What does Delft mean? The history of Delft, from a dug ditch to Delft Blue
Delft is named after a ditch. The full story runs from a 12th-century canal through city rights in 1246, the murder of William of Orange, Vermeer, the 1654 gunpowder explosion and the blue and white pottery the city is famous for.
Why Rotterdam looks nothing like the rest of the Netherlands
Rotterdam lost its old centre in 20 minutes on 14 May 1940 and then decided not to rebuild it. The history behind the skyline, from a dam on the Rotte to Europe's largest port.
Why is The Hague important? A short history of the city that was never a city
The Hague runs the Netherlands and hosts the world's courts, yet it is not the capital and it had no city rights for most of its life. The history behind that, from a count's hunting lodge to the International Criminal Court.
Delft day trip from Amsterdam: trains, tickets and what to see in a day
Direct trains run from Amsterdam Centraal to Delft in about an hour, no reservation needed, and the old town is a ten-minute walk from the station.
Delft in one day: an itinerary for couples and solo travellers
A timed 09:30 to 21:00 plan for Delft: both churches, the Vermeer Centrum, a canal boat, Royal Delft and dinner on the Beestenmarkt, with a three-hour version.
Is the Royal Delft factory tour worth it? Prices, what you see and how to fit it into a Delft day
Royal Delft costs €17.50, takes about 90 minutes and sits a 15 to 20 minute walk from the old town. Here is who should go and who should skip it.
Vermeer's Delft: where to stand today to see the painter's city
Vermeer never left Delft. Here is where he was born, baptised, painted and buried, where to stand for the View of Delft, and where his paintings actually hang.
Where to buy real Delft Blue, and how to tell it from souvenir copies
Real Delft Blue is still hand-painted in Delft, mostly at Royal Delft. Here is where to buy it, what it costs, and how to spot a printed copy.
