Hilversum

Museum Hilversum

Now home to Museum Hilversum and the tourist office, the building used to function as Hilversum's town hall in the period 1881-1931. It's a typical 19th-century building in neo-renaissance style. The museum's permanent collection is about the history of Hilversum after 1850. They also have temporary exhibitions, usually about photography, modern architecture or the cultural history of the Gooi area.

Fri-Wed 11:00-17:00, Thu 11:00-21:00·€5, free entry on Wednesdays · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

Filmtheater Hilversum

A modern art house cinema and wine bar. Films are international productions, many in English, French, Spanish or Scandinavian languages. Films are broadcast in the original language and subtitled in Dutch. It's a modern venue with the newest technologies.

13:00-00:00 daily·€8.50

Costerustuin

As early as the 1920s, biology scholar Jan Costerus wanted to educate the public about native flora found in Het Gooi and the surrounding area. He founded Hilversum's first educational garden in 1920, and it moved to its current location in 1930. Unlike most gardens, plants are not arranged aesthetically or by flowering season, but by family, on the basis of the Eichler plant taxonomy system. About 1200 wild plants, flowers and trees from all over the Gooi area and its vicinity are on display with name tags.

During daylight

Las Tapas

Very popular Spanish tapas restaurant. The menu is in Dutch, so hard to read for foreigners, but the staff will gladly help you with ordering. The garlic bread, artichoke and feta salad, garlic prawns, sautéed mushrooms, bruschetta with feta and pine nuts are tasty. The bill is cheap for the amount of food served. They only accept cash.

17:00-23:30 daily·€20 · Limited wheelchair access · Vegetarian options

Warung Adinda

Well-known and appreciated Indonesian restaurant that has more than 35 years of experience. Very friendly service. It has dinner à la carte or in a traditional buffet form.

Thu-Sun 17:00-22:00·€25 · Takeaway · Wheelchair accessible

Chiang Mai

Proper Thai restaurant in the area, which is specialised in northern Thai cuisine. The place has the usual Thai dishes, but also some original ones with rabbit and turkey. Good service and relatively cheap prices, but expect a bland interior with fluorescent lamps.

Tue-Sun 17:00-22:00·€15-25 · Vegan options

De BarBier

Tucked away in a small building between shops, De BarBier is a bar for true beer lovers. More than 100 beers are available, many of them obscure. Ask the staff for recommendations.

Sun-Wed 15:00-01:00, Thu 15:00-02:00, Fri-Sat 15:00-03:00·Outdoor seating

De Baron

A rock bar with billiards and darts. Important football matches are displayed on the big screen. Bar food is served. If you're visiting on Saturdays, there is plenty of seating available.

Sun-Wed 14:00-01:00, Thu 14:00-02:00, Fri Sat 14:00-03:00·Limited wheelchair access

Dudok

The interior of this café is in a similar style as the famous architect W.M. Dudok. Lunch and dinner are served, and are not expensive. At daytime, the music is a combination of classic, like Chopin and Vivaldi, and jazz. At nighttime, the music is more diverse, with a combination of salsa and rock. Sunday afternoons have tango as the style of choice. One of the main attractions of this café are the bi-weekly live jazz sessions. Led by guitar player Kai Von Rosenberg, the session attracts musicians from all over the country. Jazz greats like Benjamin Herman, Jos Machtel and Ilja Reijngoud all have played sets here.

Mon-Fri 10:00-01:00, Sat 12:00-02:00, Sun 12:00-21:00·Wi-Fi

Karroesel

A hard rock and metal bar that caters to alternative audiences. A great place to have a casual chat and meet interesting people. Popular among foreigners that permanently live in Hilversum. On warm days, people tend to stand outside. There is a pool table, but it is not used on Fridays and Saturdays as the bar can be crowded on those days. The back of the bar has been designated a smoking area.

Mon-Thu 12:00-01:00, Fri Sat 12:00-03:00, Sun 15:00-01:00·Limited wheelchair access

Mangerie

Among the better Chinese restaurants in town, and not a typical one. It's definitely high class with the French wine list as one of its features. The staff is professional and the food is delicious. Try the Peking Duck.

