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You cycle past the flamboyant country houses of former textile barons

Cycling holiday Enschede

Name: Happy Cycling Holidays
Address: Hengelosestraat 300a, Enschede, Nederland, 7521 AN
Telephone: +31 (0)53 430 34 35
Location: Happy Cycling Holidays

On this cycling holiday, you'll dive into Twente's textile past. From Enschede, once the world's second largest textile city, you cycle to Gronau, Hengelo and the manufacturers' estates around Oldenzaal. Never has a history lesson been so fascinating, beautiful and relaxing. » read more about Cycling holiday Enschede

Intercity Hotel
Enschede, Gronau, Oldenzaal, Hengelo, Delden, Boekelo
Cycling through Twente's textile past

GPS APP E-bike Dog Zwaarte zwaarte_1

Cycling holiday
Single centre
3 or 5 days
Individual

from 195 p.p.
excl. additional costs

Prices and dates

from 195 p.p.
excl. additional costs

Prices and dates

Textiles in Twente

Over ten years ago, the enormous fireworks explosion occurred in the Roombeek district of Enschede. From the ashes, however, rose a beautiful new neighborhood. This also led to a renewed appreciation of industrial heritage. For Eigen-Wijze Reizen, this was the perfect opportunity to put Enschede on the cycling map. The route to Germany takes you along the impressive textile history of this city, as well as that of Gronau.

Huge Contrasts

The factory owners – known as textile barons – built so-called garden villages for their workers; neighborhoods with abundant green spaces. On the way to Hengelo, you’ll pass through the garden villages of Het Lansink and Pathmos. A third route takes you past the flamboyant country estates of these textile barons, a striking contrast to the former workers’ homes. In short, a fascinating base holiday.

Enschede 700 Years
This year, Enschede celebrates a special anniversary: 700 years of city rights! What began in 1325 has today grown into a vibrant city, where history and modernity go hand in hand.

Roombeek Bale Building

Manor in Hengelo

In Hengelo, too, factory directors had royal residences built for themselves, much like Engelbert Stork. In 1928, he received a thatched-roof mansion with a double garage, a beautiful garden, an inner courtyard, and two terraces on over two thousand square meters of land. Quite a contrast to the workers, who lived in just 32 square meters. If they wanted to move to a bigger house, all their children had to work in the factory. No wonder the workers started to grumble. They would shout, “Hop, hop, hop, hang those rich stinkers. From a rope; first the man, then the woman.

Art of a Textile Director

After textile baron Jan Bernard van Heek passed away in 1929 at the Zonnebeek estate, just outside Enschede, he left behind more than two hundred valuable paintings, including works by 17th- and 18th-century masters. His plan to make these accessible to the public was carried out by his family. The paintings can be viewed at the Rijksmuseum Twenthe, in a building from 1929. Address: Lasondersingel 129-131.

Zonnebeek

Garden Villages for Workers

Gradually, the textile barons became more aware of the workers’ living conditions. They built new residential areas for them, established schools, and created parks. In Hengelo, the Garden Village Het Lansink was developed around 1911. It featured small and larger houses, gazebos, large gardens, public parks, and even a public swimming pool. From that point on, directors, office workers, and laborers lived side by side. An informational sign stands by the pond in the garden village.

When are you going to take this trip?

Cycling holiday Enschede

Prices and dates

Routes

13 May 2000, the fireworks disaster in the Roombeek district! A pitch-black page in Enschede's history. However, this major accident had an additional stroke of luck: a beautiful new neighbourhood rose from the ashes and a revaluation of its industrial heritage took place. A great reason for Eigen-Wijze Reizen to put Enschede on our cycling map.

On the routes, you dive into the textile past of Enschede, which was once the second textile city in the world. They take you further to the German city of Gronau, which underwent a huge facelift due to a major horticultural exhibition, metal and salt town Hengelo and the manufacturer estates around Oldenzaal.

On quiet roads and paths, you cycle through beautiful Roombeek and several garden villages, past classic villas and characteristic factory buildings with a new purpose, and through parks and gardens that Twente's manufacturers had landscapers like Dirk and Pieter Wattez and Leonard Springer create.