Vlaardingen

Vlaardingen is a city located on the banks of the Nieuwe Maas (New Meuse), which makes the city a part of the Rotterdam-The Hague Metropolitan Region. The municipality houses some 72,000 citizens. Vlaardingen is dissected by the Vlaardingervaart river. The city is best known as the herring city of the Netherlands. Fishing for herring, anchovies and Atlantic cod however, has long gone. The history as a fisherman's town, however, can still be seen around the Oude Haven and Koningin Wilhelminahaven.

Vlaardingen is first mentioned in the eighth century. Around the year 700, a small church would have been founded by a monk known as Heribald, who donated the church to Saint Willibrord. The city is thought to have obtained its city rights before 1273, as a document from that year allows Vlaardingen rights that seem to be additional rights to pre-existing rights. Herring has been a main focus for Vlaardingen since the eighteenth century. The fishing and trade of herring are what made the city grow.

The opening of the Nieuwe Waterweg in 1872 and a railroad connection in 1881 are of great significance to Vlaardingen, allowing it to develop industry that could benefit from the activity in the harbour. In 1941 Vlaardingen annexed the neighbouring municipality of Vlaardinger-Ambacht, which gave the city space for further expansion projects such as Westwijk and Vlaardingen-Holy.

1 VVV-Agentschap Vlaardingen (Tourist office), Westhavenkade 56, ☏ +31 104 346 666, info@vvv-vlaardingen.nl. 10:00-17:00. (updated Nov 2017)

By car:

Vlaardingen is near the intersection of the A20/E25 highway and the A4 highway. From Rotterdam, follow the A20 heading west, using exit 8 (Vlaardingen-West). From Amsterdam and The Hague, use the A4 heading south, using exit 16 (Vlaardingen-Oost) followed by a turn right towards the Burger King.

By public transit:

Vlaardingen can be best reached by the Rotterdam metro operated by RET. It has three metro stops: 1 Vlaardingen West A B , 2 Vlaardingen Centrum A B and 3 Vlaardingen Oost A B .

From Rotterdam take Line A to Vlaardingen West or line B to Hoek van Holland Strand.

Note that line A only goes to Vlaardingen during peak hours, outside peak hours it terminates at Schiedam Centrum.

These lines also offer a connection from the railway stations of Rotterdam Alexander, Rotterdam Blaak and Schiedam Centrum. Services on line A and B are frequent, with 4 metros per hour between 05:30 and 07:00, and between 19:00 and 00:30, and 6 metros per hour between 07:00 and 19:00 on both lines. There are four trains per hour during the Dutch holidays.

The north of Vlaardingen, which consists of mostly private housing, is accessible via RET tram line 24, which also connects to Schiedam Centrum. The main tram stop is 4 De Loper.

By boat:

Vlaardingen is located along the Vlaardingervaart, which connects directly to the Nieuwe Maas (New Meuse). Here, you will find three marinas:

2 W.S.V. De Kleiput, Hoflaan 20. (updated Nov 2017)

3 Broekpolder, Watersportweg 30-32, ☏ +31 6 130 809 71, retseemnevah@wsvcallenburgh.nl. (updated Nov 2017)

4 De Bommeer, Broekkade 5. (updated Nov 2017)