2 Best Sights in Veere, Netherlands

Dating to the 15th century, this massive church—its size reflecting the town's former importance—has had a turbulent history. In 1686 the interior was destroyed by fire, and in the 19th century Napoléon requisitioned it as a barracks and hospital, which didn't help the general state of repair. The lofty tower looks strangely incomplete, and indeed it is, as it was meant to be higher. Nevertheless, a climb to the top is rewarded with some great views.

Museum Veere comprises two separate historic sites located about 100 yards apart. Start your visit at Kaai 25, where you'll find De Schotse Huizen (The Scottish Houses). These are two enchanting little 16th-century buildings, facing the town's small inner harbor, that were once the offices and warehouses of Scottish wool merchants. Highly ornate, the buildings are named Het Lammetje (The Little Lamb) and De Struys (The Ostrich); you'll know which is which by studying the facade stones. Inside is a collection of local costumes, porcelain, furniture (don't miss the Zeeland "star cabinet" inlaid with star shapes in ivory and wood), household items, and paintings. It's all delightfully old-world Dutch: the blue-and-white tiled fireplace, high ceilings, and exposed brickwork may make you feel like you've stepped into a Vermeer painting.

Once you're done here, head south and around the corner to Markt 5, to marvel at Veere's Gothic Stadhuis (Town Hall). Built of sandstone and begun in 1474, it has a fairy-tale facade that harks back to the town's glory days. It is decorated with statues commemorating Veere's former lords and ladies, notably members of the Van Borselen family. The extraordinary building—among the Netherlands' most impressive—also has a minaret-style Renaissance tower, added in 1599, that contains a 48-bell carillon. The whole thing seems unexpectedly grand for the sleepy village of today. Inside is one of the country's oldest formal audience chambers, resplendent with portraits and Gobelin tapestries and displaying a silver goblet given to Count Maximilian of Burgundy in 1546 by Emperor Charles V, who left it as a gift when he came to inspect the town cistern.