This is a nice little shop with some really nice Delft ware at reasonable prices. Located on the…read moreplaza just next to the huge church. We found many authentic Delft pieces unlike so many places that try to sell you the knockoffs. The staff seemed very friendly as well.

De Blauwe Tulp, or The Blue Tulip, Delftware workshop and store next to the Nieuwe Kerk, was the…read morehighlight of my visit to Delft. Delft artists, inspired by Chinese porcelain brought in by trade ships, first made Delftware in the early 1600s, and this shop is part of Delft's artistic legacy. In the Netherlands, you will see lots of cheap, factory-made, not even 'made in Netherlands' fakes, but this place is the real thing. You can watch artists handpaint white ceramics with black cobalt oxide that turns blue in a super-hot kiln. An original piece is marked with a handpainted blue tulip in between the letters SR, the date, and the painter's initials. Yes, the pieces are a little pricey, but there were once over 30 potteries in Delft, and now there are only a few left, and The Blue Tulip is one of the only ones with entirely handmade ceramics. I visited on a miserable, cold, rainy winter day, and the people here were friendly, and the floor tiles were heated!

I visited the Delft factory in February this year, on a field visit to the Netherlands and Belgium…read more The visit to Delft was great fun and the factory itself is so much smaller than you'd imagine - it's literally the size of an average shop. That includes the first floor, which is where the pottery is made in several large kilns, and upstairs where the painters take up half, and the shop is located in the front half. Downstairs, as you enter you're face to face with several large kilns and lots of white pieces of pottery, before they've been painted in that well-known blue and white. We were given a talk about the process - apparently the clay originally comes from parts of the UK, and Germany. The blue colouring is made by ionising black paint, which they're hand-painted in. Upstairs, we saw three or four painters at work. Their skills are remarkable. Each piece of legitimate Delft pottery is hand-painted, and it was very interesting to watch them working. Surprisingly, original genuine Delft pieces are not expensive at the factory shop. They're more expensive in the shops in the Dutch cities, I expect. The factory is situated in a quiet residential street, in front of which is a canal.

I visited this factory with friends this year and found it fascinating. They have been making…read morepottery here since time immemorial!!! The painters were just amazing sometimes painting from a picture that someone has sent in as a commission. I will put some pictures on of our visit. There is a guide who is very knowledgeable and you get taken through the whole process from clay to finished product and they also had the makers marks there to help you check the genuine product from the fake, as there are two factory's both claiming to be the 'real' thing!!! The building is very small and not very wheelchair friendly but then what do you expect from such an old place!

We stopped in Dordrecht, the oldest city in the Netherlands, on a cold and overcast day in…read moreDecember. Unfortunately, it was a Monday, and many of the shops and ateliers were closed. Our guide, Kristina, took us past the old city center, the harbors and past the Grote Kerk. We ended at Hallo Dordrecht, which was one of the few shops open, and it had a nice variety of souvenirs, crafts, gifts and (thankfully) free restrooms. The staff was friendly and helpful.

Known for the iconic blue & white floral dishware, Royal Delft has been making high-quality items…read moreof all kinds since 1653. This is the only surviving factory left out of 32! We stopped here as part of a bus tour from Amsterdam. We were rushed through the factory tour, which was interesting, and we were shown briefly how this earthenware is made and the different methods used to decorate it. Delft uses cobalt oxide which, when painted or transferred on, is a dark gray / black color, but when it is baked in the kiln, that's when it turns blue! We were able go through the comprehensive yet not exhausting museum portion of the factory on our own, and it was interesting to see the range and variety of Royal Delft creations. Royal Delft has survived for over 400 years because of their ability to adapt to current trends. The shop is huge and pricey. However, if this is your jam, by all means, have at it. (Going into Delft offers some slightly better deals on Royal Delft & other Delft brands.) Overall, this is a good experience if you are in the area, but for me, it wouldn't necessarily have been something I'd have gone out of my way to see if it wasn't a part of this tour "deal." Tickets are 17.50 Euros. There is a cute cafe called Brasserie 1653 on site and a lovely garden as well. If you are staying in the Delft area, the museum offers different activities such as painting your own figurine which you may find worthwhile. Peace.

Nice factory tour available however, with time limited, just recommend a browse/trip into their…read moregift shop. You will be blue ceramic tile amazed.

So surprised to see a Victoria's Secret in the Rotterdam Centraal Train Station. Nice selection of…read moreperfumes available.

A pleasant shop for the tourists. Tracie bought tea towels…read more(she loves tea towels). I used the very clean toilette. The store has some interesting and expensive (up to €7500) Delft pottery.

Our of the stores we visited in Delft, this was my favorite. They had the best selection of Delft…read morekitchen products as well as other fun gifts. They even had baby onesies with the Delft designs on them. This store has both hand painted items and more mass produced ones. Some of the other stores mostly have hand painted items that are very expensive. I bought a Christmas ornament and magnet here, and it was a great deal. I didn't want to spend $60 on a hand painted Christmas ornament but $12.95 was my jam. The workers were quite nice and wrapped my items up carefully so they would break on the plane. They also offer gift wrapping, and we bought several pieces for Christmas gifts for family. I highly recommend this shop for buying gifts and souvineers in Delft.