Tilburg, Netherlands

What a sweet little place! We arrived by train and immediately Sam commented on the changes to the train station and the area around the station!  This stop was for a walk down memory lane for Sam as he lived there for 18 months in 2008/9. Tilburg now has a population of 217000 but when Sam lived there the population was less than half the population!  One of Sam’s other favourite things to do was to go watch the Tilburg Trappers, the local team in the Dutch hockey league! Tilburg also often hosts many festivals throughout the year!  

The Nedtrain facility is now “Loc Hall”, the new public library and innovation centre. They kept the roundhouse which is now a restaurant & brewpub. Sam said the train station has been renovated and looks very different.  

We walked around central Tilburg which has changed a lot in the last 10 years! We did see Hudson Bay new to the area, and there are many more fast food joints in the area like Burger King as well!  I noticed that among the usual sea of bikes there were Uber Eats, which also used bikes as a method of delivery!  

We enjoyed some beverages and a snack at one of the patios Sam frequented!  We visited the Italian restaurant he loved, the greek restaurant which they frequented. 

I love the outdoor patio space with the awnings, heaters and blankets to keep warm! Outdoor patios are year-round and offer a really intimate experience for the patrons.  One thing to remember though is that smoking is permitted on these patios, and the seating is quite close together.  

Schrobbeler is a Dutch liquor and is sold in the USA under the name Jans. It was created in a home in 1973 in Tilburg.  It is sold in stone bottles!! Sam loves it and of course, we brought some home. You can read more about Schrobbeler here.

If you are looking for some small-town cheer and a great festival check Tilburg out on your next jaunt through the Netherlands!