If you’re thinking of visiting one of the most charming Dutch villages in The Netherlands, then you must travel to Linschoten. There are quite a few things to do in Linschoten, but especially in its nearby surroundings. In the Utrecht province, this village and its surroundings are filled with activities and landmarks to see.
There are so many places to visit all across The Netherlands, but when you’re thinking of heading somewhere in the Utrecht region, sightseeing in the centre of Linschoten is an absolute must. I hope that this Utrecht region travel blog will show you what you have to see in Linschoten and the closeby area. Whether you want to spend a weekend in the Utrecht countryside, or a day, this is for you.
Things to do in Linschoten, Utrecht, The Netherlands
One of the best things to do in the Utrecht region is to visit Linschoten. Even though Linschoten is small, it’s filled with must-sees and must do’s, whether you’re interested in canoeing on a small Dutch river or want to buy regional products.
The area of Linschoten is filled with sights to see and things to do. So, I’d suggest you add this village to your The Netherlands itinerary because you won’t regret it.
In this travel guide for Linschoten, Utrecht, you will get to know precisely what attractions can be found here: whether you’re thinking of spending one day in Linschoten, or are just quickly passing by. You will also get the answer to the question ‘Where is Linschoten, The Netherlands?’.
History & Facts about Linschoten
Linschoten is a village that is part of the municipality of Montfoort, and it’s located in the Dutch province of Utrecht. People have been living in the area of Linschoten for thousands of years, but the name ‘Linschoten’ has only been first named in writing around 1172. However, the first time someone mentioned the village of Linschoten was in 1226. But, no one is also really sure about when exactly Linschoten was founded. Most archaeologists and other knowledgeable people agree that Linschoten and the name must be older than the 11th century. They are not entirely sure where the name comes from.
Some think that Linschoten comes from the word ‘lindeschot’, which was used as a separation of limewood for certain pieces of land. Others believe that the origin of the name of Linschoten comes from ‘Lindescote’ or ‘Lintscote’. A ‘linde’ is the word for a small river, and a ‘cote’ is a little farm. Some people then think that it refers to ‘schoot’, which means a forested corner of higher land in marshland and the ‘lin’ part would refer to a lime tree. And lastly, there is the possibility that a family with the name ‘Linschoten’ or ‘van Linschoten’ owned land here, and named it that way. It is known that Bertold van Lindescot was named in a certificate of the Chapter of Oudmunster in Utrecht in 1131. The Chapter, later on, was the owner of significant parts of the area around Linschoten. But, nothing is certain.
The town of Linschoten was suffering during the ‘Hoekse en Kabeljauwse twisten’, as it laid precisely on the border between the Stift of Utrecht and the Earldom of Holland. The Hoekse and Kabeljauwse twisten was a battle between several parts of the elite of the Earldom of Holland, which included nobility, regular citizens and many cities. It took mainly place in Holland, Utrecht, Zeeland and West-Friesland from the middle of the 14th century until the end of the 15th century.
The ‘Hoeken’ (means hooks) were mainly people of nobility, but the ‘Kabeljauwen’ (means the codfish) mostly existed out of civilians. And these ordinary citizens, that revolted against the leading families were overtime seen as the established order. One part of them was called ‘Kabeljauwen’ because the coat of arms of the family Beieren reminds people of a fish’s scales. The other group is nicknamed ‘Hoeken’ because, with a ‘hoek’, which is the old Dutch word for hook, codfish could be caught.
In 1482, a group of soldiers of Montfoort were pushed out of the city of Oudewater. They take refuge in the church of Linschoten, which then was set on fire because they were there. The church was then rebuilt.
In 1750, Linschoten was home to 54 houses and around 270 people. The viscounts of Montfoort were ruling the area at that time. In 1795, the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands was no longer. And, Linschoten also changed because of this. After this happened, Linschoten finally got a board that was voted for by the people of Linschoten. But, not everyone in the town was for the new way of ruling Linschoten, and it only became peaceful around the beginning of the 1800s. In 1840, Linschoten was home to 108 houses, 169 families and more than 800 inhabitants.
