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Voykit pocket guide · Netherlands
Aa en Hunze
Go for 1–2 nights only if you have a car or bike: 12 dolmen tombs, heath and Pieterpad stages, no station, buses 1x/hour.
Aa en Hunze is a rural Drenthe municipality of about 25,000 people spread over 35 villages, with Gieten, Annen and Rolde the largest. The west sits on the Hondsrug sand ridge with old brink villages; the east is reclaimed peatland. There is no railway station, so you come by car, bike or bus, and you come for megalithic tombs, cycling and walking rather than for a town.
- Country
- Netherlands
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (wet, short days, many rural businesses closed)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards dominate; some shops and cafés are card-only and a few supermarkets accept debit cards but not all credit cards, so carry both.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- KPN, Vodafone and Odido run the networks; Lebara and Lyca sell cheap prepaid SIMs in supermarkets and at Schiphol.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Police non-urgent 0900-8844
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard continental two-pin; UK and US plugs need adapters.
- Tipping
- Café: Round up.; Restaurant: 5–10% for good service; tell the server the total when paying by card.; Taxi: Round up.; Hotel: Not expected.
- Water
- Tap water is among the best in Europe; restaurants may charge for it, so ask.
- Toilets
- Stations charge about €0.70–1; cafés expect you to buy something; free urinals (and a few public toilets) in city centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €2.50–4 |
| Pancake or lunch plate | €8–15 |
| Beer: café / supermarket | €3–5 / €1–2 |
| Bus single ride | €2–4 |
| Bike hire, one day | €10–15 |
| Museum or dolmen visitor centre entry | €5–15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GRQ · Groningen Airport Eelde
- Closest airfield; about 20–30 min by car to Eelde, then onward to the villages — check the route and schedule.
- AMS · Amsterdam Schiphol
- About 1 h 45 min by car; or train to Assen or Groningen then bus — check onward times and connections.
Typical fares
- Bus Gieten → Assen
- about €4–6, about 30 min (check)
- Bus Groningen → Annen (route 5)
- about €5–7, about 40 min (check)
- Taxi Gieten → Assen
- about €30–40 (check)
Get around
A car is the fastest way around; a bike is better for short hops and every village is signposted for cyclists. Buses 5, 21, 24, 28, 59 and 110 serve the villages, mostly 1x/hour; the Qliner 300/305 stops only at the Gieten junction bus station. The nearest railway stations are Assen and Veendam.
See and do
Known for
- Dolmen (hunebedden) megalithic tombs
- Hondsrug heath and forest
- Brink villages such as Anloo, Rolde and Gieten
- Pieterpad long-distance walking route
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Assen | Car via the N33, about 20 min; or bus 21/24/110 to Assen station | About 30–50 min |
| Westerbork | Car via the N33 and local roads, about 35 min | About 45 min |
| Groningen | Car via the N34 to the city edge, about 15 min from the municipality boundary — check the time from your village; Qliner 300/305 from the Gieten junction | About 30–45 min |
| Emmen | Car via the N34, about 30 min; bus 21 or 59 | About 45–70 min |
| Drenthse Veenkoloniën | Car via the N33/N34 or local roads | About 30–45 min |
Sleep
- Gieten
- Largest village and the N33/N34 bus hub; best base without a car.
- Rolde and Anloo
- Brink villages with the tourist information point and church; quiet, car useful.
- Gasselte and Schoonloo
- Holiday-park and bungalow country; good for families with a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallohah-loh |
| Thank you | Dank je weldahnk yuh vel |
| Do you speak English? | Spreekt u Engels?spraykt oo eng-els |
| How much is it? | Hoeveel kost het?hoo-vale kost het |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan ik met de kaart betalen?kan ik met duh kaart buh-tah-len |
| Where is the toilet? | Waar is het toilet?vaar is het twah-let |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; three cheek kisses among friends; avoid: Hugging new acquaintances
- Directness: Say what you mean; expect honest, blunt answers; avoid: Taking bluntness as rudeness
- Punctuality: Be on time; diaries plan weeks ahead; avoid: Dropping in unannounced
- Money: Split bills; pay your share; avoid: Showing off wealth
- Homes: Bring flowers or a small gift; congratulate everyone at a birthday; avoid: Expecting dinner if invited for coffee
Scams and watch-outs
- Buses run about once an hour and stop early in the evening: check the last departure before you go out.
- Rural cycle paths are unlit; bring lights and a lock.
- Some hotels and restaurants in the villages have closed or changed hands: confirm before booking.
- No railway station in the municipality: plan the Assen or Veendam connection.
Very low crime; the real risks are rural roads, unlit cycle paths after dark and long gaps between buses. In an emergency call 112.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Aa en Hunze yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Dolmen (hunebedden) megalithic tombs
- Hondsrug heath and forest
- Brink villages such as Anloo, Rolde and Gieten
- Pieterpad long-distance walking route
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Aa en Hunze municipality: www.aaenhunze.nl/
- Visit Drenthe: www.visitdrenthe.com/
- Wikivoyage: Aa en Hunze, revision 4509620 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4509620
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Aa en Hunze
Naar dit adres, alstublieft
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies here; most are in The Hague, with consulates in Amsterdam and Groningen. Check your own country's list.
Rural area: carry a little cash, as some village cafés and campsites are card-only or cash-only at random.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/aa-en-hunze). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.