Wed-Mon 16:00-22:00·€35-55 · Outdoor seating

Meddens

Formerly a fashion house, Meddens is now one of the "dine and drink" hot spots in Hilversum. Multiple floors have a spectacular industrial-luxurious interior. If you're coming for food, the menu consists of fruit de mer, fish, chips and vegetarian. If you're coming for drinks, ask for the extensive wine list.

Mon-Wed 10:00-24:00, Thu-Sat 10:00-01:00, Sun 11:00-24:00·€28-35 · Wheelchair accessible

Parc

A restaurant for lunch, dining or drinks. It has a striking design, that complements the sand and salt bunker next to it, that was designed by Dudok in the 1940s. The outdoor terrace overlooks the Oude Haven, a park around a canal dug in the 18th century by affluent Amsterdam traders to connect Hilversum with the Vecht river.

1 Apr-31 Oct 11:00-00:00 daily, 1 Nov-31 Mar Tue-Sun 11:00-00:00·€25 · Outdoor seating

De Vorstin

When De Vorstin opened in September 2010, it became an instant fan favourite. A strikingly modern interior, lively ambiance and acclaimed acoustics make it worthwhile to catch a live concert here. With a variable schedule, it's best to check the website for upcoming performances and times. While it's usually possible to book tickets at the door, tickets are more expensive and might be sold out, so it's better order in advance. Because of the acoustics, it regularly hosts televised singing competitions, such as the original first season of "The Voice of Holland", a television programme that originated in Hilversum and subsequently became popular in other countries.

Wed Thu Sun 16:00-01:00, Fri Sat 16:00-04:00·Free entry, €7.50-22.50 on special events · Wheelchair accessible

Vue Cinemas

A modern cinema with seven screens and the newest technologies, such as XD, 3D and Dolby Atmos. It's the first cinema in the country with a film projector that shows 4K films in 3D with 60 frames per second. Auditoriums are air conditioned.

Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00, Sun 10:00-22:00·€10 · Wheelchair accessible

Dudockx Bar & Kitchen

Based in an original Dudok-designed building from 1938, this seafood restaurant and bar is among the more luxurious in Hilversum. The black and silver colours give the interior a stunning hip-chique atmosphere, which is enhanced by its location at the water. Ask the waiters for the wine list.

Tue-Fri 12:00-01:00, Sat 18:00-01:00, Sun 12:00-19:30·€30-45

Felix II

Typical bruin café, mostly popular among older audiences. The music is rock and blues, and sometimes live bands play. Food is served in a separate building in the back.

Sun-Thu 15:00-01:00, Fri Sat 15:00-03:00

G-Spot

A popular night club with a central location, late hours and it's open every night. There are often queues in front of it, especially around 03:00 on Saturday night. There are couches to sit and a small dance floor in the back. The DJ plays different styles of music with an emphasis on dance, house and R&B music. The audience is in the age range of 21-35.

Sun-Thu 00:00-04:00, Fri Sat 00:00-05:00·Free entry, cloakroom €1

Tokyo

The best Japanese restaurant in town with impressive paintings on the walls. The staff are friendly and dressed in Japanese style. The teppan yaki menu is a good bang for your buck. For €28.50 you get six servings, such as sushi, sashimi or yakitori.

16:00-22:00 daily·€30-60

Pinetum Blijdenstein

The Pinetum is a botanical garden founded by B.W. Blijdenstein in 1911. It is famous around the world among those knowledgeable on the subject. The Pinetum has one of the world's most important conifer collections, with many species rare and endangered in the wild. Besides conifers, there are gatherings of cycads, palms, ephedras, Tasmanian flora and rhododendrons. A notable tree is the sequoia sempervirens, the largest tree in the world. Get a map at the visitor's centre and walk along the advised path.

1 Nov-31 Mar: Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00; 1 Apr-31 Oct: Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00, Sat Sun hols 12:00-16:30·€2.50, free entry on Wednesdays

Platenhuis 't Oor

Used record store with mostly urban music, like reggae and hip hop. Also has a limited selection of vinyls. You can ask the staff if you are looking for a specific cd or vinyl.

Mon 13:00-18:00, Tue Wed Fri 10:00-18:00, Thu 10:00-21:00, Sat 10:00-17:00

De Dokter

It's possible to have lunch here. At night, the bar has a similar young audience and music style to De Doelen. Pool can be played when it's not too crowded.

