This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Tilburg.
Tilburg, Netherlands, is a city in the south region of the country. It is probably not the first city you think of when planning a trip to Netherlands, and for a reason -- for a small country, the Netherlands has many charming cities with beautiful architecture, and Tilburg is not one of them. However, that does not mean Tilburg is not worth visiting.
Tilburg hosts two annual events that are definitely worth visiting when you are near. The annual Funfair, which lasts for more than a week at the end of July, is the biggest in the Netherlands and annually is visited by more than a million people. The Funfair is spread over the entire city centre. You can not only enjoy the rides, but also performances by famous Dutch artists for free. The so-called "Roze Maandag" (Pink Monday) is the most popular day, with approximately three hundred thousand visitors attending the "gay-friendly" day, which is popular among both LGBTs and heterosexuals. Some of the other days also have their own theme.
Another good time to visit Tilburg is for Carnival, which is celebrated all over the southern part of the Netherlands. During this festival, all offices are closed and shops have limited opening hours; basically everyone goes out to have fun and many beers are being consumed all day long. Tilburg is not as famous for its Carnival celebrations as some other Dutch cities, but definitely a nice place to be for Carnival.
Tilburg is also a good base to visit the Efteling theme park or safari park Beekse Bergen. These attractions are not in the city of Tilburg, but can easily be reached by bus. Efteling is a must for every theme park fanatic; it is a fantasy-themed amusement park and all attractions are based on legends, fairytales, fables, and myths. It was recently the third-most visited amusement park in Europe. Also, the theme park in Sochi, Russia, was inspired by the Efteling.
Tilburg attracts very few (international) tourists and only recently did the first Tilburg, Netherlands hostel open its doors. Your Tilburg, Netherlands hostel will be well located in the city centre and only a minute away from the railway and bus station. This Tilburg, Netherlands hostel is currently your only budget option in Tilburg -- the only other budget alternative would be visiting Tilburg on a day trip and staying in a hostel in another city, like Rotterdam, Utrecht, or even Amsterdam. However, keep in mind that if you visit one of the events mentioned above you may want to stay there till late at night, so in that case you may prefer booking your hostel in Tilburg, Netherlands.
Written by local enthusiast for Tilburg hostels
Martin Straatman