Eindhoven is known for being the birthplace of the Dutch innovation giant Philips, its Industrial Design and for being the tech hub of the Netherlands. We have created this itinerary for you filled with all the amazing things that you can do here during your 1 day trip.
Where to stay: Housed in the former Philips factory The Clock Building, Blue Collar Hotel is located 1 km from the center of Eindhoven in the hip Strijp-S area. You can’t stay in a more iconic hotel than this.
When to go: The Dutch weather can be very windy and rainy, so we recommend that you visit between May and September.
How to get there: You can reach Eindhoven by train using NS. If you fly in, you can land at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport or directly at Eindhoven Airport.
How long to stay: Eindhoven can be easily covered in 1 day. However, you can choose to make this your hub and explore the rest of the Netherlands from here.
If you are visiting the city for the second time or want to explore more things that the city can offer to you, check out our additional Eindhoven guide with more amazing things to do in the Dutch tech hub.
Have Breakfast in the Mountains
‘De Bergen’ is Dutch for ‘the mountains’ and the name of the neighborhood in Eindhoven, in which you should start your day. Also called ‘quarter vivant’ meaning ‘lively quarter’, it comprises of the streets Bergstraat, Kleine Berg and Grote Berg. Unlike what it’s name suggests you will not find mountains here but hip cafés, art galleries, antique bookshops and restaurants. For breakfast you can head to Zwartwit Koffie, for the best Eindhoven coffee you can go to the Stadsbranderij Eindhoven and for amazing macarons and ice-cream try Dutch Homemade.
Learn about Philips at Philips Museum
After you have tanked up some energy, you could consider heading to the Philips Musueum. Here is where in 1891 Gerard Philips, the founder of Philips, produced his first light bulb. Families from the Netherlands and abroad moved to Eindhoven in the early 20th century to work for Philips, who was the first Dutch employer to cover sick leave. Almost all of the buildings in and around Eindhoven have belonged or still belong to Philips and housed the workers.
Marvel at the St. Catharina Church
The St. Catharina Church or ‘St. Catharinakerk’ as it is known in Dutch is located right in the middle of the Stratumseinde. The Roman Catholic church is over 150 years and over 100 meters tall. You can enter it for free. In and around the area you will find many bars where you can enjoy a local beer. If you head to Kerkstraat you will see many restaurants and if you’re up for shopping you can go to Heuvel Gallerie just a few footsteps away. The second church that is worth seeing is the Augustinian church, parts of which date back to the 11th century. Today it houses a restaurant/hotel and we even attended a silent concert in it!
Relax in the Stadswandelpark
After all this culture, it is time to relax a bit. You can do this at Genneper Parken, where the prehistoric village is located or the Stadswandelpark, which is the park in the city centre very t close to the Van Abbemuseum. If you’re hungry, you can do a very Dutch thing and buy a sandwich or ready-made salad from Albert Heijn and have it in the park. However, don’t search for the Dutch on parkbenches or the grass, most of them will enjoy their lunch while walking. If you prefer to have a lunch break at an actual location, you can head to our next stop.
Enjoy Lunch at Down Town Gourmet Market
Down Town Gourmet Market is an indoor food market offering you various food options. We can highly recommend Pim’s Potatoes (Dutch potato dishes, sounds boring but tastes amazing!), Indonesian Warung (Gado Gado) and Vietnamama (Spring Rolls). There is truly something for everybody here, although unfortunately the last few times we have been here the service was not very good. Alternatively, you can go to Happy Italy, which is just around the corner and offers simple Italian food for an affordable price.
Try the local beer at 100 Watt Brewery
The Dutch love their beer and so in almost every Dutch city you will find a local brewery. At 100 Watt you will find award-winning home-brewed beers named after Eindhoven landmarks such as Witte Dame (White Lady, the name of a tall building located in the city center), beer-inspired snacks such as brewer’s grain bread or beer cheese(!) but also classic burgers, steak and cherry coke ribs. 100 Watt offers open tastings, brewery tours and masterclasses and it’s also a great place to buy gift sets for loved ones, so they too can try the local beer.
Visit the Eindhoven Philips Stadion
If you’re a football fan you should definitely visit the Philips Stadion and maybe even the PSV Museum (PSV is the local football team). You don’t have to attend a football match to see the stadium. Instead take the escalators up and visit the cafe with its terrace integrated into the tribune! On the way up there you will find lots of PSV memorabilia such as original player’s shirts and historic photographs. If it’s matchday, head to the backside of the Philips stadion where you’ll be able to follow the live match just footsteps away from the players without any tickets!
Discover the hip Strijp-S
After the Philips stadion, you will be heading in the direction of Strijp-S, the hip district of the city, where you will end your day. You will find urban pop-up cafés and restaurants here as well as chic boutiques and creative start-ups. Don’t miss out the chance to feel like a child again on the gigantic Industrial swings called ‘Happiness Birds’ located opposite the ‘Ontdekfabriek’, the discovery factory, which holds regular creative workshops for children. Consider attending the yearly light festival. All of Strijp-S will be lit up with artistic projections and light installations and you will truly feel like you’re Alice in Wonderland.
Try the Award-Winning Ice-Cream at Intelligentia
Strijp-S does not only have amazing bubble tea, but also houses the multiple award-winning ice-cream shop Intelligentia Taste Rooms. Here, you can choose among flavors such as black garlic, Tony Chocolonely Caramel & Sea Salt, Black Cherry Sake and BBQ Pineapple. Intelligentia Taste Roms also offers themed high-teas and past themes have included Alice in Wonderland, Marie Antoinette and Harry Potter. If that does not sound magical then we don’t know what does.
Have dinner at De Oude Telefooncentrale
De Oude Telefooncentrale is a former Philips building that used to be called SEY. Until 1978 it housed the Eindhoven telephone exchange with the switchboard operators sitting on the first floor. De Oude Telefooncentrale serves sandwiches, salads, typical Dutch snacks and sharing menus. If you don’t mind an early dinner, you could also go to Coffeelab, which closes at 6pm. They have a second restaurant located right above the central station and serve an amazing tuna salad with avocado spread, grilled and pickled vegetables, sriracha mayonnaise and roasted sesame seeds.
If you want to explore more of the Netherlands, check out our itineraries for Groningen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Bosch, Venlo and more of Eindhoven.