Around 1907, Linschoten got connected to the telephone network. In 1921, the village was connected to the electricity network and the water system followed in 1925. Surprisingly enough, Linschoten is one of the towns that made the Second World War without any damage. And on the 1st of January 1956, Linschoten is home to 2406 people. In 1962, around 2600. Currently, the population of Linschoten is about 4000.
Where to stay in Linschoten
If you’re looking for places to stay in Linschoten, you can find excellent accommodation in Linschoten below. Whether you’re searching for a B&B near to the centre of Linschoten or want to reserve a bigger holiday home in the Green Heart region.
B&B Louisehoeve; check prices & availability via Booking.com
Louisehoeve Holiday Home; check prices & availability via Booking.com
De Lage polder; check prices & availability via Booking.com
If you have a camper, or tent, with you, then you can also stay at one of the Dutch farm campings in the surroundings of Linschoten and, you can also spend the night at a Dutch orchard. If you’re looking for relaxing places to stay in the Green Heart region’s countryside, then these are also a fantastic option.
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- Natuurcamping De Boerderij: You can use their bikes to explore the region for free
- De Oude Boomgaard
Best restaurants in Linschoten
A few restaurants are found in Linschoten: Restaurant Bij Mette, De Burgermeester and Het Wapen van Linschoten en Snelrewaard. To be able to survive in a small town, your food must be good. So, no matter which restaurant in Linschoten you end up at, you’ll be in good hands.
What to do in Linschoten
Free walking tour in Linschoten
As Linschoten is a small village, the walking tour of Linschoten itself is only around 1 kilometre. However, you can increases it to about 6 kilometres and see the estate of Linschoten on your way, while walking through one of the most beautiful places in the Utrecht region.
We’ll start one of the things to do in Linschoten at Kerkplein 1. This is where you will see the main church of Linschoten. It’s called the Grote Kerk, or Sint-Janskerk, and it is originally a catholic church dedicated to John the Baptist. However, after the Reformation, this church in Linschoten came in the protestant’s hands and has been ever since. It is said that this church was founded as a chapel for Castle Linschoten, which is a castle that doesn’t exist anymore. And later on, it became a parish church until it became a protestant church at the end of the 16th century.
This church was created in the 13th century, and the top part of the tower was only built in the 15th century. In 1482, a part of the church was burned down as gatekeepers of Montfoort were hiding there during the ‘Hoekse en Kabeljauwse twisted’. The porters were then smoked out of the building and caught. At that time, the church was only temporarily fixed as there wasn’t enough money for a full renovation and reconstruction.
The church tower that you can see from every spot in the village has a fascinating history behind it. At the end of the 19th century, the building was incredibly crooked, and decisions had to be made to decide what to do with the problem. They even thought of tearing the whole church down and rebuilt a new one. But, eventually, they decided to remove the top part of the church tower. That’s why this church tower is relatively short, as they broke away around seven metres of the tower.
In the tower, there are two historical bells. One is called ‘Barbara’, which was gifted by the family of a priest in 1477. The other smaller bell is named ‘Angelus’ and is one of the oldest church bells in The Netherlands dating back to 1400.
Then, you’re going to be continuing to one of the things to see in Linschoten; Dorpstraat 8. There you will see an 18th-century manor house. After that, you will head to Dorpstraat 9, where you can see a 17th-century Dutch farm.
From this street in Linschoten, you will continue walking to Korte Linschoten Oostzijde. Then you will cross the little river by the bridge, which is called Korte Linschoten, to the Raadhuisstraat. After that, you keep walking until the end of the Dorpstraat, where the street name changes to Engherzandweg. And that’s it.
Get the full map & route for your tour in Linschoten here
Buy local products in Linschoten
Linschoten is a charming Dutch town in the Utrecht province, but that’s not all it offers. There are quite a few places to visit in, and very near, Linschoten where you can buy local products.
