Whether you have been living in Enschede for a long time or you just arrived, there's always something new to see in the area. You won't find the Alps, but there are a lot of sights which can cheer you up, especially when you're here alone. And they are right next to you, in the vicinity of Enschede.
Let's start with the one closest to the campus, the Windmill from Lonneker. It's a stone flour mill, built by the family Blijdenstein in 1851. The last time I visited the mill they were selling homemade flour. It is the place in Twente to have a picture made to send home!
Next is something more frivolous: an amusement park, Hellendoorn. Not far from Almelo, the park offers you a day of adventure, just a few kilometers away from Enschede. Whether you drive down the Sungai Kalimantan, the longest Dutch wildwater course or you turn upside down in the Tornado, you're sure to have fun. Opening times are from 10 am to 5 pm; if you go after 3 pm you'll pay 7 Euro less for the ticket. Note that the park is closed from Sept 9 to Oct 10 as well as April 8 - 25. If you go to Hellendoorn on your birthday, show your ID and you'll enter for free.
If you enjoy beautiful gardens and biking, visiting the gardens of Kasteel Twickel is the best thing to do on a sunny day. Bike towards Delden; once you arrive, you'll find yourself far away from the 21st century. Though the 600 year old castle is rarely accessible to the public, its expansive gardens are worth a visit. Directly next to the castle is a beautiful French garden with an orangerie; some orange trees are as old as 300 years. The gardens are open to the public on weekdays and close at 3:30 pm. In the vicinity of the castle are two functional mills: a watermill called De Noordmolen, open on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month and De Houtzaagmolen, open on Wednesday and Saturday from 1:30 to 4 pm.
For those of you who love motor sports, how about driving on the course on which Alain Prost became carting world champion 25 years ago? Go to Oldenzaal and look for Oldenzaal Kart racing in Het Hulsbeek. There you drive real carts in an open air course; don't worry, they have rainsuits. For the youngest drivers there are for two persons or children's carts. The course is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 1 to 5 pm.
Have you seen a pair of klompen yet? Well, if you're interested in the history of these wooden shoes and how they are made, go to Goor and visit the Klompenmuseum. It will show you what clogs meant to the Dutch. Did you know that every region has its characteristic model of the shoe? Learn this and more!.The museum is open from April 1st to October 1st, Monday through Saturday from 2 to 5 pm.
The open air museum Los Hoes in Ootmarsum ushers you back to the time of lords and peasants, presenting the history of peasant life dating to the 13th century in the 15 authentic buildings. The museum is open everyday (except in January) from 10 am to 5 pm.
See? There are a lot of great things to do in Twente. By the way, did you know that September 14 & 15 almost all Dutch museums can be visited for free? For more information, visit: http://www.openmonumentendag.nl
