Visit Assen
Welcome to the heart of the northern woods. You are in Assen, a city that feels like a calm park. Massive oak trees line the roads and old brick mansions stand tall behind green hedges. This place is famous for speed because of the giant race track nearby. Every year the world comes here to watch motorbikes roar around the curves. It is a city that knows how to handle a crowd but loves its peace. Park your car and walk to the **Drents Museum**. It sits in an old state building with a very modern wing. You can find ancient bog bodies that look like they are just sleeping. These people lived thousands of years ago in the local peat lands. The museum also has a huge collection of art from the era of the great masters. It is a deep dive into the soul of the north. Grab a coffee at the **Market Square** before you explore the local trails. The city is surrounded by white sand dunes and dark forests. You can find quiet paths that lead to hidden lakes and old farms. It is the perfect base for exploring the wilder side of the province. The roads here are wide and lead you straight into the thick of nature.Top sights to visit
The best places to visit in Assen
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The Scenic Route
The Heritage Drive
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Best match
Hotel
Historic City Hotel
Design hotel · City Centre · Free bikes
from€195/night
Hotel
Canal View Suites
Boutique suites · Waterfront · Breakfast included
from€245/night
Museum
Museum
National History Museum
Art & culture · City Centre · Guided tours
from€18/person
Spa
Spa
Wellness & Spa Centre
Thermal baths · Art Deco · City centre
from€35/session
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History of Assen
Assen began as a silent sanctuary for **Cistercian monks** in the 13th century. A large **abbey** was built in the middle of a vast forest where the monks lived a quiet life far from the busy world. For hundreds of years the town was little more than a collection of wooden huts around the stone walls of the church. This changed when **King Louis Napoleon** decided to make it a city in 1806 because he fell in love with the deep green woods and the cool air. The city soon became the high seat of power for the whole province of **Drenthe**. Grand mansions with white facades were built along the canals for the wealthy leaders and governors. While the rest of the north was focused on farming Assen became a place of art and high culture. It eventually traded its monk robes for leather jackets when the famous **TT Circuit Assen** was built. This turned the sleepy forest town into a global center for **motor racing** where the roar of engines now echoes through the ancient trees every summer. Today the city feels like a grand park where the history of the abbey is still visible in the stones of the **Drents Museum**. You can walk the same paths the monks took while seeing the luxury of the golden years in the brick architecture. It is a place that has mastered the art of staying calm while hosting the **Dutch TT**. For the road trip traveler it offers a refined stop where the history of the church and the thrill of the track live side by side.Stay in the loop
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