Hanseatic cities - Hanseatic cities | Hanseatic present

Hanseatic cities are all about encounters. Coincidental and intentional. Unique and unexpected. Historic and ultramodern. In cities like Deventer, Kampen and Zwolle, you can wander along centuries-old streets. But you can also enjoy real city life, with a vibrant cultural calendar and plenty of local specialities at authentic cafés and restaurants. Past and present come together here.

A mix of history and modernity. Culture and conviviality. You will feel it all. Discover these cities on foot or by bike and be amazed. From bustling city centre to tranquil countryside. From a trendy concept store to a craft brewery. From Gothic churches to a futuristic art cloud. And from a friendly greeting on the street to a warm welcome on a restaurant terrace. The Dutch Hanseatic Cities are full of surprises. You’ll meet extraordinary people while strolling through streets rich in history and having a relaxing drink on one of the many lovely terraces.

Nine cities, linked together and always in motion. Located along rivers, they’ve been growing and developing for more than 800 years, each with a heart full of history. And yet, they don’t spend their time looking back. The sense of progress that was once typical of the Hanseatic League still lives on. Just as the Hansards looked ahead centuries ago from the bows of their cog ships towards that beckoning dot on the horizon, these cities now focus on the future in the same way.

The hospitality and greetings on the street help you see the world in a happier light.

The residents of the Hanseatic cities have a clear connection to their past and are justifiably proud of their rich history. But while that love for history is strong, their love for the future wins out. You can see and feel it. Everywhere. From Hasselt to Doesburg and from Harderwijk to Deventer, from top to bottom and back again. The cities continue to innovate and build for tomorrow.

In these cities, everything from the past seems conceived, built and made for today and tomorrow. This foresight – or ambition – is in their genes. The Hanseatic people and their cities have been in perpetual motion ever since the Hanseatic League was originally chartered in Lübeck, Germany, in 1356. And indeed, the cities and their people continue to thrive and are more vibrant than ever. Renovation? Every day. Innovation? Anytime, anywhere. The Dutch Hanseatic cities create a contemporary present from a rich and fascinating past.

While fairy tale artist Pieck and IJssel painter Voerman stop time in Hattem, the street art of Deventer directs your gaze to today and tomorrow. It’s a contrast that is typical in the Hanseatic cities. Like the serene icons in Kampen versus the rowdy rock and roll art of Zwolle's Herman Brood. Or the juxtaposition of a trendy snack at a beach bar and the elegant haute cuisine at a historic Vischmarkt (fish market) - all perfectly normal in Harderwijk!

And how about Zwolle's sculpture garden with tactile sculptures versus digital 3D art in an app that leads you all around the city? Or the National Organ Museum in an Elburg city castle versus a concert in a trendy, industrial warehouse district in Zutphen. Just hop on a bicycle, go for a walk or take to the water to experience the most wondrous contradictions. Past and future, craft and high-tech. It all meets and intersects here.

Hanseatic people are merchant traders. The pioneering merchants of yesteryear are the inventive entrepreneurs of today. The common thread? A drive powered by ambition and progress. Because the local thinking here is: what we did well yesterday, we will do surprisingly differently today. The Hanseatic cities have always had a knack for trade and innovation, which you can see and feel to this day. What you see, taste and experience here is always just that little bit different.

When the Hansards join forces, something beautiful arises. The benefits of working together have been known and enjoyed since the days when the Hanseatic merchants transported cogs full of grain, wine and beer from city to city. It should come as no surprise that cooperation is still the motto; the Hanseatic people know how to work together to create something innovative, using culture as the backdrop, craftsmanship as the blueprint and history as the inspiration. This keeps the Hanseatic region moving. Full steam ahead.

Discover the trading history

Sail past the quays of Hattem, the ramparts of Doesburg and the casemates of Elburg. Wonder at the Hanseatic skylines of Kampen, Zutphen and Deventer, where the Middle Ages and the future blend seamlessly. Moor in Harderwijk's old harbour and hop on a bike to discover the surrounding countryside – leave the shopping streets for later. Explore the water meadows of Zwolle and the vast polderland of Hasselt. Yes, the Dutch Hanseatic cities are surrounded by nature and connected by water.

Nine cities in the east. Innovative, surprising, amazing. Especially the latter. Because being amazed really affects you. It makes you look, think and feel differently. Just as the Hanseatic cities are in perpetual motion, they also move you by providing an impactful and enriching experience. Hear, see, smell, taste and feel everything the Hanseatic cities have to offer. On land. Or on the water.

Thinking, acting and creating together. That is their culture, art and future.