De Vink

De Vink belongs to the old centre of Katwijk, the seaside town on the North Sea coast of South Holland, close to the town's local museum. It is best seen as part of the old centre, and asking in the town is the way to find current details. The surroundings are enough to fill a pleasant half day.

Katwijk grew up as a fishing community at the mouth of the Old Rhine. For centuries, its men fished from open boats that were launched from the beach, as there was no harbour, and the whole village depended on the sea. The older part of the town, close to the beach and the dunes, still has some of the narrow streets and modest houses of that period, and traces of the old way of life are preserved in the museum on the Voorstraat. The area around it is the place to feel the character of the old village, before it became a busy resort.

From the second half of the nineteenth century, the town acquired a new identity as an artists' village. Painters were drawn to the light of the coast, the shifting dunes and the picturesque fisher folk, and Katwijk became a favoured destination for artists from the Netherlands and abroad, particularly from 1873 onward. The tradition is documented in the museum, whose collection includes paintings of local scenes and portraits, and a walk through the old streets lets visitors see the places that artists once chose as their subjects.

The museum itself has displays on the history of fishing, maritime life, traditional costumes and the Vuurbaak, the old beacon, as well as a copy of the Peutinger Map, a medieval copy of a Roman road map that records the Roman presence on this coast. Opening hours are limited, and the museum usually opens on certain days, so check in advance. It is the best starting point to learn about the town's past.

Other things to do in the area include walking in the dunes of the Katwijkse Duinen nature reserve, visiting the lighthouse, strolling along the beach and boulevard and exploring Huis ten Bosch, a historic house in the district. The town suits families, art lovers and anyone who enjoys the sea. Ask at the museum about De Vink and the best way to see the old centre.