24 hours in Breda with BredaPhoto

After the introductory round through the historic centre of Breda, ending at the Grote Markt, it's time for the first hotspot. Next to the stairs of the town hall, there is a small street. This is the way to more information about BredaPhoto and Breda. To be well prepared for this day, a visit to the Explore Breda Store is a must. Here you will find all the information about BredaPhoto and cool merchandise from the event. At the store, you can immediately shop for lovely souvenirs made by local creators.

From the Grote Markt, walk via the Lange Brugstraat to the Tolbrug. On the other side of the bridge, at the Markendaalseweg, you will find Galerie Ecker. In this exhibition space, you can view beautiful black figures from the La Costa region. This is an area where indigenous communities have been striving for self-governance for years. Photographer Claudia Gordillo uniquely captures the life of these communities.

After the journey through Central and South America, it’s time for a good lunch. From Galerie Ecker, you walk along the harbour via Prinsenkade to the north. At the corner by the water, you will find BAAI. Here, you can enjoy a view of the Mark while indulging in a snack and a drink. While the boats sail back and forth, you can delight in various sandwiches, salads, and street food.

From BAAI, you continue along the quay and under the railway towards City Park 't Zoet. Breda was and is the city of sweetness. The well-known Faam and the old sugar factory were located in this gastronomic city. The former site of the sugar factory is used as a park. Here you will find for the first time a BredaPhoto exhibition, featuring a massive silo as the highlight. Inside the silo, you can see works by Joost Rutten, Parisa Azadi, and Omar Victor Diop, among others. On the outside of the silo, you will find the face of BredaPhoto, the exhibition by Mounir Raji with his work ‘Dreamland’.

To reach the next location, you can take the boat from the jetty at Stadspark ‘t Zoet. While crossing the Mark, you can admire the artwork ‘De Veerman’. This artwork is part of the project ‘Liefde voor de Mark’. Once docked, you walk via Pier15 to the bridge to cross the water one more time. The next stop is the Backer + Rueb hall/park. The old machine factory of Breda is the BredaPhoto location for Tina Farifteh and Ioana Cirlig.

After spending a whole afternoon looking at beautiful photos, the stomach starts to grumble. Fortunately, a good place to eat in Breda is never far away! From the Backer + Rueb hall/park, you can easily return to the other side via the footbridge. Once on solid ground, turn left and walk towards STEK, the creative and sustainable part of Breda. On this site, over 30 entrepreneurs dedicate their craftsmanship to a better world. As soon as you enter the site, you immediately smell the location for dinner: the Kolenmeesters! They use the Mibrasa, a charcoal oven, for all their dishes. Take a seat and enjoy the delicious food and the atmosphere.

Once you’ve finished relaxing and walking, it’s time to head to bed. From Pier15, you walk along the Speelhuislaan. During BredaPhoto, you’ll find an exhibition about the development of Breda as a welcoming and diverse city. After the Second World War, many Polish veterans stayed in Breda. Around 1950, a Maluku neighbourhood also emerged. In the 1960s, the business community flourished and Spaniards, Moroccans, Turks, and Italians moved to Breda, among others. Over the years, Breda became increasingly diverse, and we absorbed a bit of all those cultures.

Halfway down the Speelhuislaan stands a townhouse that has been transformed into a B&B called B&B Gallery ’t Speelhuys. Around 1612, Prince Filips Willem, a son of Willem van Oranje, built a hunting lodge named ’t Speelhuys here in the park-like forest with wild animals. Unfortunately, the original Speelhuys has been demolished, but at the B&B, you can still get acquainted with this unique piece of history. By spending a night in the B&B, you are surrounded by the history and culture of Breda.

If you prefer to stay right in the city centre, you can also choose to book a room at Hotel Botanique. This hotel is located in the renovated Chassé Barracks. In the conservatory of Botanique, you feel like you are in a botanical garden with several dining options and the Filmhuis Breda.

After a good night in Breda, it's time for a nice breakfast! You can find this at SipFirst on Sint Janstraat. Here you can enjoy the perfect cup of coffee along with delicious comfort food, such as French toast, croissants or a proper English breakfast.