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Friesland: undoubtedly the most idiosyncratic province of the Netherlands. And according to many, also the most beautiful. It is obvious that Friesland is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Although it can be quite busy in some places in the summer season, Friesland is generally synonymous with space and tranquility. Nowhere in the Netherlands will you find such a wide variety in landscapes as in Friesland. The impressive tidal area of ​​the Wadden Sea, the Wadden Islands with their endless sandy beaches, the beautiful, still largely undiscovered "terpengebied", the unique scenic landscape of the Northern Frisian Forests, the forests in the southeast of the province and in the breathtaking sloping Gaasterland, the beautiful IJsselmeer coast and of course the famous Frisian Lakes.

The beautiful, varied landscape goes side by side with a rich and varied nature. Four out of a total of twenty National Parks are (partly) in Friesland: Schiermonnikoog, the Lauwersmeer area, the Âlde Feanen and the Drents Friese Wold. And the entire wadden region was even recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site in 2009. In addition to those large areas, Friesland also has numerous small scenic jewels, which are managed by It Fryske Gea or Natuurmonumenten. The rich cultural history is visible and palpable almost everywhere in Friesland: mounds with ancient medieval churches, old dikes, mills, pumping stations, peat excavations, canals, waterways and the renowned Frisian Eleven cities. In addition, Friesland has numerous small-scale and often very charming museums that illuminate the local history in an original way.

But Friesland has more to offer than just past and rich heritage! Museums for contemporary art, galleries, sculpture gardens, etc. Festivals in Friesland? Choose: music, theatre, opera ... Events in Friesland? The Elfstedentocht, the Sneekweek, kûtsjesilen or the PC, the Wimbledon of "kaatsen"... But there are many other events in Friesland, large and small.

Friesland: the most diverse and complete province of the Netherlands. Friesland has something on offer to everyone: young, old, families with children, lovers of tranquility and space, but also those who want a little more action. Friesland is everything: beautiful landscapes, beautiful nature, a rich culture, plenty of activity and a friendly atmosphere. And in Friesland everything is possible: cycling, walking, shopping and good food; boundless sailing, sailing, rollerblading or horse riding; lazing on the beach, kite surfing, yachting and swimming; ice skating, ice sailing, eating ice cream, having a drink on a terrace ...

Welcome to Friesland!

Harlingen is de enige echte zeehavenstad van Friesland. Toen de Zuiderzee  grotendeels afgesloten werd met de afsluitdijk en veranderde in het IJsselmeer hadden de "concurrerende" zeehavensteden zoals Makkum, Workum, Hindeloopen en Stavoren het nakijken. Harlingen heeft zich daarna destemeer ontwikkeld als zeehaven. Het is de vertrekplaats van de boot naar Terschelling en Vlieland. Hierdoor is het sowieso in Harlingen het hele jaar rond druk met vakantiegangers. Veel daarvan zijn op doorreis naar de eilanden maar ze zouden net zo goed iets langer aan de vaste wal in Harlingen kunnen blijven. Wat te denken van de fantastische monumentale binnenstad met historische wandelroutes. De nieuwe en de oude haven. De tientallen historische schepen van de "bruine vloot". De ambachtelijke bedrijven zoals Havenbrouwerij het Brouwdok. De evenementen zoals de Kerstmarkt in de Zoutsloot of de Tallships-Races-Harlingen.

Kortom, plan je een reisje naar Terschelling of Vlieland, blijf dan ook gerust even hangen in Harlingen. Je krijgt er geen spijt van.

Hieronder nog veel meer informatie over Harlingen.

De stad Harlingen heeft groei en bloei aan de zee te danken. Het was aanvankelijk een buurschap van vissers en schippers die bij het kerkdorp Almenum hoorde. In 1234 zou Harlingen stadsprivileges hebben gekregen. Handel op Engeland, Hamburg, Scandinavië en andere Oostzeelanden bracht voorspoed. In 1500 werd een eerste haven gegraven.

In de tweede helft van de 16de eeuw groeide de stad explosief: zij verviervoudigde in oppervlak, er kwam een vesting omheen en werd voorzien van een tweede ruime binnenhaven. De rijkdom drukte de stad uit in fraaie stadspoorten in renaissancestijl en een stadhuis. De poorten zijn in de 19de eeuw gesloopt. Er kwam een reeks eveneens indrukwekkende ijzeren bruggen voor in de plaats. Aan de Voorstraat staat de 16de-eeuwse raadhuistoren die vaak is vernieuwd. Hij draagt de patroonheilige van de stad, Sint-Michaël. De aartsengel staat ook in de voorgevel van het stadhuis aan de Noorderhaven dat in 1730 door stadsbouwmeester Hendrik Norel in barokstijl is verbouwd.

