When you’re staying in a major city it’s always fun to see what’s near you. Where could you go outside your home base for a day trip or even for just a few hours? When we went to Amsterdam we decided to take a trip outside the city to visit a castle, only about 30 minutes away. Muiderslot.

Slot is a Dutch word that can mean castle, which is why it is called Muiderslot; literally Muiden Castle

Located at the mouth of the River Vecht, Muiderslot was originally built to defend this very important waterway. The original keep was constructed around 1285 by Count Floris V.  The Vecht river was the trade route to Utrecht, one of the most important trade towns of that age. It’s a small castle but the grounds are quite lovely.

You can explore the interior of the castle on your own or you can join a guided tour which takes you to some parts that aren’t accessible when you self guide. We only visited the parts that are accessible without a tour and everything was very interesting, with interactive parts as well.

While you are visiting the castle it is definitely worth taking some time to wander and explore the town of Muiden as well.  You will most likely need to wait for the bus, so grab an appelflappen or some gelato and enjoy the lovely little cafes and shops all along the waterfront.

It was fairly easy to get to the castle. There are detailed directions on the website. Pay close attention to the schedule times or you may be waiting around for a bit.