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Noord Brabant

Wedged between Zeeland and Limburg, the Netherlands' largest province shares a long border with Belgium, and is culturally linked to its southern neighbour. Don't be surprised to encounter Catholic shrines at crossroads and some of the Netherlands' more interesting villages. Cafe culture is lively, superb Brabantine beers include the Netherlands' only Trappist brews, and city calendars are studded with festivals. Richly historic towns like Breda and Den Bosch bear remnants of ancient canals and ramparts, while postindustrial younger siblings Eindhoven and Tilburg revel in contemporary culture. Home to Vincent van Gogh (who hailed from Zundert, south of Breda), Noord Brabant gives its artists pride of place in great museums. And the rural landscapes, river valleys and woods that inspired them are all easily accessed via a superb cycling network.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Noord Brabant.

  • See

    St Janskathedraal

    One of the finest churches in the Netherlands, this cathedral took from 1336 to 1550 to complete. The interior has late-Gothic stained-glass windows, an organ case from the 17th century and a much-revered statue of the Madonna which, in May, is the focus of pilgrimages. Take the opportunity to climb the 73m tower, with its carillon and great views. The exterior is festooned with restored carved figures: on pillars above the south nave, notice that one of a score of new angel statues wears jeans and holds a mobile phone. Added in 2010, the fun if somewhat controversial gimmic is that you can 'phone the angel' on a €0.80 per minute toll line to contribute to the cathedral's further restoration.

  • See

    Philips Museum

    From Keith Richards' tape-recorder to a wide-screen projector that once won an Oscar, this engaging museum tells the extraordinary story of the light-bulb maker turned multinational electronics company who invented the CD and shaped a century of development in Eindhoven. The collection of Philips' 20th-century consumer products is likely to be especially nostalgic for anyone in their 50s or over. The iPad-led 'augmented-reality' tour adds nine extra design-focused elements to a visit while youngsters are likely to appreciate the cooperative team-challenge discovery games.

  • See

    Jheronimus Bosch Art Center

    Housed in the grand, century-old St Jacob's Church, this remarkable museum has reproductions of all 29 known Bosch paintings, brought to life by an explanatory free booklet. Atmosphere is added by dangling 3D sculptures, an astronomical clock and a basement re-creation of the artist's studio. A lift takes you past temporary exhibits to a fine 5th-floor viewpoint. On the way down again, do stop in the organ loft to see a Monty Pythonesque interpretive video.

  • See

    Van Abbemuseum

    This superb modern-art gallery uses elements of its rich collection (including originals by Picasso, Braque, Kandinsky and Léger) along with plenty of contemporary material to ask probing questions about the nature of art, its changing role and the space that contains it. The building itself is a dramatic architectural statement, the original castle-style 1936 gallery conjoined with a multilevel 2003 grey-stone addition that incorporates a weir of the Dommel river. The waterside cafe is worth a linger too.

  • See

    Noordbrabants Museum

    Housed in the 18th-century former governor's residence, this modern museum uses art and several immersive experiences to give interesting if sometimes confusingly disconnected overviews of Brabant's convoluted history. Much more space is allocated to galleries of major, regularly changing art exhibitions, and there are always some elements from the excellent core collection featuring Brabantine artists from 1500 to the present. Ten rather dark canvases by Vincent Van Gogh are much touted but more exciting are the underrated canvases of local impressionist Jan Sluiters (1881–1957). Corridors on either side of a central tree-shaded garden link to the Design Museum – combi-tickets are available (adult/student €15/7.50).

  • See

    Stadhuis

    At the southern edge of Den Bosch's vast, triangular market square, the spired town hall was given its classical baroque appearance in 1670. On the road behind the building's far less interesting south flank (Achter Het Stadhuis), a strip of apparently uninteresting black boarding is in fact the cover to a 'secret' stairway that leads down to one of the subterranean canals. The stairs are opened specially for wedding couples who exit from the Stadhuis' rear door to access their flower-filled wedding barge.

  • See

    Design Museum Den Bosch

    Opened in 2014 and rebranded in 2018, the museum's two large halls offer changing, interactive exhibitions focusing especially on ceramics and jewellery but also taking fascinating glances at the design concepts that underpin contemporary society. If you also visit the connected Noordbrabants Museum, buying a combi-ticket saves €4.

  • See

    Evoluon

    Like the Atomium to Brussels, the Evoluon is an icon of retro-futurist architecture. Built in 1966 as a science centre it is now rented out as a conference centre but you can still gawp at its UFO-style design as you drive by on the 401 airport bus or photograph it across the fence from Noord Brabantlaan.

  • See

    Hieronymus Bosch Statue

    In the main market square where he was once thought to have lived, this 1929 bronze statue of 15th-century painter Hieronymous Bosch is based on drawings that are purported to show his likeness, though in reality nobody is entirely sure.