Enschede - Explore the innovative, green city

Enschede is the place for technology, innovation and creativity. In every domain you can imagine. It is home to 50-60 new start-ups every year. For example, the companies Thuisbezorgd and Booking.com once began here as start-ups. Of course, this wouldn’t have been possible without Wi-fi, which is quite the coincidence since this wireless network was devised by an alumnus of the University of Twente in Enschede. The city is bursting with creative incubators and ideas, culminating in the annual GOGBOT Festival, where music, art, media and technology come together.

Enschede is home to a special sort of people, called the Tukkers. 'Act normal, that’s already crazy enough' is the philosophy here. But even more famous in Twente is the so-called concept of 'Noaberschap'. Noabers (aka: neighbours) are there for each other, that's just the way it is. This sounds like something to be rather proud of but the Tukker is rather modest by nature. They see noaberschap, being there for each other, as a normal part of everyday life. So modest are they here that they do not even boast about their beautiful city of Enschede. Their praise more or less extends to: 'Enschede is quite a pleasant city, you know.' This could be one of the reasons why Enschede is still a fairly undiscovered city in the Netherlands.

Enschede is widely admired for the way old industrial factory buildings have been transformed. Coberco's old milk hall is the perfect example. It has been converted into a trendy spot that preserves the old character of the building and is currently home to the unstaffed hotel Urban Hotel Moloko, Café Coberco and a large supermarket that sells all kinds of specialities from local and regional producers under the 'Ons Noaberschap' label. And don’t forget the Museumfabriek. This museum tells you all about how nature, culture, science and technology affect each other. And how fitting that this museum is located in the Rozendaal family's former textile factory?

The Roombeek district, just north of Enschede's city centre, is a contemporary neighbourhood that offers a bit of everything: living, working, shopping and culture in an inspiring environment. With its many cultural institutions, Roombeek is a cultural hotspot within Enschede, but it’s also a green one; three interconnected parks run through the neighbourhood like a lovely green oasis.

Roombeek is known for its high-quality architecture and beautiful public spaces. It is characterised by a bold mix of traditional and modern. Follow the Roombeek Walking Route and admire the extraordinary houses and buildings, or do the guided walk to discover even more of Roombeek's stories. If you add a visit to Roombeek Culture Park to your walk, you will find several cultural institutions close together: the Museumfabriek, Rijksmuseum Twenthe, and Tetem. Tetem is one of the few places in the Netherlands where digital culture plays a leading role in its programming. This special combination of art, culture and architecture makes a visit to Roombeek a unique experience.