Appingedam - city and former municipality in the province of Groningen, the Netherlands

Appingedam is a small city in Groningen, one of the northern provinces of The Netherlands. It has just over 12.000 inhabitants and is one of the main destinations for tourists in the region. It is a charming town with many medieval buildings in the centre and a good number of activities in the summer months.

Understand

Its strategic location on the river Delf made Appingedam an economic and judicial centre in Medieval times. It flourished through trade, as it had an open water connection to the sea and became the seat of regional law administration. Its historic wealth remains well visible today, through the many remarkable façades in the town centre. In a way those remains of past welfare is a major aspect of Appingedam's economy today, as tourism is a large source of income.

Tourist office

• VVV Appingedam, Oudekerkstraat 1, 53.32036°, 6.85719°, +31 596 620300, vvvappingedam@topvangroningen.nl. M 13:30-17:00, Tu-F 09:30-17:00, Sa 11:00-16:00. The tourist offices in the Eemsdelta region are cooperating under the name 'Top of Groningen'. The local Tourist Information Office is in the city centre, opposite the Nicolaï church. The Tourist Information Office shop provides information about the city and the province.

Get in

By car

Appingedam is easily reachable by car. The N33 expressway leads to Appingedam from Assen via the A7 motorway interchange at Zuidbroek. Another key road is the N360 trunk road that leads from Groningen city via Appingedam to Delfzijl. From Groningen city the drive to Appingedam takes about 30 minutes.

By public transport

There is a railway station in Appingedam along the railway from Groningen to Delfzijl. The train service, operated by Arriva, runs twice per hour both ways. The railway station is 800 meters north of the city centre. Travelling from Groningen will take about 30 minutes (€6.60). To reach Appingedam from other destinations in the Netherlands (or abroad), a transfer at Groningen's main station is required. From Amsterdam Centraal, the trip takes about 2hr 40min (2 transfers, €26.30), while from Schiphol Airport the trip takes 2hr 45min (1 transfer, €26.20).

Alternatively, there are a number of bus services to a lot of towns in the region. The bus services are all operated by Qbuzz. Appingedam's main bus stop is not at the railway station, and not all bus routes call at the railway station. From Groningen city the train is usually the best option to get to Appingedam, but the buses are useful from destinations inbetween.

• Station Appingedam (railway station), Spoorbaan 2, Appingedam, 53.32583°, 6.86277°. 2016-08-17
• Busstation Appingedam (bus station), Farmsumerweg 212, Appingedam, 53.32302°, 6.86505°. 2016-08-17 The most relevant bus routes include:
• Bus route Q-link 6 (1-2x/hour, in rush hours up to 6x/hour) from Groningen via Appingedam to Delfzijl.
• Bus route 61 (1-2x/hour) from Groningen via Bedum, Middelstum, Uithuizen and Appingedam to Delfzijl.
• Bus route 178 (1-2x/hour, in rush hours up to 4x/hour) from Groningen via Midden-Groningen (Slochteren, Siddeburen) to Appingedam.

Get around

The historic city centre is small and most suited to explore on foot. To see more of the city's surroundings, renting a bicycle is a good alternative.

See

The medieval town centre is well worth exploring. Note the Hanging Kitchens 📍 this town is known for: small rooms sticking out of building sides above the Damsterdiep canal. The Nicolaï Church 📍 is a Romano-Gothic hall church that originates from 1225–1450. The church is registered as a national monument. Just outside the city centre, there are several historic mansions.

• Museum Møhlmann, Westersingel 102, 53.32004°, 6.83648°, +31 596 682856. April 1 - December 1: F-Su 13:00-17:00. Museum Møhlmann is a privately-owned museum for realistic and figurative art. The museum was set up without any subsidy by the Dutch realistic painter Rob Møhlmann. The Museum houses three permanent collections and three temporarily exhibitions. €6
• Raadhuis (Town Hall), Wijkstraat 36, 53.32016°, 6.85760°. The renaissance Town Hall of Appingedam dates back to 1630.
• Museum Stad Appingedam, Wijkstraat 25, 53.32055°, 6.85766°, +31 596 680168. Tu-F 11:00-17:00, Sa Su 13:00-17:00. The Museum Stad Appingedam has some good expositions about the town's culture and history, focusing particularly on architecture, urban planning and development. €4

Do

• Explore Appingedam from the water. Every Saturday afternoon, the Damsterveer ferry makes two trips around Appingedam. This provides a unique opportunity to see another side to historic Appingedam from the water. Tickets are available from the Tourist Information Office, departure behind the Nicolaïkerk. €4

Buy

Eat

Some of the better places to eat are:

• De Kosterij Nicolaas, Solwerderstraat 45. Good food for a reasonable price in a nice medieval building. Friendly staff.
• De Oude Rechtbank. Another historic building, nicely renovated. If you call ahead, try to reserve a table at the window, which enjoys nice views over the harbour. Food gets good reviews, as does the service.

Drink

Sleep

• Hotel Landgoed Ekenstein, Alberdaweg 70, Appingedam. A pleasant old mansion, 5 minutes drive from the centre. From €79
• Het Wapen van Leiden, Wijkstraat 44. Friendly place in the town centre. From €74.50
• Eco Stadshuys, Wijkstraat 1. Ecological hotel with a laissez-faire attitude and a lovely garden. From €60

Connect

Go next

• Oldambt — the eastern region of Groningen province, known for its yellow rapeseed fields and 'windmill city' Winschoten
• Midden-Groningen — the central part of Groningen province, with the 16th-century Fraeylemaborg manor house and the Schildmeer lake (5 km from Appingedam)