Aan de zuidzijde van de Noorderhaven staat een aantal pakhuizen, zoals het in oorsprong 17de-eeuwse pakhuis Java, met een fraaie tuitgevel uit de 17de eeuw, en een huis met een trapgevel uit 1694. Het pronkje is het pakhuis bij de Roepersteeg met een trapgevel en gevelstenen met Venus, Ceres, Bacchus en Aeolus. Aan het einde van de Noorderhaven ligt de Grote Sluis die oorspronkelijk uit 1524 dateert, maar daarna verschillende malen is vernieuwd. Op de landhoofden vier schildhoudende leeuwen met stadswapen geplaatst. Aan de noordzijde van de Noorderhaven staan veel voorname woonhuizen en indrukwekkende pakhuizen. Een pand heeft een verrassing op het dak, want de dakkapel wordt geflankeerd door Neptunus en Mercurius. Verder staat er een pand met een bekroning met een gevelbreed fronton waarop voorstellingen van handel en scheepvaart.

Ten noorden van de Noorderhaven ligt de kleine Zoutsloot als waterader van de regelmatige stadsuitbreiding uit het einde van de 16de eeuw. De schilderachtige grachtenhuizen uit de 17de en vooral 18de eeuw zijn systematisch gerestaureerd, ook de bescheidener exemplaren. Aan de oostelijke binnenstadsrand ligt de Engelse Tuin, het stadspark dat vanaf 1843 werd aangelegd op de deels afgegraven vestingwallen, want die waren als werkgelegenheidsproject ontmanteld. Het Franekereind bezit op de kaden een keur aan gevarieerde monumentale panden, onder meer het Heerenlogement en het hoekpand aan de William Boothstraat met een 18de-eeuwse ingangspartij, de fraaiste van Harlingen.

De oudste toren van Harlingen, die van de Grote Kerk of de Dom van Almenum dateert al uit het einde van de 12de eeuw. Het is de tufstenen toren van het oude dorp Almenum. De kerk werd in de 18de eeuw op initiatief van het stadsbestuur afgebroken. Er kwam in 1772- "75 een nieuwe kerk achter de toren, een zeer hoge kruiskerk. Het eenvoudige gebouw is gemetseld van gele steentjes, ongetwijfeld uit een Harlinger steenbakkerij. Inwendig is in een groots versieringsschema in Lodewijk XVIstijl de excellente kansel- en orgelpartij van A.A. Hinsch met snijwerk van J.G. Hempel het hoogtepunt.

Voorbij de oude (gedempte) waterlopen Lanen en Schritsen strekt zich de in 1597 gegraven Zuiderhaven uit. Aan de zuidzijde lagen ooit de werven van de Friese admiraliteit. De noordzijde wordt gedomineerd door de Sint-Michaëlskerk, een grote neogotische kruisbasiliek (1881) met een hoge toren die het silhouet van de stad samen met die van de Grote Kerk in sterke mate bepaalt. Aan de Grote Bredeplaats prijkt een van de mooiste pakhuizen: ‘De Blauwe Hand’. Aan de Voorstraat staat een verscheidenheid aan monumentale panden, onder meer dat van museum het Hannemahuis waarin de geschiedenis van de stad wordt gepresenteerd.

Harlingen heeft lang gevangen gezeten binnen de stadsgrachten, maar in de 20ste eeuw zijn er stadsuitbreidingen gekomen. Eerst in het oosten (begin van de eeuw) en noordoosten (vanaf jaren twintig) en later ook in het zuiden (meteen na de oorlog), spoedig gevolgd met uitgestrekte wijken aan de andere zijde van de autoweg N31. Aan de zeezijde kwamen achtereenvolgens Voorhaven, Nieuwe Willemshaven, Visserijhaven en Industriehaven tot stand. Recent kon een tweede, grote industriehaven in de Riedpolder worden gegraven.

Good wine needs no bush. That also applies to Gaasterland, a unique part of the Netherlands. The slightly sloping landscape shows an unprecedented variation: meadows, fields, forest, heathland, reed lands, swamp, water, low-lying diked polders, and high-lying ’gaast’ and cliffs. Centuries ago the area ’between Mar and Klif’ (the Frisian lakes and the cliffs along the IJsselmeer) was in demand as a residential area for the nobility. And when tourism started to rise very slowly in the second half of the nineteenth century, it was not for nothing that Gaasterland was one of the first areas to benefit from it. For very many people, the area name has a magical sound that evokes memories of the holidays they have spent there. The long tourist tradition also means that the area is completely geared to tourism. Nevertheless, Gaasterland has fully retained its authenticity.

