A weekend in Eindhoven; A Sustainable City Guide

Not planning or looking at a destination before going away is not something I would normally even consider, yet appearently its becoming a thing. First with Llandudno and then again with my recent trip to Eindhoven.

I went away with Ellie and Lily, two girls I was lucky enough to meet at a travel blogger event two years ago and have stayed friends with ever since. We had discussed going away for some time and when ryanair released their flight sale on January 1st it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Through a flow of whatsapp messaged and my crappy signal our only criteria were for the flights to be cheap, at reasonable times and for them not to be to long. Next thing I know I'd agreed to a trip to Eindhoven and it's safe to say I had not googled the destination apart from to check the weather before we landed at Eindhoven airport.

What I soon came to realise though, was that there was more than meets the eye with this city. Turns out it's moving towards being a leader in sustainability as well. Now what were the chances of that?

So here's my slightly sustainable guide on how to spend a weekend in the city, if you, unlike us, are researching the destination before arriving.

Where to stay?

Due to there being 3 of us, naturally rooms can be a little harder to find but we found a quadruple room at Sandton Eindhoven Centre. The room was a really good size and the beds, super comfy. The only downside was the lack of a full length mirror which is never ideal with 3 girls in a small space but for under £80 for two nights and a mere 5 minute walk over the canal to the main town centre, the location really was perfect.

What to do?

Eindhoven is in a phase of complete regeneration. The town has created a bike highway on every main road in the city, meaning you feel like you're more likely to be hit by a bike than a car. They have also started a major regeneration project, following public consultation and are on a mission to reuse as much of the original Philips warehouses (Philips was started in Eindhoven and the name is EVERYWHERE). This area is called Strijp-S District and is by far the coolest place I have ever visited within a city.

Strijp-S

Strijp-S is unlike anywhere you are likely to have visited before. As you walk out of the city you'll walk past the football stadium, past some beautiful new apartment blocks and then you'll reach what feels like a disused area with cafe's and warehouses. The area however is far from disused, in fact there's more than you can ever imagine going on. Restaurants, skateparks, and incredible re-purposed and vintage furniture shops are located within the district.

Following the paths and street art you'll come to even more gigantic warehouse style buildings. Inside are more independent shops and cafes from bike stores to your fancy clothing. The entire regeneration has considered the environmental impact and thus, reusing as much as possible.

It's an area of open space and creative ideas all coming to life. We even walked past a graphitti class taking place with all generations involved making you feel like you'd just walked into an incredible community.

Street Art

I am a big sucker for street art and so, upon seeing a few cool pieces on instragram we went on a hunt for more. Strijp-S is definitely the heart of most of these pieces. As you walk towards the discrict you'll pass a huge football mural. Further along the road at the start of the flat buildings you'll find a beautiful tropical piece.

Enter into the main warehouse area and the most incredible shop you've ever seen (and where I want to buy all my furniture from when I eventually have a home), and you'll find street art on every outside wall of the skate park.

Back in the centre of the city you can find two incredible murials located up a side street right in between Vue Cinema and Happiness cafe near Sissy Boy. There were so many more that we didn't have time to find which are located on the edge of the city as well. Every single one is unique and beautiful!

Shopping

To not include shopping in this list would seem wrong. Sadly due to the lack of space in my bag I didn't end up purchasing anything but I would highly recommend a wander through Sissy Boy for beautiful homeware. For more sustainable fashion why not have a check out G-Star Raw. Yes, they used to have a uncool rep but did you know they have produced the most sustainable jeans ever!

Eindhoven also has a few other gems such as the reshape store which is a second hand store for the salvation army and second floor, which is also meant to be pretty great for your sustainable fashion needs (vintage galore). Finally, go and visit Gusy Projects, I challenge you not to want to turn the shop into your home. I have never felt more comfortable in a space in my life, shame I don't have an endless budget, shipping container or house to fill with all their beautiful items.

Museums

Eindhoven is most famous for the brand Philips. You soon notice this with the Philips name plastered on lots of buildings. This heritage that the people from the city are so proud of also means you can visit the Philips museum should it tickle your fancy. If not, why not head to the Van Abbemuseum (which was conveniently located right by out hotel).

Where to eat?

La Gitana

We somehow ended up eating at really sustainable restaurants whilst we were away (I blame the city being sustainable in general).

First up was an incredible all you can eat tapas restaurant named La Gitana that I still keep raving about. The food was amazing and really reasonably priced and the sangria was delicious as well. The best part, you have your table until the restaurant closes and you can order 6 dishes at a time every 15 minutes. We racked up 33 dishes between us which is more than I ever thought possible! 

Happiness Cafe

Healthy food, tick. Vegan menu, tick. Super tasty pancakes, tick. Beautiful aesthetic, tick. Yep its the perfect insta spot from beautifully present food, to a pretty interior but the restaurant is more than just pretty.

The food was also fantastic whether you fancy breakfast, brunch or lunch. Think London's farm girl but should I say, better!

Food Market

The food market is located just of the square by the church. Trying to figure out how on earth it works is a little daunting but the mood and drinks options are amazing. You need to arrive early (or late) to get a table and trust me it makes everything easier. Once you've got a table, feel free to download the app and you can order drinks and food from the app which is pretty cool. You can then also wander round the food stalls and some will allow table service. The atmosphere at the market is amazing, and the food looks incredible. We spent our Saturday night drinking wine and soaking in the buzz around us, it was truly fantastic.

Happy Italy

Food that is locally sourced, using  natural ingredients and for really reasonable prices. What more could you want? We ate at this restaurant on our second night in the city. The portions are huge and exceptionally delicious. A quick word of warning, they only take card which was a little shock to us.

So there's my whistle stop tour of things all Eindhoven. I have definitely added the destination as a place I would love to revisit, it really is a gem!

Have you ever been to Eindhoven? Would you like to visit? Where are your sustainable destinations?

Love
Erin