When I moved to Eindhoven in 2014, I immediately fell in love with the city and its vibrancy. What I like most about Eindhoven is the diversity of its locals, the tech and design influences, the vibrant atmosphere, the variety of good restaurants and coffee-bars, as well as the festivals here that are based on a mix of dance, design, lighting and food.
I’d recommend three days as the perfect amount of time explore Eindhoven – you’ll be able to combine one of the festivals or events with a visit to the city and Strijp S (and the flying saucer at the Evoluon), a show or concert at one of the theatres and a night out. Start the next day with a (hangover) breakfast and spend the rest of the day filling your shopping bags.
Meneer de Boer at Keizersgracht 20 is my favourite breakfast spot in Eindhoven because the owners are nice and authentic people, the place is laid back and breakfast is served all day. Try the wentelteefjes or hangover breakfast, it’s mouthwateringly good! If you’re planning to start your day with shopping at the Demer, grab a healthy breakfast at the Happiness Café or the sandwich-bar at Sissy Boy.
A good place to enjoy a coffee is Zwart Wit Koffie at Victoriapark 7, in the city centre. They serve good coffee and little snacks and also have a terrace that‘s sunny all day.
Other great coffee spots include Beanbrothers Stadsbranderij, Lucifer Specialty Coffee and Coffeelab near the train station.
When you’re in the Strijp S area be sure to grab your coffee at the Onder de Leidingstraat, which is also a really good restaurant with lots of organic delights.
Gusto-040 is a restaurant not well-known by most visitors coming to Eindhoven, which is maybe not such a bad thing, because the atmosphere is generally cosy and living-room like. It’s a really good place to grab a (delicious) bite outside the city centre. It’s charming, it’s got good quality food, friendly staff and it’s open every day of the week.
Giornale at Stationsplein 12 is another great spot for dinner in Eindhoven. The interior and ambiance is good and the varied menu offers lots of great Italian food and wines. If you’re up for something a little different such as delicious Persian food, try the ‘table-full’ at restaurant Afghani & Zo. Other good dinner hotspots in the city centre include The Burger, Boca (tapas), ONS and ‘De hoogste tijd’.
There are a lot of dinner options when visiting Strijp S. Check out Retro Fondue, try organic food at Onder de Leidingstraat, or enjoy dinner with a view of the old Philips building at Radio Royaal. Another option is to visit Vershal ‘t Veem which is a Spanish style market where you can choose from lots of different snacks and dishes.
Cycling or walking is the best way to get around Eindhoven, because the hotspots are not that far apart (at most a 20 minute walk). What I love about walking in Eindhoven is that you see a lot of things you won’t see if you use the bus or a cab. The most interesting parts are the city centre and its surroundings, the Bergen, and the Strijp S and Strijp R area.
If you only do one touristy thing in Eindhoven, make sure you go to Strijp S with your camera and maybe take one of the Strijp S-tours. And don’t forget your wallet to do some shopping, because there are all kinds of different stores for everyone. From boutiques to the big brands, you will find them all in Eindhoven.
Before exploring Eindhoven you should read something about the history of Philips and its connection with the city of Eindhoven and the different industrial Philips-locations like Strijp S and Strijp R. People think Eindhoven is not very beautiful, but it actually has a great atmosphere if you just wander a little from the city centre.
Eindhoven is also very photogenic and lots of tourists and photography-aficionados come to Eindhoven (especially Strijp S) to get good photographs. You just need to know where to go.
The best thing to do for free when exploring Eindhoven is to visit one of the festivals, like Foodstock, GLOW, Brandend Zand, Effenaar ‘t Wasven or Kingsday. GLOW which takes place in November, is especially beautiful – dozens of light artists take over the city’s public places after dark, covering Eindhoven’s best known buildings with spectacular light shows.
The ­­­­­­­­­­­De Bergen area and the city centre area have the best nightlife. There are lots of restaurants, pubs and other places to go and have drinks or dance till you drop. Try one of the following bars: Van Moll (lots of beers), Berlin Bar 5611 for cocktails or Hoogste Tijd is another good spot.
Check out eindhovenhotspots.nl or follow me at @eindhovenHS to keep up with the latests events and happenings in Eindhoven.