House Van Gijn

Your morning or afternoon in Dordrecht will start at your hotel, river cruise ship or if you travel to Dordrecht from elsewhere at the train station. Set off in a relaxing pace to make sure you really get to see, feel and learn all about this town. The most important sights that your private guide will show are the Groothoofdspoort city gate dating back to the middle ages and situated at the crossing of 3 rivers. Have a close look at the Our sweet lady church with its typical unfinished leaning tower and admire the town hall built in 1383. During the tour you will visit the house van Gijn, a wealthy banker who lived and worked in Dordrecht from 1836 until 1922. The museum offers a view into the life and huge art collection of one of the wealthiest inhabitants of Dordrecht. In its golden age Dordrecht was one of the 6 main towns of Holland. In those days the so called Dordt gable was developed. This gable looks like a standard stepped gable as found anywhere else in the Netherlands, but has some distinctive marks that makes it stand apart. Officially Dordrecht is the oldest ‘city’ of the country. Already in the year 1220, before any other city in the Netherlands, Dordrecht was granted the privilege of city rights. Make sure you do not miss out on the hidden gems of Dordrecht, the patio gardens. After about 3 hours time will come to say goodbye to your local host. You can then take off on your own to discover more about Dordrecht, go shopping in the crowded shopping streets or if you feel like taking a break, sit down on one of the many terraces in Dordrecht.