'ad it with Amsterdam? OutUK’s Adrian Gillan reaches Nether-parts other guides
don’t reach in Holland’s Eindhoven.
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Home to Dutch footie kings PSV Eindhoven, the Philips electro-giant and with over 200,000 inhabitants,
including many young design students, Holland’s fifth biggest city punches well above its gay weight!
Eindhoven's cultural jewel is undoubtedly the Guggenheim-esque
Van Abbe Museum.
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This features a world-class permanent exhibition, innovative and often cheeky installations,
amazing architecture and lovely sun-kissed café terrace.
If you’ve time to squeeze in
one more big attraction before hitting the bars, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the
Philips Light Bulb Factory
where you can see a lively
demo of how the first Philips light bulb was manufactured in 1891; plus its adjoining
Centre for Artificial Light in Art, brimming with hot neon and optics.
Hire a bicycle to roam the many bike tracks both in and out of town. Check out the
Van Gogh Visitor Centre in the nearby village of Nuenen, where the Dutch master
lived and worked for two years (1883-1885). See the actual trees, homes and churches
he painted - even where his then-mistress lived!
Absorb the atmosphere and smells at the
Historical Open Air Museum on the outskirts of town, with its Iron Age, Viking and Medieval reconstructions. Saunter
through the lovely Stadswandelpark (City Park) just south of centre, with its many concerts
and year-round festival programmes.
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While you are in Eindhoven don't forget to just look up, and experience some of the most innovative modern architecture
of any city in the world. The Frits Philipslaan Building is a really good example. This incredible apartment
building complex can be found in the centre of the city and features several hundred apartments and its own courtyard garden.
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Windows, Frits Philipslaan, Eindhoven Image from Rawpixel
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GAY EINDHOVEN
Naturally, the Netherlands loves its queers.
COC Eindhoven (Pand54 Gay Café) in the Prins Hendrikstraat is a LGBT centre for all ages with
friendly volunteers and always a fun atmosphere. There's something for everyone in here and Pand54 is
their pleasant meeting café. It's a cozy but also a safe meeting place and their team have an
eye for newcomers and know their way around the COC. They make a special effort with visitors for the first
time and your first drink is always for free.
The COC also hosts Gay Sportclub Kouros Eindhoven, which offers gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals
the opportunity to exercise in a relaxed atmosphere with like-minded people. They started with just volleyball
in 1989 but since the club has grown into an association with four sports branches: fitness training, ballroom
dancing, ladies indoor football and bootcamp. Members are also active in other sports such as squash,
tennis, cycling and swimming.
Though there are no overtly gay-targeting restaurants,
you’ll particularly enjoy the light-and-airy
nunnery-turned-gastro-gem Boon on Willemstraat and the modern, ambient Frits in the famous
Frits Philips Music Centre in central Heuvel Galerie.
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Eindhoven also boasts a friendly, lively and sizable queer scene, mainly clustered
around Stratumsedijk. Netherboyz really love to party all week round; but
Saturday is defo the biggie! Warm up by getting tanked up at down-to-earth pub
Genestho. They offer some good local beers pumped out at great prices.
Bar De Regenboog Eindhoven is a must when you visit the city. It's known as
the coziest cafe in Eindhoven and perhaps in the whole world. It's busy and good fun and the staff are welcoming.
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One of the largest gay saunas in the Benelux Sauna Tibet, is located on the edge of the Genneper Parken nature reserve. It offers
3 saunas, 2 bubble baths, plunge pool and large swimming pool and a large bar with an attractive fireplace. In good weather they open
the roof terrace. You can visit daily from 12:00 to 02:00 and there is plenty of free parking.
GETTING & STAYING THERE
The four-star
Mandarin Park Plaza on Geldropseweg is just around the corner from the
main queer quarter on Stratumsedijk, offering spacious rooms, a section of
restaurants, a pool and Finnish sauna! Our hotel partners
Booking.com also offer a selection
of gay-friendly Eindhoven hotels at low online rates. Ryanair fly direct to
Eindhoven from London Stansted from as little as £40-60 depending on when you travel.
THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK
Bar De Regenboog Eindhoven (Stratumseind 99; Website)
Boon (Willemstraat 61; T: +31 (0)40 237 7393; Website)
COC Eindhoven (Pand54 Gay Café) (Prins Hendrikstraat 54; T: +31 40 245 5700; Website)
Frits (Heuvel Galerie 140; Website)
Frits Philipslaan Building (Frits Philipslaan)
Gay Sportclub Kouros Eindhoven (Prins Hendrikstraat 54; Website)
Genestho (Stratumsedijk 21; T: +31 (0)40 212 2637; facebook)
Mandarin Park Plaza (Geldropseweg 17; T: +31 (0)40 212 5055; Website)
Sauna Tibet (Antoon Coolenlaan 10; T: 040 292 0199; Website)
For general information about Eindhoven and the region check out the following:
thisiseindhoven.com zobrabant.nl
holland.com
Revised April 2022
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