Think of visiting Bakkerij Verweij in Linschoten. Not only can you buy delicious sandwiches here, but also plenty of other deliciousness. And, there’s something extra special about this bakery. Once a year, on the first Wednesday of September, this bakery makes a local delicacy, named ‘beschuitbollen’ or rusk buns (but it’s a lot softer than rusk, and they’re best eaten warm).
This tradition has been existing for almost 150 years. It was something that the bakers of Linschoten started to make, as the municipality banned the yearly funfair of Linschoten in 1875. These ‘beschuitbollen’ were part of both the bakers and the other citizens’ resistance movement against the loss of their fair.
If you’re more interested in getting some delicious sandwiches from the local butcher, then head over to Slagerij Ferry Lempers.
Not far outside of Linschoten, you can find Kaasboerderij De Vliethove. This cheese farm in the Utrecht region has a farm shop that sells the most delicious cheeses.
Lastly, I can recommend you to visit Vlooswijk plattelandswinkel. This is the shop of a family that owns a company that grows fruits. They sell their fresh fruits in this shop and many local products such as ice cream from the city of Woerden, wine from Montfoort, cheese from Papekop, and so much more.
Visit the surroundings of the estate of Linschoten, or visit the estate itself
So, you cannot always visit the full estate of Linschoten. More often, not. You can see the estate and the house Linschoten every month on a guided tour during spring and summer. It’s not suitable for people who have trouble walking, and taking photographs inside the house isn’t allowed.
Every other year, you can visit the house and the forests during Open Monumentendag; which always takes place during a weekend in September.
However, you can walk around it and walk on parts of the estate (as it’s 500 hectares) when you walk the extended part of the free walking tour that I’ve included a link to above.
Visit Theetuin De Schapenlaan
I like visiting charming tea gardens, as they make me feel at home and are always incredibly cosy. In this tea garden on the estate of Linschoten, you can get many delicious things. You can get the traditional teas, coffees and tasty pies. But you can also buy local products to bring home with you, such as honey and apple juice. And, there’s a shed that’s filled with antique items.
More things to do in Linschoten & its surroundings
Walk or cycle in the surroundings of Linschoten
One of the best things you can do is follow the small river called ‘Lange Linschoten’. This is honestly one of the most beautiful small rivers we have in The Netherlands. Walk in the direction of Huis Linschoten and further (you can even walk to the city of Oudewater).
You can not rent a bike in Linschoten itself, but you can reserve one and have the bike brought to you in Linschoten (if they have it available as sometimes its sold out).
You can also follow one of the long-distance hiking paths in The Netherlands that goes through the Utrecht region (and passes along Estate Linschoten), named Floris V path. This entire hiking path in The Netherlands stretches from Amsterdam, which is the capital city of The Netherlands, to Bergen op Zoom.
Rent a canoe in Linschoten in the Utrecht region
So, I’ve been telling you constantly about how the river the ‘Lange Linschoten’ is absolutely gorgeous. Now, how great would it be if you could enjoy this part of The Netherlands by canoe? You can rent a canoe at Natuurcamping De Boerderij.
You can opt to make a full circle, or canoe a small part and return. This full canoe route in the Utrecht province is around 19 kilometres and is the following route:
- Linschoten – Montfoortse Vaart (river) – Montfoort – Hollandse IJssel (river) – Oudewater – Lange Linschoten (river) – Linschoten
Get to know the cheese city of Woerden
Woerden is one of the best places to visit in the Green Heart region. Not only is it home to the only authentic cheese market in The Netherlands, but also a real cheese experience. You can find the only authentic cheese warehouse in The Netherlands, where you will be shown around by fantastic guides to learn everything about the Dutch cheeses made here in Woerden.
But, cheese isn’t the only thing that Woerden has to offer. Enjoy a walking tour or visit the Cattenbroekerplas (lake in Woerden) and walk around the lake, which is only a 4-kilometre walk in beautiful surroundings.