Staatsbosbeheer, Natuurmonumenten and It Fryske Gea manage a large number of different areas in Gaasterland that deserve protection because of their natural and / or landscape value: forests, heaths, cliffs, polders and areas outside the dikes. There are too many to list, and naming a few would be detrimental to the other areas. Hence: take a look at the websites of these organizations and discover the wide variety of nature and landscapes. Once you are in the area, we heartily recommend a visit to the "Mar en Klif" regional information center. The center is located in the beautiful green village of Oudemirdum and offers a wealth of information about the nature, history, and culture of Gaasterland.

The area can be discovered in many different ways. By bicycle, on foot, on horseback, by motorcycle or in the car; on "Route Zuidwest Friesland" you can indicate what you want and then choose from routes that meet your wishes. A network of nodes has also been developed especially for cyclists, on the basis of which you can compile your own route.

The picturesque river Luts, the Van Swinderenvaart, the Spokershoekvaart, and the Rijstervaart are suitable for small water sports. Together they form the route of the Elfstedentocht that runs through Gaasterland and connects the Slotermeer and Fluessen. The route leads via a small lake that was created by excavating sand for the construction of the N359. Today it is part of the Wyldemerk nature reserve, which was declared the first dragonfly reserve in the Netherlands in 2007.

The tranquility of today contrasts sharply with the history of the location, which also explains the name (’Wilde Markt’). The story is that here a long time ago a (wild) pagan celebration was held here to say goodbye to the summer. It is certainly that later, until the end of the nineteenth century, it was the location for an annual fair and playground, where it often went wild...

From 1954 to 1969 there was a barracks camp for Islamic Moluccans in the area. The mosque built there was the second in the Netherlands. Southeast of Wyldemerk is a beautiful 9-hole natural golf course. Due to the special attention to nature in both construction and management, the course was the first in Europe to receive a so-called ’Green label’.

Playing farmer’s golf is also an option, for example at De Bûterkamp Ice Farm in Oudemirdum. Excursions are also organized there and, as the name implies, traditional ice cream is made and sold. If you want to know (almost) everything about cows after eating that ice cream, you can visit the "Koeienmuseum" in Nijemirdum. Another museum with a special theme is the "Scheermuseum" in Bakhuizen.

You have a beautiful view over the Gaasterland landscape from the air watchtower that was built in the time of the Cold War west of Oudemirdum, on the highest point of Gaasterland. It is a bit of a climb, but then you also have something! You can of course also simply lie on the beach oin the shores of the IJsselmeer, for example at "De Hege Gerzen".

A description of an area such as Gaasterland is of course never complete; there is just too much to see, do, and experience. There is only one solution for the problem: discover the area yourself! You are more than welcome.

The "separation" (in Frisian "Skieding") is the appropriate name for the road that runs from Surhuisterveen to the south. This road forms the provincial border between the provinces of Groningen and Friesland. The landscape on both sides is the result of peat and heathland reclamation. The dense pattern of small roads, the large number of scattered buildings along those roads and the typical wooded banks and alder lanes give the area a small-scale, private character. The plots are generally elongated; only around the heath villages Boelenslaan and Houtigehage is the allotment more block-shaped.

The villages in the area are relatively young and because of their history as peat excavation villages they often have no clearly visible and recognizable core. Drachten, which has since become the second-largest town in Friesland, did not exist as such until well into the seventeenth century. The impetus for growth was formed by the contract that the so-called "Drachtster Compagnons" signed in 1641 to excavate the bog north and east of the current city center.

The fact that this is a border area is evident from the fact that a large proportion of the inhabitants of the, formally Groninger village of Opende are actually Frisian. In addition to the cultural aspect, both provinces also "merge" in landscape terms. This also applies to the border area south of the A7 highway. There are Frieschepalen and De Wilp, among others, villages whose "outskirts" lie in the neighboring province.

The area around the Skieding offers a friendly, characteristic and varied landscape. It is perfect for exploring by bike or on foot. In good weather, Strandheem is a wonderful destination: a recreational lake where you can swim, surf and lie on the beach. And if shopping or attending theatre or concerts is more of your "cup of tea"? Drachten is just next door!

The area south of Dokkum is known as the Dokkumer Wâlden (Woodlands). Here is a sandy ridge on which a unique landscape has developed over the centuries. Characteristic are the alder-lanes that form the separation between the plots. The wide-open landscape of the sea clay area north of Dokkum makes way for a semi-closed, so-called coulisses-landscape.

