Drenthe district, Drenthe, Netherlands

Places to visit near Assen

Assen is a town in Drenthe district, Drenthe, Netherlands, home to about 62,237 people. Within 50 km by road there are 44 places to visit — 21 churches, 7 museums, 9 forts & heritage and 2 wildlife, forests & gardens. The must-see places are Doopsgezinde Kerk (Voormalig) (1 km), Hunebed G1 Noordlaren (18 km) and Bartholomeüskerk (19 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Assen on the map

Assen, Drenthe
Assen, Drenthe district, Drenthe, Netherlands. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Assen at a glance

Location
Drenthe district, Drenthe, Netherlands
Population
about 62,237
Coordinates
52.9967° N, 6.5625° E
Places within 50 km
44 (44 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for forts & heritage; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for churches and museums

Top places to visit near Assen

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Assen: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Assen

Things to see near Assen, by type

Churches near Assen

109 churches within 100 km of Assen. The closest is Doopsgezinde Kerk (Voormalig) (1 km). Best time: year-round.

All churches in Drenthe →

Museums near Assen

33 museums within 100 km of Assen. The closest is Iwema Steenhuis (30 km). Best time: year-round.

All museums in Groningen →

Forts & heritage near Assen

29 forts & heritage within 100 km of Assen. The closest is Hunebed G1 Noordlaren (18 km). Best time: october to february.

All forts & heritage in Groningen →

Wildlife, forests & gardens near Assen

27 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Assen. The closest is Appelbergen (21 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

All wildlife, forests & gardens in Groningen →

Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Assen

21 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Assen. The closest is Zuidlaardermeer (21 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Groningen →

Treks near Assen

2 treks within 100 km of Assen. The closest is European Long Distance Path E9 - B-nl (63 km). Best time: october to february.

All treks in Groningen →

A one-day trip from Assen

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 49 km on the road.

  1. Start in Assen
  2. 1 km Doopsgezinde Kerk (Voormalig) · church, Drenthe
  3. 19 km Hunebed G1 Noordlaren · heritage site, Groningen
  4. 1 km Bartholomeüskerk · church, Groningen
  5. 2 km Zuidlaardermeer · lake, Groningen
  6. 5 km Appelbergen · nature spot, Groningen
  7. 21 km Back to Assen

Plan a longer trip from Assen — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Assen

No traveller has reported from around Assen yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Assen

    All places near Assen by distance

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Assen by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Churches21109Doopsgezinde Kerk (Voormalig) (1 km)
    Museums733Iwema Steenhuis (30 km)
    Forts & heritage929Hunebed G1 Noordlaren (18 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens227Appelbergen (21 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs521Zuidlaardermeer (21 km)
    Other attractions04Campener Lighthouse (68 km)
    Treks02European Long Distance Path E9 - B-nl (63 km)
    Beaches & coast02Borkum Großer Leuchtturm (83 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints02Oerd Blinkert (84 km)

    Assen: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Assen?

    Doopsgezinde Kerk (Voormalig) (church, about 1 km), Hunebed G1 Noordlaren (heritage site, about 18 km), Bartholomeüskerk (church, about 19 km), Appelbergen (nature spot, about 21 km), Zuidlaardermeer (lake, about 21 km), Paterswoldsemeer (lake, about 25 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Assen?

    44 places on Spotwander: 21 churches, 7 museums, 9 forts & heritage, 2 wildlife, forests & gardens, 5 lakes, dams & reservoirs.

    Which is the nearest church to Assen?

    Doopsgezinde Kerk (Voormalig), about 1 km by road; Bartholomeüskerk (19 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest museum to Assen?

    Iwema Steenhuis, about 30 km by road; Groninger Museum (30 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest fort to Assen?

    Hunebed G1 Noordlaren, about 18 km by road; Coendersborg (30 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Assen?

    Start in Assen, visit Doopsgezinde Kerk (Voormalig), then Hunebed G1 Noordlaren, then Bartholomeüskerk, then Zuidlaardermeer, then Appelbergen, and drive back — about 49 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Assen?

    October to February for forts & heritage; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for churches and museums.

    Towns near Assen

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Assen’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Assen on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.