🏛️✨ Delft City Hall (Stadhuis) Summer Visit: A Dutch Renaissance Masterpiece

#summervacay 📍 Why Visit in Summer? Delft’s iconic City Hall (1618-1620) shines in summer with flower-filled Markt Square, fewer crowds than Amsterdam, and golden-hour photo ops. Pair it with Vermeer sights, canals, and hidden courtyards for the perfect day trip! 🗓️ Half-Day Itinerary: History, Art & Cafés Morning: Golden Age Grandeur 9:00 AM – Arrive Early (quietest time) Admire the red-and-white façade with its Hendrick de Keyser design. Snap the statue of Hugo Grotius (father of international law) out front. 10:00 AM – Guided Tour (€6, book ahead) See the wedding chamber (where locals still marry!) and historic courtroom. Midday: Vermeer & Lunch 11:30 AM – Vermeer Centrum (2-min walk) Dive into "Girl with a Pearl Earring" lore (no original art, but great context!). 1:00 PM – Lunch at Stads-Koffyhuis Try Delft blue pottery-shaped pancakes by the canal. Afternoon: Hidden Delights 2:30 PM – Oostpoort Gate (15-min walk) Delft’s last remaining medieval city gate with a fairy-tale tower. 3:30 PM – Royal Delft Factory (or Bierhuis de Klomp for beer tasting). Evening: Sunset & Shopping 6:00 PM – Markt Square Terrace Drinks Sip Jenever (Dutch gin) at ’t Crabbetje. 7:00 PM – Evening Canal Cruise (€14, 45min) 🌷 Summer Highlights: ✅ Thursday Cheese Market (July-Aug): Like Edam, but cozier! ✅ Secret Courtyard: Meisjeshuis (hidden almshouse near Voldersgracht). ✅ Vermeer 2023 Fest: Special exhibits (check dates). 📌 Pro Tips: Train: 1hr from Amsterdam (direct sprinter trains). Parking: Use P+R Delft (free with city center ticket). Must-Buy: Delft blue mini ceramics at De Candelaer. "Delft isn’t just a town—it’s where Vermeer’s light still dances on canals and bricks." Ready to step into a painting? 🎨🚲