Water recreation

Because Nijmegen lies on the bank of the river Waal, you will find wonderful sandy beaches here, where you can enjoy a great view of the city and its surroundings with your feet in the cool water. The Nijmegen region is characterised by the many rivers that wind through the picturesque, luminous landscape.


MEANDERING RIVERS
Rivers are a key feature in the beautiful scenery of the Nijmegen region, and they have left their defining mark on the landscape.

  • Linge - The Netherlands’ longest river
  • Meuse - The most southern of the major rivers
  • Waal - 120,000 vessels travel up and down this river each year, making it the busiest in the Netherlands

Recreational opportunities on the Linge

The Linge is the longest river in the Netherlands and, according to some people, also the prettiest. Its fans also say that the meandering Linge has something special to offer all year round: cloaked in ethereal wisps of mist in the autumn and winter, displaying an abundance of colourful flowers on its banks in the spring, and bringing so many people joy in the summer. The Linge is an unbeatable backdrop for cycling, walking, canoeing and stand-up paddling. How could you resist its charms?

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Linge, Betuwe, Kano

Veur-Lent Island

The River Waal makes Nijmegen unique, but it also had a tendency to flood in the past causing upheaval in the city! The ‘Nijmegen Embraces the Waal’ flood risk management programme has put an end to that. One aim of the project, which has drawn engineers to the city from all over the world, was to create a new island. In conjunction with the new channel called the Spiegelwaal (‘Mirror Waal’) running parallel to the river, the island now forms a unique park in the middle of the river where water, nature, recreation and urban activities go hand in hand.

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Waal, Nijmegen, Spiegelwaal