Lange Hezelstraat

The Lange Hezelstraat is the best known shopping street in Nijmegen, and it is often described as the oldest in the Netherlands. The claim rests on its age as a street rather than on any particular shop: Nijmegen was a Roman settlement, Noviomagus, and the lines of its oldest routes have been used for trade and travel for nearly two thousand years. The Lange Hezelstraat belongs to the oldest part of the city, near the Grote Markt and the Stevenskerk, and it is one of the few places where the centre still has the scale and the feel of an old town.

Much of Nijmegen was damaged in the Second World War. The city was bombed by mistake by Allied aircraft in February 1944, and fighting during Operation Market Garden in the autumn of the same year did further damage, so large parts of the centre were rebuilt after the war. The Lange Hezelstraat is valued partly because it kept much of its old character and a good number of historic facades, giving visitors a sense of the city before the destruction. The cobbled surface and the narrow width make it a pleasure to walk.

Today it is a lively street of independent shops and cafes. Traditional bakeries and small specialist stores sit next to fashion shops and galleries, and the mix of old and new is part of the appeal. Students from the Radboud University give the area a youthful energy, and there are markets and events in the streets nearby on certain days. It is a good place to look for gifts, to try local pastries and to stop for coffee on a terrace.

The street is close to several of the main sights. The Stevenskerk, the large Gothic church that dominates the old centre, is a short walk away, and Museum Het Valkhof, the city's museum of archaeology and art, stands beside the Valkhof park with views over the Waal river. The Mariënburgkapel, Kronenburgerpark, Cultuurspinnerij De Vasim and the N70 trail are all within reach for those who want to extend the visit.

The Lange Hezelstraat suits shoppers, history lovers and visitors who want a relaxed stroll through the centre of the oldest city in the Netherlands. Allow an hour for the street itself and longer if you combine it with the church and museum. Shops follow standard Dutch hours, and many close on Sundays or open later, so check before you go.