Day trip from Amsterdam to Delft

Delft is a pretty city with a wealth of history

Delft is a beautiful city just past The Hague (when travelling from Amsterdam). It is world famous due to the popular Delft Blue earthenware, Johannes Vermeer, its University and the Royal House. Here you’ll find museums, markets, canals, pubs, famous churches and much more.

Delft is often included in day tours that feature other cities like The Hague and Rotterdam and is also easily reachable independently by train in under an hour. It is definitely a city not to be overlooked.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to companies and services we trust. If you purchase something after clicking any link, then we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (policy page).

What is Delft famous for

With connections to the Royal House, Vermeer and the location of the famous ceramic Delftware, it is a city well worth visiting.

Johannes Vermeer

One of Holland’s and indeed the worlds best known artists. He was a master of the ‘dutch-light’ and created many masterpieces. He was not a prolific artist but his works are loved across the world. His most famous painting is arguably ‘The girl with the pearl earring’ which you can see at Mauritshuis museum in The Hague. ‘The Milkmaid’ another masterpiece is on show at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

In Delft, you can visit The Vermeer Centre Exhibition which focusses on his life and work. He lived in the town all his life, so you can learn about how he developed as an artist and 17th century Delft too. On show are full-size reproductions of his paintings.

Visit the Vermeer Centre Exhibition

Royal Delft

As iconic a pottery design as you can get. Delft Blue has a historic process, still using hand painting by artists referencing century old tradions in their making. The Royal Delft pottery factory is the only 17th century one remaining, meaning it has an incredibly history for you to explore and learn about. Tours here take in this history and also the present and future too. You’ll discover a step-by-step process of how the pottery is created, you can tour the museum, visit the showroom and buy your own piece of Delft Blue history.

Visit Royal Delft

Delft City Hall

One of the most beautiful buildings in Delft. Designed by Hendrick de Keyser in the 17th century in a renaissance style. There is a tower prison to the rear of the building that can be visited with a tour guide (if booked in advance). Delft City Hall sits opposite Niewe Kerk so it is easy to visit the main attractions in one location.

Nieuwe Kerk and Oude Kerk

The new and old church of Delft are icons of the city and are easily visited together as they are very near one another. The Old Church (Oude Kerk) actually has a leaning tower and is a popular photo opportunity (Holland’s Tower of Pisa). Oude Kerk has a gothic tower, beautiful stained glass windows and holds the grave of Johannes Vermeer.

New Church (Nieuwe Kerk) is the resting place of William of Orange and is the last resting place for members of the Royal House. Inside the church you will find a permanent exhibition on the history of Delft and the Royal House. You can also climb the tower and see views of the centre of Delft and on a good day Rotterdam and The Hague.

Learn more about Nieuwe Kerk and Oude Kerk

Delft Canals

The canals of Delft are still an important part of everyday life, they are also one of the nicest ways to travel though the city. You can take a water-taxi or a guided cruise down the waterways enjoying the sights. There are plenty of bridges so walking and cycling is also a popular way to get around the city. On a day trip, Delft is easy to get around and find the major attractions and enjoy the shopping and restaurants.

Delft Markets

The markets at Delft are very popular with locals and visitors alike. The main market and flower market are held on Thursdays. The general market is located in de Markt (Market Square) for obvious reasons. This square sits between Niewe Kerk and City Hall and here you’ll find a mixture of around 150 stalls selling produce, clothing, gadgets and accessories.

The flower market is a 5-min walk away at Brabantse Turfmarkt. You can follow the lovely smell of fresh cut flowers and find many stalls selling thousands of flowers. A colourful and sensory experience to enjoy.

On Saturdays from April to October, the Delft antiques and vintage market is held along the Voldersgracht and Hippolytusbuurt and Wijnhaven canals. As you’d expect this is the hunting ground for lost artworks, new unknown artists and all manner of interesting and unusual pieces.

How to get to Delft from Amsterdam

There are quite a few ways to get to Delft from Amsterdam. You can travel by train, bus or car.

NS Direct Intercity train

The trains to Delft can take from between 50 minutes to just over an hour. You will find most trains stop at The Hague. This is an interesting option as it means you can consider a Delft and The Hague day trip combined. The journey from The Hague to Delft is only an additional 15 minutes but you will have to change at The Hague station.

You can check and buy tickets with Rail Europe.

Amsterdam to Delft by bus

There are a couple of options here. You can board the No 69 bus at Sloterdijk Station in Amsterdam towards Schiphol Airport. In Schiphol you change onto the N31 Flixbus towards Berlin Central Station, this stops at Delft and will take over 2hrs 10mins.

A direct Flixbus (813) will leave Sloterdijk and arrive in Delft via The Hague in 1hr 10mins which is a much quicker option.

Check Flixbus schedule and buy tickets

Day trip by coach to Delft

Delft has plenty of attractions of its own and the route to Delft from Amsterdam has additional major attractions. It can therefore be a good option to consider an organised day trip that includes Delft in its itiniary.

On a day trip from Amsterdam to Delft, the most common other city to visit is The Hague. You could also choose to visit Rotterdam or the Keukenhof gardens and castle (best in spring), perhaps visit Utreich or stop at the Windmills at Kinderdijk. As with everything there is a limit to what you can see and do in the time at each place, so we recommend choosing carefully which areas really interest you and focussing on them.

On an organised day trip you’ll get the benefit of a knowledgeable guide, entry tickets to attractions included and no worries about planning how to get from each attraction to the next.

Day trips from Amsterdam are incredibly popular and varied, so you’ll have no problem finding the right trip to Delft or one that includes Delft as part of the itiniary.

The best day trips from Amsterdam to Delft

Booking an organised day trip from Amsterdam to Delft is a great option to make the most of your time. There are a wide variety of trips running all year round featuring Delft in their itiniary.

Below are some of our favourite day trips from Amsterdam that feature Delft.