Den Bosch, Netherlands - A Travel Guide
Last Updated: February 7, 2025
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ABOUT DEN BOSCH | SHOULD I GO? | WHAT TO DO | WHERE TO STAY | WHERE TO EAT | WHERE TO PARTY
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The Dukes Forest
The full name of 'S-Hertogenbosch is a bit of a mouthful, so this little place is known as Den Bosch, and translates into English as ‘The Duke’s Forest’. The city has been in existence since 1185 and can be located to the south of the Netherlands on the southern banks of the River Meuse. The city is centrally located between both Rotterdam to the west and Eindhoven to the south.
Despite being heavily involved in a number of major wars and devastating fires over the years, Den Bosch has managed to keep a vast amount of its historical sites and artefacts intact. Unlike Rotterdam, the city survived World War 2 relatively unscathed, meaning that you can still see the city’s history to this day. The city also boasts the oldest brick building in the Netherlands
Bish Bash Bosch
My visit to Den Bosch was a short but sweet visit for a couple of days to see a friend who I first met in Perth a couple of years prior. Not only was it great to see Kees and meet his mates, it was awesome to be shown around the city by a local.
The trip also coincided with the traditional Dutch winter festival of Sinterklaas, where I was given some absolutely amazing food by Kees' parents. It really was a wonderful couple of days.
One thing that stands out about the city is just how clean it is. The Netherlands is a clean and beautiful country anyway, but this city was spotless. It really left a great impression - turns out, looks do count for something!
So Should I go there?
If you are planning a tour of the Netherlands then yes, why not? It’s a beautiful city and has a lot of history and culture. The canals are stunning (standard Netherlands), there is some amazing food, and the lovely relaxed atmosphere is also something that deserves a mention. Despite it being a quiet city, it has a fun feel to it, with vibrant restaurants and bars and fun, kind, happy and wonderful people.
My only issue is that, a little like Rotterdam, there isn't much in Den Bosch that other cities don’t have. To give an example, if you want canals, go to Amsterdam. When you travel you constantly need to choose whether to be in one place or another, so you're always on a limited time frame, even if that time frame is a lengthy one. For me, I feel that other cities would be a better use of your time, with more to see and do, and in a lot of cases, they are prettier too.
It feels like a shame to round up the city like that as it is wonderful, and I would love to come back. Don’t think this is a put-off because it isn’t, it’s a question of is there an experience in this city that you won't get better somewhere else? It's a jack-of-all-trades.
What to do when Backpacking Den Bosch
Den Bosch has so much going for it and so much beauty, but in terms of things to actually do, options are limited. You wouldn't be missing out on much by just wandering around the city and taking in its gorgeous streets, cafés and architecture, not to mention the beautiful canals. There are a couple of places worthy of a shout out though:
St John's Cathedral
Tucked in the heart of the city, this impressive cathedral, built in the 13th century, is the largest Catholic cathedral in the Netherlands. It reaches a grand height of 73 meters and is over 110 meters long. Its gothic design and impressive interior make it one of the highlights of Den Bosch, and you really can’t miss it on your walk around the city - it dominates the skyline.
There is one notable difference with this cathedral, a modern twist on gothic architecture. See on your visit if you can find one of the newest additions to the building: an angel on her mobile phone. Strange hey?
Museums
For its size, Den Bosch has an absolute wealth of museums, and they really do cover all categories, from art and history through to the truly weird and wonderful. For example, only a short walk from the cathedral you will find Oeteldonks Gemintemuzejum, which is a museum dedicated to carnivals, carnival costumes, festivals, and parties.
A stone's throw from there you will find the Jheronimus Bosch Art Center, an old church that houses a number of artworks, mostly depicting religious symbols and individuals. A short walk back past the cathedral you will find the Noordbrabants Museum, which teaches of Dutch (including Den Bosch’s) history and culture. These are just a few within a small radius.
There are a few other things to do, but really nothing I can recommend. With Den Bosch, it really is a case of walking around and basking in the beauty of this fabulous city.
Where to Stay Whilst Backpacking Den Bosch
Luckily for me, but unfortunately for this section, I crashed at Kees' house, meaning I didn’t have to find accommodation in the city. This really means, unless you're matey with Kees (in which case the spare room is very comfortable), I can't advise from experience on where is good to stay in the city. Not sure if Kees' place has a Tripadvisor score yet, but I'd give it 5/5.
As per usual with European cities, the normal hostels, hotels, Airbnbs and rooms are plentiful, so there are plenty of places to stay within the city walls. Have a look at your budget and a few review sites, and if you find somewhere decent stick it in the comments!
Where to Eat When Backpacking Den Bosch
When it comes to food, Den Bosch has you spoiled for choice. Other than how clean the city was, the food is what I remember the city by (and how I remember things in general to be honest), and is one of the main reasons why I'd come back. As mentioned, I was here for the Sinterklaas festival, which meant that Kees' family cooked an absolutely epic meal for us, a local dish that I can't describe at all other than it was amazing and so full of flavour.
As for the rest of our meals, we had to make the most of them. Our first stop was at a restaurant called Grand Café Carras. They have a lunchtime deal which I'd recommend all day long: to start was a soup which I'd have to describe as almost a bolognese. It was amazing, and one of the best soups I've ever had. This was then followed by a very large toastie, which was truly gigantic. Whilst soup and toastie don’t sound great for a restaurant, it really was incredible.
The flavours just sprang around the mouth in all directions. It was food perfection. We then finished up with a dessert, a local dish called a Bossche Bol, which was a chocolate éclair in an egg shape. Again, all very random but beautiful. There is nothing to fault about the lunchtime menu, we had a beer each too and it came to less than €13 (~£11) for all of that. You'd be missing out by missing this.
The other place I ate at was Samy's Sateh & Steaks, and it is beyond amazing. The flavours they get from such simple ingredients is a true testament to the chef and the style of cooking. The portion size was plenty with what I had, which was a mix of beautiful salads with large meat skewers and a wonderful sauce. It was slightly more expensive at €18 (~£15) but it was worth every last euro.
I really had a beautiful meal, but at the same time had food envy when I saw the steaks coming out, and if you come here you should absolutely order one. Learn from my mistakes 😉
Both restaurants were fantastic, with great staff, outstanding flavours and an all-around fantastic atmosphere.
Where to Drink and Party when Backpacking Den Bosch
Whilst here I mainly drank at Kees' house or at the restaurants we ate at. One place deserves an honourable mention though, and that’s Café Bar le Duc, a small but epic old bar with its own microbrewery, which I think was actually tucked under the bar.
We sat inside as it started to get cold outside during the evening, and being a small place meant it didn't take much to get a good vibe going. The décor was quirky and that helped the atmosphere too, and drinks are brought out in these funky wooden glass holders I've never seen before. Literally everywhere you looked there was something going on.
We had a few beers, sampling some of the local selection. That was then followed by a few more. I couldn’t tell you what time we left, but the next morning's headache said it was late.
The barman was absolutely top quality and was always making sure we had everything we needed and that we were happy. I 100% have to recommend this place.
What You'll Need to Blend In
Be over 6 foot 5 tall
A chilled attitude
To be immune to hangovers