Muiden is a city in The Netherlands about 30 minutes east of the capital Amsterdam (post HERE), known for its castle, fortresses and charming streets. The city dates back to the 10th Century, and was a key link in the Defence Line of Amsterdam, a 135 km-long fortification that once protected the city from invaders. If you’re in Amsterdam, or exploring The Netherlands then visiting Muiden is well worth it.

We visited on an overcast winter’s day, but in typically European weather style, by mid afternoon it was bright sunshine requiring sunglasses, early evening it was raining and by the end of the day I needed a hat and scarf to keep warm. Because of it, my photos look like they are from all the seasons (but really just one day!)

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Things to do in Muiden

1. Muiderslot (Muiden Castle)

Without doubt the key attraction in Muiden is its incredible castle. Dating back to 1280, the castle was built by Floris V to enforce tolls on the traders using the river between Utrecht and Amsterdam. Floris was later kidnapped and murdered and by 1300 the original castle was destroyed. In 1400 the castle was rebuilt, used as a defence, a private home, and a prison before becoming a museum in the late 1800s.

Visiting the castle today is a fun experience – it’s set in a beautiful moat with some lovely gardens. You can take two tours around the castle using an audioguide, one in to the towers and one inside the castle itself. There is also a nice little gift shop and cafe on site, as well as an outdoor theatre which is used for productions in the summer. Overall, it’s worth spending a couple of hours at Muiderslot.

2. Muiden town

Muiden is full of quaint houses, more canals (of course) and cosy cafes to eat, drink and watch the world go by in. We enjoyed strolling along the waterfront, watching the bridges open for the boats, taking in the harbour and architecture and then sitting down to a delicious traditional Dutch lunch (meatballs).

3. Pampus Fort

After the castle and a late lunch, we boarded a ferry to the Pampus Fort. The Fort was commissioned in 1895 as a defence and had space for 200 men. It only achieved this during WW1, and in WW2 the Nazis occupied the site. Once the Nazis had left, the Fort was used to detonate unexploded grenades and other military items.

Now you can explore the partly desolate Fort, learn about its history and enjoy beautiful sea views out back towards Muiden. The ferry leaves from the water front (a 3 minute walk from the castle), and the journey over is stunning. We were lucky as the sun came out for our ferry ride, alongside some mist, making the water look incredible.

As a side note, please take cash to pay – Pampus only take Dutch bank cards so we physically couldn’t pay for our trip. They were so nice and let us take the ride and tour the Fort for free (!), but we felt awful. I think they took pity on us because I’d reached my post-operation limit of walking at the castle, so really needed to sit down on the ferry!

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How to get to Muiden

You can get to Muiden via car (or Uber) from Amsterdam in about 30 minutes. There is parking at the castle but it’s limited, so I recommend getting there for opening to guarantee a space.

If you don’t have a car, you can also get to Muiden via train although it’s a bit complicated because there’s no train station at Muiden. You will need to get the train to nearby Weesp, and then take bus 110 to Muiden which takes only 5 minutes.

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So, what do you think of Muiden? Would you visit if you were in Amsterdam? We really enjoyed our day there (apart from the crazy weather) and found it a great break from the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam centre to take things a bit slower. Let me know what you think – stay safe and happy travelling everyone!