Diever and the surrounding area

The village of Diever:

Diever, located at the south-westerly tip of the province of Drenthe (approximately 2 hours east of Amsterdam), is renowned for the open-air productions of Shakespeare which have been re-enacted in its forest amphitheatre every summer since 1946. The village is at the center of an abundance of historical sites and attractions for adults and children of all ages. There is a grocery store, an award-winning bakery, a good variety of shops, cafés, bars, restaurants and a bank.

- OER Museum

The OER Museum (formerly the West Drenthe Archaeological Museum) is situated in the ‘Schultehuis’ in Diever. See artefacts recovered from the area in and around Diever. The first settlers in Drenthe were reindeer hunters who came here in 13,000 B.C. The first farmers settled in Drenthe in around 3,400 B.C.

On the 1st floor, there is a mammoth exhibition, with audiovisual presentation

- Commonwealth war graves

On 22 November 1943, a Halifax bomber (one of 776 aircraft en route to Berlin & Leverkusen in Germany) was shot down and crashed just north of Diever, at Oude Willem. The seven Canadian crew members are buried in military graves just on the left, as you enter through the main gates

- Hiding Place (‘Onderduikershol’)

This hiding place was constructed in World War II by the Dutch resistance.
It was found by the Germans and its inhabitants were all captured.
Eight of them were shot or died later in concentration camps. It is situated on the ‘Wouwenaarweg’ just outside Diever (going in the direction of Wapse) and can be found in the woods on the right hand side (signposted)

- Megalithic Burial Mound (‘Hunebed’)

The burial mound (dating from 3,500 B.C.) can be found by walking along the dirt track to the right of the cemetery
The stones are located across the first road junction and will take you approximately 10 minutes to walk there

- Shakespeare Open-Air Theater

Since 1946, performances of Shakespeare’s tragedies and comedies have been re-enacted here in Diever by the local dramatic society

- Summer Market

Held in Diever on seven consecutive Mondays from the beginning of July until the middle of August, the summer market takes place along the Hoofdstraat and Peperstraat in the center of the village, encircling the village's 145th century church. Fruit, cheese, sausage, freshly-baked biscuits, clothes, leather ware, local products, toys, electronic accessories, jewellery, burger & drink stalls, to name just a few of the many stalls available

- Tourist Information Office

There is a tourist information office located just as you enter the ‘Bosweg’, on the right-hand side (glass building)

- Windmill

If you follow the bicycle path (on the right of the farmhouse) to the end, cross the road, take the first left and at the end of the residential street in front of you, you will see on the right the ‘De Vlijt’ smock mill built in 1882. The flour is used by the award-winning bakery in Diever and you can buy a bag to take home with you.

Nearby attractions:

Our National Parks -

- It is just a 10-minute walk to reach the forests of the Drents-Friese Wold (6,100 hectares / 15,070 acres), one of the largest National parks of the Netherlands, with its 32 marked walks & numerous cycle paths

- The farmhouse is situated close by to National Park Dwingelderveld (3,692 hectares / 9,120 acres) - the largest moorland on the European Continent - with its 60 km (37 miles) of walking trails & 40 kms (25 miles) of bicycle paths

Museums, fun parks, zoos -

- Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork, Oosthalen 8, 9414 TG Hooghalen
Kamp Westerbork is famous as being the transit point to the concentration camps from where 107,000 Dutch Jews, 245 Sinti & Roma as well as resistance fighters were deported. It was here from where Anne Frank made her final journey to Auschwitz  

- Hunebedcentrum, Bronnegerstraat 12, 9531 TG Borger
More than 5,000 years ago, a peasant tribe erected impressive tombs, which for thousands of years have remained untouched from the ravages of time. These tombs have been preserved at a museum in the village of Borger

- Museums Vledder, Brink 1, 8381 BE Vledder
Museums Vledder. Three museums under one roof! Here you will see contemporary graphic art and glass work, 'false art', pottery and a typical Drenthe art room.

- Museum de Koloniehof, Koningin Wilhelminalaan 87, 8382 GC Frederiksoord
Museum de Koloniehof, situated in Frederiksoord, tells the story of the beginning of welfare in the Netherlands, which was begun to take on the terrible poverty in the 19th century.

- Museumdorp Orvelte, Dorpstraat 1A, 9441 PD Orvelte
Get a glimpse of life in the Netherlands during the 18th century at the ‘working‘ museum village of Orvelte. Go back in history to a village as it was hundreds of years ago. See among others, a working saw mill, a blacksmith, a glassmith and a wooden shoe maker.

- Nationaal Gevangenismuseum, Oude Gracht 1, 9341 AA Veenhuizen
In this modern and interactive museum, you will find out how the Netherlands dealt with crime and punishment from the 17th century until the present day. You will experience the unique history of Veenhuizen.

- Openluchtmuseum Ellert en Brammert, Tramstraat 73, 7848 BJ Schoonoord
The museum gives an insight into the way of life as it was in the past in South-west Drenthe. See how people lived by visiting their mud dwellings and farmhouses.

- Kabouterland ('Gnomeland'), Zuiderhoofdstraat 11 7875 BW Exloo
Situated in the centre of the village of Exloo, you will find Kabouterland ('Gnomeland'). A nice day out filled with gnomes, trolls and a wide choice of play areas inside as well as outside. There is also a small zoo.

- Sprookjeshof, Groningerstraat 10, 9471 AR Zuidlaren
Fairy Tales come to life in 'Sprookjeshof' (Fairy Tale Wood)! At the push of a button, twenty-five of every child's favourite fairy tale characters come to life, including Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Hansel & Gretel! But not forgetting other well-known children's characters, such as The Smurfs and Mify are here for all the family to enjoy! Experience local fairy tales such as 'The Forest King', 'The Gnome Music School' and 'The Story of the Golden Apple'! Take a canal cruise over the Zuidlaardermeer as well.

- Speel en IJsboerderij De Drentse Koe, Wolddijk 23, 7961 NA Ruinerwold
A day on the farm for all the family. Pat the animals and let the children enjoy the large play area.

- Taman Indonesia, Kallenkote 53, 8345 HE Kallenkote
Taman Indonesia is a small Indonesian zoo, where mostly exotic animals can be seen. In this zoo, visitors are able to meet rare Bali starlings, civets and small mammals, such as the binturong. Experience these animals in their own surroundings! After visiting the zoo, take a seat on the terrace with real bamboo furniture, or dine in the Indonesian restaurant where authentic Indonesian snacks and lunches are available.

- Vlinderparadijs ('Butterfly Paradise') Papiliorama, Van Helomaweg 14, 7971 PX Havelte
Enjoy these exotic and colourful flying jewels of nature in a specially created piece of tropical jungle. That is 'Butterfly Paradise Papiliorama'.

- Wildlands Emmen, Raadhuisplein 99, 7811 AP Emmen
World-famous Emmen zoo, which was considered to be one of the finest zoos in Europe, has now been reborn as zoo/attraction park 'Wildlands' (situated outside Emmen). Here, animals live in carefully reconstructed natural habitats according to vegetation, climate, and elevation.

Sporting activities -

- For those looking for sporting activities: sailing, boat excursions & fishing can be enjoyed at Giethoorn (the ‘Venice of the North’)

- Also, there is an 18-hole golf course available in Havelte (14 km / 9 miles away)