Utrecht Castle Route: De Haar, Harmelen and Zuylen

After a cup of coffee at Carlton President Hotel, you cycle through Oud-Zuilen, where you will encounter Slot Zuylen. You will also pass the 600-year-old Haarzuilens Estate, with a beautiful village. And of course Kasteel de Haar, the largest castle in the Netherlands. The castle originally dates from the fourteenth century, the current castle was rebuilt in 1892 in neo-Gothic style. Near Harmelen you cycle through orchards and past the fairytale Vijverbos. Just like Kasteel de Haar, Harmelen Castle also had to be rebuilt, albeit on a slightly more modest scale. The original fortress was built at the end of the thirteenth century. The castle was demolished in 1720, only the cellars remained. The house was rebuilt several times in the twentieth century, most recently in 1949.