Hanseatic towns route by the IJssel by car

From Hanseatic town to Hanseatic town along the IJssel

In the late Middle Ages the towns on the IJssel were immensely rich: Deventer, Zutphen, Kampen and their neighbours belonged to the Hanseatic League, the trading network that reached from Bruges to Novgorod. That wealth is still there: pristine old centres full of merchant houses, tall church towers and harbours on the river. This route strings together the finest IJssel Hanseatic towns, from Doesburg in the south to Kampen at the delta, always along the dikes and floodplains of the river.

It is a linear route of about 89 kilometres: you start in small, perfectly preserved Doesburg and finish at the famous towers and gates of Kampen at the IJssel delta. On the way lie Zutphen with its Walburgis church, wealthy Deventer on the quay and the little walled town of Hattem opposite Zwolle. Reckon on a full day if you want to explore the old centres; this is a route to stop and walk, not to drive through.

The route on the map

A schematic overview by Touren.app, not a navigation map. The exact route opens under “Drive this route” or in Google Maps. Map orientation: north is up.

Soon: your time and starting point

The towns along the route

1. Doesburg

Start · the smallest jewel

Doesburg is the southern gateway of the route: a tiny but pristine Hanseatic town on the IJssel, with one of the finest late-Gothic town halls in the Netherlands, a historic mustard factory and narrow streets full of monuments. A pleasant, quiet start before the larger towns.

Practical: park on the edge; the compact centre and the harbour are at their best on foot.

2. Zutphen

the town of towers · Zutphen

Zutphen is the first large Hanseatic town, beautifully set on the IJssel. The Walburgis church with its world-famous chained library rises above the roofs, and the old centre has hundreds of monuments, ramparts and the Drogenap tower. From the river the silhouette of towers is unforgettable.

Practical: park on the edge of the centre; the church and the quay are within walking distance.

3. Deventer

the rich merchant town · Deventer

Deventer is perhaps the finest of all: a large, pristine Hanseatic town on the IJssel quay with the Brink square, the Bergkerk on its hill and the oldest stone house in the Netherlands. In December the Dickens Festival draws thousands. From the quay you look over the river and the ferry.

Practical: park by the quay or on the edge; the Brink and the churches are within walking distance.

6. Kampen

the finale · towers at the delta

Kampen closes the route, on the IJssel just before the delta. The town has the most pristine Hanseatic waterfront of all: a row of towers and medieval gates on the water, the Nieuwe Toren and the old Bovenkerk. From the IJssel bridge the silhouette of Kampen is one of the finest townscapes in the Netherlands.

Practical: park across the river or on the edge; the gates and the quay are within walking distance.

Practical: for convertible, motorbike and camper

Linear route, not a loop: this route runs along the IJssel from Doesburg to Kampen and ends there. To return to your start you drive the route back or take the motorway (which we deliberately avoid on the way). In the planner you can also turn it into a loop from your own address.

From which town: you need not start in Doesburg. Enter your address in the planner, choose your time, and Touren.app rebuilds the same IJssel route from Zutphen, Deventer, Zwolle or wherever you are staying.

For which vehicle: the IJssel dikes and back roads are quiet and open, a fine scenic drive with the river often in view. With a camper too; park on the edge of the towns.

Take your time for the towns: Zutphen, Deventer and Kampen are the richest Hanseatic towns and each deserves a walk. This is not a route to drive fast but to stop: quay, church tower, merchant houses and a terrace on the water. Reckon on a full day for the three big towns.

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