Delft

A town of artisans and war heroes still beckons many

Delft is perhaps the prettiest little town in the Netherlands. Its Renaissance and Gothic facades reflect age-old beauty, and a sense of tranquility pervades the air. Indeed, it's easy to understand why Vermeer chose to spend most of his life surrounded by Delft's gentle beauty. Travelers will see how quiet it remains, with flower boxes (and plenty more in the flower market on Hippolytusbuurt) and linden trees bending over its gracious canals.

A good part of Holland's history is preserved in Delft’s tombs. William the Silent, who led the Dutch insurrection against Spanish rule, rests in a magnificent tomb in the Nieuwe Kerk, where every member of the House of Orange-Nassau since King Willem I has also been brought for burial. Delft is also the final resting place of Karl Naudorff, who is suspected of being Louis XVII. And two of Holland's greatest naval figures, admirals Tromp and Heyn, are entombed in the Oude Kerk.

Of course, to many visitors, Delft means just one thing—the distinctive blue-and-white earthenware still produced by the meticulous methods of old. Every piece of true Delftware is hand-painted here by skilled craftspeople.

© 2009, Wiley Publishing, Inc.