Learn more about the Linie of Linschoten
The defence line of Linschoten was part of the Oude Hollandse Waterlinie, which was meant to defend the Holland region in the 17th and 18th century. The Linie van Linschoten was only taken in use at the end of the 18th century. Then, at the end of the 19th century, the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie was constructed. This new defence line in The Netherlands was meant to protect a big part of the Holland region and Utrecht.
That’s when the defence line of Linschoten was all of a sudden not needed anymore. Most of the shapes have been removed, but you can still see the contours in the Dutch landscape in the Utrecht region. When you cycle or walk, south from Linschoten, you will see a small scale model and understand what it looked like. And, when you’re standing in front of the model and look to the left, you will see a small forest. This is also what shows the fact that there was a defence line here. Just search ‘De Linie van Linschoten’ in your maps, and it will show you the right location.
Explore nature reserves near Linschoten
One of the best places to enjoy nature, beyond cycling along the picturesque rivers in Linschoten, is the Linschoterbos. This forest is part of the estate of Linschoten, but you can go for a beautiful walk around the forest. So, if you’re interested in sniffing up some more oxygen than you already have done when visiting the Utrecht region countryside, then head to the Linschoterbos.
Visit the city of Oudewater
Oudewater is known for its witch scale, but that’s not everything this incredibly historical city in The Netherlands has to offer. Enjoy a visit to unique local shops, with the best regional products or go on a canal tour. Is that not something for you? Then you can explore the city on a free walking tour or enjoy one of the great restaurants in Oudewater. Whatever you like to do, there are plenty of things to do in Oudewater for everyone to enjoy.
Discover the Dutch town of Montfoort
The town of Montfoort is located near Linschoten, and while it’s small, there are quite a bit of things to do. It’s home to one of the largest Carnaval parades above the big rivers. But, that’s not all. You can go on a free walking tour (created by yours truly), have a drink at a former castle and visit the shop of a windmill every Saturday. ‘Klein, maar fijn’, as we say in Dutch, or small but good.
How to get to Linschoten, Utrecht, The Netherlands
I would always recommend using 9292.nl/en to plan your current trips by public transportation in The Netherlands. This is only used to give you a quick idea of arrival time and how you can roughly travel to Linschoten.
From Utrecht: To get from Utrecht city on a day trip to Linschoten, you must take a train to Woerden station first. After that, take a bus in the direction of Montfoort. Get out at ‘Bushalte Laan van Rapijnen, Linschoten’. It will take you around 36 minutes to reach Linschoten from Utrecht. However, there’s one thing to know; this bus doesn’t run during the weekends or in the evenings.
From Amsterdam: If you want to reach the adorable village of Linschoten from Amsterdam, then you’d have to take a train that brings you to the train station of Woerden. From there, you have to transfer to the bus in the direction of Montfoort. Get out at ‘Bushalte Laan van Rapijnen, Linschoten’. It takes you around 56 minutes to get from Amsterdam to Linschoten. This is the same bus as before, so again, this bus doesn’t run during the weekends or evenings.
From Rotterdam: To get from Rotterdam to Linschoten by public transportation, you’d need to take the train to Woerden. From there, you must transfer to the bus in the direction of Montfoort. Get out at ‘Bushalte Laan van Rapijnen, Linschoten’. It takes you around 50 minutes to reach Linschoten from Rotterdam city. This bus is the same as the others and doesn’t run in the weekend or evening.
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I hope by now that you know which places you have to see in this part of the Utrecht region and where to go. Linschoten is filled with beautiful buildings and is more than worth visiting. If you’re interested in seeing hidden gems in The Netherlands, then this is it. It’s one of the more unusual places to visit in The Netherlands, making it absolutely perfect. There is some tourism in Linschoten, but those are usually only cyclists who pass by the village.
Remember, Linschoten is not found in the Holland region, but The Netherlands. I hope you enjoyed this Linschoten city blog on what to do, and that you will enjoy all the things you can do in Linschoten and its surroundings when you have the chance to visit. Share this post!