Cycle paths cross both Waal bridges, and the fast RijnWaalpad route runs to Arnhem. Rent at the station.

## Nijmegen at a glance

- **Country:** Netherlands
- **Region:** Gelderland
- **Population:** About 189,000 in the municipality (city monitor, 1 January 2025)
- **Founded:** Roman Noviomagus; city rights in 1230
- **Nickname:** The oldest city in the Netherlands
- **Language:** Dutch
- **Currency:** Euro (EUR, €)
- **Time zone:** CET (UTC+1), CEST in summer
- **Calling code:** +31, city code 024
- **Airports:** Schiphol (AMS) by train; Weeze (NRN) in Germany by bus
- **Power:** 230V, 50Hz, type C and F plugs
- **Emergency:** 112

## Interesting facts

- Nijmegen celebrated 2,000 years of existence in 2005.
- Trajan gave the Roman town market rights and the name Ulpia Noviomagus around 100 AD.
- The Sint-Nicolaaskapel on the Valkhof copies Charlemagne’s palace chapel at Aachen.
- De Oversteek carries 48 pairs of lamps, one for each soldier lost in the 1944 Waal crossing.
- Nijmegen was European Green Capital in 2018.

## Nijmegen travel FAQ

### Is Nijmegen worth visiting?

Yes, for history and river landscape. It has Roman roots, a medieval centre rebuilt after 1944, the Sunset March over the Waal and the Ooijpolder on its doorstep, with far fewer visitors than Amsterdam.

### How many days do you need in Nijmegen?

Two days. One for the Valkhof, the museum, the Stevenskerk and the Waalkade, ending with the Sunset March. One for the Ooijpolder by bike or the Freedom Museum and war cemetery at Groesbeek.

### How do you get to Nijmegen from Amsterdam?

By NS intercity train, in about an hour and a half via Utrecht. From Schiphol, change at Utrecht or Amsterdam Centraal. Tap in and out with a contactless bank card or an OV-chipkaart.

### When is the Nijmegen Four Days Marches?

The Vierdaagse runs Tuesday to Friday in the third week of July, with the free Vierdaagsefeesten in the city from the Saturday before. Hotels fill months ahead, so book early or avoid that week.

### What is the Sunset March in Nijmegen?

A daily silent walk over De Oversteek at sunset, led by veterans, honouring the soldiers who crossed the Waal under fire on 20 September 1944. It is free, needs no booking, and anyone can join.

## Nearby guides

- [Amsterdam](https://wimup.com/city/amsterdam.md): Day trip · 10 picks
- [Maastricht](https://wimup.com/city/maastricht.md): Day trip · 10 picks
- [Dortmund](https://wimup.com/city/dortmund.md): Germany · 10 picks
- [All of Europe →](https://wimup.com/europe): 136 cities

Part of the [Netherlands guide](https://wimup.com/country/netherlands.md) · [Europe](https://wimup.com/europe.md)

## Sources

- [Nijmegen tourism board](https://en.intonijmegen.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Walk the Sunset March over De Oversteek (official site)](https://www.sunsetmarch.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [See the Romans at the Valkhof Museum (official site)](https://www.valkhofmuseum.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Climb the Stevenskerk tower (official site)](https://www.stevenskerk.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Ride through history at Velorama (official site)](https://www.velorama.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Learn the liberation at the Freedom Museum (official site)](https://www.vrijheidsmuseum.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Doornroosje (official site)](https://www.doornroosje.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [De Bastei (official site)](https://www.debastei.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Museumpark Orientalis (official site)](https://www.museumparkorientalis.nl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery (official site)](https://www.cwgc.org/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Arnhem (official site)](https://www.openluchtmuseum.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Kröller-Müller Museum (official site)](https://krollermuller.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Oosterbeek (official site)](https://www.airbornemuseum.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Nijmegen Centraal (official site)](https://www.ns.nl/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Airports (official site)](https://www.schiphol.nl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Breng buses (official site)](https://www.breng.nl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.