Mon-Wed 09:00-01:00, Thu 09:00-02:00, Fri Sat 09:00-03:00, Sun 16:00-01:00

Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision

Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid

An architectural marvel. Designed by Jaap Drupsteen and completed in 2006, this block-shaped building became an instant landmark and won the Dutch Golden Pyramid award for its architectural significance. Don't be fooled by its size: it's actually twice as massive, as half of the building is underground! A century of Dutch television, film and radio archives are stored in the underground vault, to be protected for future generations. The glass windows depict important moments in Dutch television history. You can walk inside and have a cup of coffee at the restaurant. It is also home to an interactive museum with a display of Dutch audiovisual archives in 15 different theme zones. However, you must have a profound interest in the Dutch cultural heritage to be able to enjoy that as a foreigner.

Tue Sun 10:00-17:30·Adults €15, children 6-12 €8

Heren Spyker

These houses are known as the Spijkerpandjes and these used to be the oldest remaining buildings in Hilversum. Unfortunately, the original buildings were torn down in the 1990s, so these are reconstructed. The one on the right was a residential house built in 1770, while the one on the left was a smithy built around 1880. Jacobus Spyker lived in these buildings, whose sons later founded the 'Spyker' car brand. Now a restaurant, the focus is on contemporary French and Mediterranean dishes, very well presented on a wide array of china. Very original dishes, prepared with love by a very enthusiastic chef. Lots of wines served by the glass. Excellent value.

Tue 18:00-22:00, Wed-Sat 12:00-22:00·€40-50

Café Burger

A stylish pub that serves good burgers. There is a vegetarian burger available. Plenty of beers on tap, including special ones like Vedett or Gulden Draak. Outdoor seating available, even in winter as there is outside heating.

Sun-Thu 15:00-01:00, Fri 15:00-03:00, Sat 11:00-03:00

De Jonge Haan

This is the most upscale "brasserie" of Hilversum and the best place to run into Dutch celebrities. It is listed 57th in the Top 100 Best Dutch Cafés of the magazine Horeca Misset. At any time of the day you can walk in for coffee or tea with a muffin or pie. The interior looks professional and the Dutch word gezellig (nice and cosy) definitely applies here. Sit outdoors on warm summer days, as the café is in a breezy green neighbourhood.

Mon-Fri 09:00-00:00, Sat Sun 12:00-00:00

Royal Mandarin

This Chinese restaurant is interestingly based in a historic Dutch farm and is widely considered among the best Chinese restaurants in the country. The staff is really friendly and very knowledgeable. The restaurant might seem expensive but price-quality ratio is in perfect balance. A good suggestion is the surprise menu, with good value you will taste what the chef is capable of. Also, let the waiter pick the wine. You will be impressed.

13:30-23:00 daily·€40-50

Laapersveld

The Laapersveld was created in 1919 as a public works project. The sand extracted to create the pond has been used for its hilly terrain. The park is designed by W.M. Dudok and J.H. Meijer. Dudok's influence is most clearly seen in the design of the pumping station, which is in Amsterdam School style. It was used to drain rain and sewer water into the pond and from there to the Oude Haven. The park has a calm ambiance. You can relax, feed the geese or work out.

Le Journal

Based in a former printing press building, Le Journal is now a trendy bar and restaurant. Known for its relatively modest prices, a three-course meal costs EUR 19.50. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, it costs even less with EUR 14.50. The meals are varied with fish, burgers, pasta or satay. On summer evenings, make use of the outdoor seating. It is also a good spot for drinks.

Sun Mon 12:00-00, Tue Wed 10:00-00:00, Thu-Sat 10:00-01:00·€20-28

Mout

Mout is an Asian-style food court that houses a local beer brewery, the Gooische Bierbrouwerij. It is known as the best place for a night out in Hilversum. There are counters for Vietnamese food, pizzas and pastas, dim sum, fish and fries, salads, seafood and burgers. For all of these, remember your table number, queue up and order at the counter. Food will be served to your table when ready. Be on time as the hall fills up quickly. It's a good place to stay for drinks as they have locally brewed beer available. Try one of the Gooisch beers. Gooisch Wit is the local wheat beer, particularly popular on warm summer evenings. Free Wi-Fi.

Sun-Thu 09:00-midnight, Fri Sat 09:00-01:00·€15 · Limited wheelchair access · Vegan options