This year marks the 71st edition of Gouda by Candlelight. It’s a day filled with music, theater, culture, and entertainment. From early afternoon until late into the evening, thousands of people enjoy themselves in the historic city center. Music fills the air, and there’s street theater and dancing everywhere. Free concerts are held at various times in Gouda’s beautiful churches.
When darkness falls, the old town is lit up by candlelight alone. The highlight takes place between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. The mayor reads the Christmas story, the lights on the enormous Christmas tree in front of City Hall are lit, and thousands of people sing along to the Christmas carols.
A guide from the Gouda Guides Guild will take you on a tour of Gouda’s highlights. You’ll see famous landmarks such as City Hall, the Cheese Weigh House, and St. John’s Church, as well as some of the beautiful “hidden” spots in the historic city center.
This is a wonderful opportunity to visit Gouda and discover the city’s beauty on this “Gouda by Candlelight” walking tour.
Practical Information
This introductory walking tour is offered exclusively in Dutch.
Participants:
Maximum of 20 people per guide. If there are more people, we’ll assign an additional guide.
Booking:
You can book through our websiteuntil the start of the walk. You’ll be able to see automatically whether and how many spots are still available.
On the day of the tour, you can also book and pay at the VVV only if online booking and payment aren’t possible. This applies, for example, to international participants.
Payment:
The rate in 2026 (unless otherwise stated) is €5 per person. Children 12 and under are free. You must pay immediately via iDeal when booking.
Start: 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the Waag on the Markt.
Duration:
The walk takes about 1.5 hours.
After clicking “Book a walk,” you can choose your preferred start time: 3:00 p.m. or 4:00 p.m.
Information
End: 17:00p.m.
