Middelburg
Zeeland's capital, with an abbey, the Zeeuws Museum and the Lange Jan tower.
Route by public transport ↗Scottish wool, Zeeland gables, still water.
Veere is small, yet it was once a harbour town with ties far beyond Zeeland. Scottish merchants lived here for almost three centuries. Their houses still stand on the quay.
Veere received its town charter in 1355 and grew rich on trade with Scotland. That age lives on in the ornate town hall, the vast Grote Kerk and the Scottish Houses on the harbour, now home to Museum Veere. You can walk the whole town in an hour, from the Campveerse Toren along the quay to the market square. Take the train to Middelburg, then a short bus ride. Start at the museum, have lunch by the harbour and finish with a walk along the Veerse Meer.
One day, four moments. How to get the most out of your visit.
Six places to complete your museum day.
Two merchants' houses on the quay, Het Lammeken and De Struys, on Scottish trade and life at sea.
A late Gothic town hall on the Markt with portraits of the marquises of Veere and a slender carillon tower.
A church that seems far too big for the town. It has served as a hospital and almshouse, and now hosts exhibitions and concerts.
A fifteenth-century defensive tower on the water, an inn for centuries.
Circle the old town along the ramparts, with views over the water and the polder.
A calm lake with cycling and walking routes along the shore, starting from the harbour.
For almost three hundred years this little Zeeland town was a piece of Scotland. The Scots called it Campvere.
In 1541 Veere became the staple port for Scottish trade on the continent. Scottish wool and other goods had to enter Europe through this harbour. Scottish merchants were granted special rights here. They had their own warehouses and offices, and even their own church and minister. Two of their houses on the quay, Het Lammeken and De Struys, are now a museum. The link lasted until 1799. In Scotland the name Campvere is still remembered.
Where: Kaai, Veere
Veere sits on Walcheren, where sea, dunes and old towns lie close together. Three places to pair with it.
Zeeland's capital, with an abbey, the Zeeuws Museum and the Lange Jan tower.
Route by public transport ↗A port town on the Westerschelde, with a seafront boulevard and the MuZEEum.
Route by public transport ↗A seaside resort in the dunes where Mondrian and other painters came to work.
Route by public transport ↗Travel times are indicative. Live times on 9292.nl ↗.
Veere has a handful of hotels and B&Bs, from historic rooms on the harbour to simple places just outside the centre. For more choice, stay in Middelburg, a short bus ride away. From Middelburg the train takes you quickly to Vlissingen or Goes. In the evening, once the day trippers have left, you have the quay to yourself.
Restaurants, shops and hotels near the museums, picked for museum visitors.