Netherlands
Arnhem
Arnhem: John Frost Bridge and the Story of 1944
Arnhem is the capital of Gelderland on the Lower Rhine, and its name is tied to the airborne battle of September 1944 for the bridge now named after John Frost. Much of the old center was destroyed in the fighting, so the town you see today is largely rebuilt. In the Netherlands anyone aged 14 or over must be able to show ID, so carry your passport.
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Arriving in Arnhem
River ships call at Arnhem on the Nederrijn, the Lower Rhine, and your ship will tell you where it ties up. The Rijnkade, the riverside quay of the city center, runs between the John Frost Bridge and the Nelson Mandela Bridge.
- Arnhem is the capital of the province of Gelderland.
- The town grew up along the Sint-Jansbeek stream and only came to lie on the Rhine after the river's course changed in 1530.
- Arnhem Centraal, the main station, is next to the city bus station.
- Arnhem is the only city in the Netherlands that runs trolleybuses.
Arnhem on Your Own
A simple plan is the bridge and the riverside first, then the Eusebiuskerk tower, then the Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek if you have time.
- Airborne at the Bridge: This free information center of the Airborne Museum, on the Rijnkade just west of the John Frost Bridge, tells the story of the battle through three men who fought in it: a British lieutenant, a German officer and a Dutch captain.
- The Eusebiuskerk: A glass lift runs up through the church tower past the carillon to a viewpoint 73 meters up, and two glass balconies were added to the tower in 2018. The church was almost destroyed in 1944 and rebuilt after the war.
- The old center: The Sabelspoort is the only surviving part of the city walls, and the Korenmarkt is a small square with sidewalk cafés.
- The Airborne Museum Hartenstein: In Oosterbeek, in the building that served as the British headquarters during the battle, the museum opened daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in 2026, and an adult ticket cost €16, so check before you go.
- Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own.
- Carry ID: In the Netherlands, anyone aged 14 or over must always be able to show identification, so carry your passport.
Tipping in the Netherlands
Dutch law requires service charges to be included in prices, so a tip is not necessary, though it is always appreciated. For small bills, rounding up to the next euro is enough.
- On a restaurant bill, 5 to 10 percent is considered a generous tip.
- The currency is the euro.
A Brief History
Arnhem was a member of the Hanseatic League and a stronghold of the dukes of Guelders, and in the 19th century a genteel resort town nicknamed the Little Hague of the East. Its name became known worldwide through the airborne battle of September 1944.
- 893: The town is first mentioned, as Arneym or Arentheym.
- 1233: Count Otto II of Guelders granted city rights and fortified the town.
- 1443: Arnhem joined the Hanseatic League.
- 1514: Charles of Egmond, duke of Guelders, took the town. He was the main patron of the Eusebiuskerk, where his tomb stands.
- 1585: Dutch and English troops took Arnhem from the Spanish, and it became part of the Dutch Republic.
- 19th century: The old fortifications were cleared, and wealthy planters returning from the Indies settled in the town.
- 1935 and 1940: The first permanent bridge across the Lower Rhine at Arnhem opened in 1935. Dutch engineers blew it up in 1940 to slow the German invasion.
- 17 to 26 September 1944: British and Polish airborne troops landed from 17 September, most of them far from the bridge. About 740 men under Lieutenant Colonel John Frost reached the north end of the bridge and held it for about four days, and the rest of the division was evacuated across the river from Oosterbeek at the end of the battle.
- October 1944 and April 1945: American bombers destroyed the bridge on 7 October, and British troops liberated the city in April 1945.
- 1948 and 1977: A new bridge in the same style opened in 1948, and on 17 December 1977 it was renamed the John Frostbrug.
- To learn more ashore: The Airborne Museum Hartenstein, Utrechtseweg 232 in Oosterbeek, is the museum of the Battle of Arnhem.
Arnhem with Children
Arnhem has two big family attractions, Burgers' Zoo and the Netherlands Open Air Museum. Each covers more than 40 hectares, so pick one for a single port day.
- Younger children: Burgers' Zoo covers 45 hectares, with an indoor rainforest, a desert hall, a mangrove hall and a seawater aquarium, plus outdoor and indoor playgrounds.
- School age: At the Open Air Museum, about 40 old houses, farms and factories from across the Netherlands stand in a 44-hectare park, and vintage trams run on a heritage line 1.75 km long.
- Teenagers: For older children who have studied the war, the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery holds the graves of most of those killed in the September 1944 landings, and many of those killed in later fighting in the area.
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