Me: I’m going to Castle Warmelo in Diepenheim.
Others: Diepen who?
When I think of traveling, I think of going abroad to another country, culture, and language to have the time of my life. It is not necessary to go far away to enjoy and have fun. Sometimes beautiful things are in front of you, but you only have to look. I am sure there are plenty of things to discover in your country too. Therefore, I decided to discover new places I haven’t seen in the Netherlands. This time it is Castle Warmelo in Diepenheim, on the east side of the country.
If you are interested in a nice and quiet trip while in the Netherlands, than a visit to a castle is a great idea. There are many castles all over the country, but Castle Warmelo has something extra to offer.
History
The castle is typically Dutch and it was owned by Prince Bernhard (the grandfather of the current King of the Netherlands). He bought it for his mother, Princess Armgard in 1952. Nowadays it is a private residence, but the gardens are open for the public.
Visiting the castle
My mom and I decide to go to castle Warmelo in the morning so we can avoid the crowd. Not that I am expecting a lot of people because it is a castle and I don’t think many people will go there. But while I’m parking the car, I see a bunch of more cars standing there. We are not the only ones visiting the castle, I guess because there is more to see than only the building itself. That is also why we are visiting this place.
At the entrance (€7.50 p.p.) we received a map of the area because you can only visit the historic gardens and you can see the building from the outside. They made a clear and easy route to walk around because of COVID-19. As we enter the garden, we see a lot of cages with beautiful birds. Some I haven’t seen in my life with a very long tail as if it’s wearing a colorful and long gown.
Sand sculptures
The main attraction is the artfully carved sand sculptures that are spread over a large part of the garden. These are all made by national and international artists and this year’s theme is proverbs and sayings. The artists are from the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Latvia, and the Czech Republic. They built all of these beautiful sculptures in only 10 days. They added a little diluted layer of glue on the top so it won’t get affected by wind or rain.
My mom and I are amazed by the details. The wood in some sculptures look like real wood. The easiest one to guess is “All roads lead to Rome”. This is definitely my favorite. The blending of the different sights of Rome all together on one sculpture is stunning. We are really sad that this is all temporary and it isn’t here to stay.
Like in a movie
The gardens and the fields are restful and it is a good place to clear your mind. As I am standing in the garden at the back of the castle I remember a scene of the movie Pride and Prejudice when Elizabeth visits Darcy’s house. The area looks very similar, but the castle is smaller than Darcy’s house in the movie. I feel like I will see one of them at any moment.
The gardens of Castle Warmelo
Also, while walking around you can enjoy the different gardens, like the pit garden, pinetum, English, and French gardens. The colorful flowers make it even more beautiful. Right next to the castle they have fruit trees of oranges, tangerines, figs, and lemons. Every part of the garden is unlike the other. I can’t imagine Princes Armgard ever being bored and stressed out here. A simple walk through nature makes you relax in an instant.
My mother and I enjoy our cup of coffee and cake in the open air and between the flowers on the terrace in front of the castle. It is also a good place to have your lunch because its restaurant offers different delicious sandwiches.
The castle is organizing this exposition for the 6th time and it is open until 31 October this year. It is a great trip for young and old. Also, they even have a scavenger hunt for kids to have a little adventure of their own.
Do you have a favorite if it comes to a castle? I would love to know which one that is.
2 comments
I love those sand sculptures of proverbs and sayings, what a fun idea!
It is really beautiful and I loved being there!