The alternation between open areas, alder-lanes and small pieces of woodlands provides the area with its unique own charm. It is obvious that it is designated as part of the Dutch National Landscape "De Noordelijke Friese Wouden"

The area was inhabited on the higher sand ridge as early as 4000 BC. However, due to rising sea levels, the area changed over the centuries into an inaccessible bog area. From around the year 1100 the area was developed from the northern sea clay area. Across the north-south oriented subdivision, a series of villages emerged on the original sand ridge: Driesum, Wouterswoude, Dantumawoude, Murmerwoude, Akkerwoude, and Rinsumageest. The last three were merged in 1971 into the village of Damwoude. ’Dam’ is constructed of the three initial letters of the original villages.

The Dokkumer Wâlden is a paradise for everyone who loves peace, nature and landscape beauty. Nevertheless, all facilities for a pleasant stay are present. The area also has a lot to offer in terms of cultural history: medieval churches, windmills, the nearby fortified town of Dokkum, the Cihorei Museum De Sûkerei, etc. The Dokkumer Wâlden are ideal for exploring by bike or on foot. Canoe enthusiasts can visit the Valomstervaart, which forms the southern boundary of the area and provides access to the peat area west of the De Dokkumer Wâlden.

For many, Harlingen is the most beautiful of the Frisian "Elfsteden" (eleven cities). Of course, you should not argue about taste, but the city of ’Ouwe Seunen’ (the nickname of Harlingen) has something the other ten cities don’t have: the unique atmosphere of a real seaport city. Harlingen is a lively, bustling city during the water sports season. But also in the winter, the various ports ensure "life in the brewery".

The first port was already built around 1500. Thanks to the flourishing trade and shipping, the city grew explosively in the second half of the sixteenth century. When the Frisian Admiralty was moved from Dokkum to Harlingen in 1645, the city also became a naval port at that time.

The rich past can be seen in the more than 500 (!) Monumental builings in the city. One of them, the Hannemahuis, houses the municipal museum, where the history of the city comes to life in a fascinating way. You can get different city walks here. Another interesting museum is the Harlinger Aardewerkmuseum, located at the Zoutsloot canal. This picturesque canal is in the winter the scenic backdrop for a Christmas market that has become one of the most original and atmospheric in the Netherlands. Two other annual events that are worth a visit are the so-called ’Lanenkaatsen’ (third week of June) and the Harlinger-Visserijdagen (fishing days) end of August. We would like to refer art lovers to ’Art on the coast’

The contrast between the lively Harlingen and the surrounding area is great. The peace and quiet in the western part of the ’Bouhoeke’, the agricultural area north of the Harlingen - Leeuwarden line is only occasionally disturbed by the sound of agricultural machines. During the first three decades of the twentieth century, a steam train was also regularly heard: the Stiens-Harlingen railway line of the Noord-Friesche Lokaalspoorweg Maatschappij ran through the area. The State Railways had already opened the Harlingen-Leeuwarden line in 1863, the first railway line in Friesland.

The names of all the villages in this region end with -um, which is derived from Germanic "heem", which means ’place of residence’ and is still reported in Frisian in the word "hiem". In this area, which was not protected against the sea until well after the beginning of the Christian era, these residences were necessarily placed on artificial elevations in the salt marsh landscape: so-called terpen. These residential manmade mounds were often erected on existing natural elevations in the landscape, the salt marshes. A famous mound is that of Wijnaldum. Special archaeological finds have been made here in the past. A visit to the archaeological information center is worthwhile.

The construction of dikes began around 1000. One of them is the Slachtedyk, which is more than 42 kilometers long. In 2000, the dike was the route for the Slachtemarathon for the first time, which has since been organized every four years. But you don’t have to wait until the next edition: the dike is freely accessible. And when you set off on your own, you experience the beautiful landscape, the peace, and quiet all the more! And of course, you may also walk a small part of the route ...

The current monumental seadike also has an irresistible attraction for many. When the weather is nice, the view over the Waddensea in front and the land behind is truly magical! And with ’rough’ weather, when the function of the dike is palpable and visible, you can almost be ’blown away’ literally and figuratively. There are so-called ’dyksputten’ here and there on the inside of the dike, which combined forms the Bjirmen nature reserve.

The history of the area is explained in a clear and expressive way on the village site of Sexbierum. But not before the intriguing name of the village has been addressed ... Because of the presence of quite a few monumental farms and stately homes of notables, Sexbierum and the neighboring Pietersbierum exude a certain grandeur.

It will be clear: Harlingen is more than just the place where the boat to and from Vlieland or Terschelling departs and arrives and the surroundings will pleasantly surprise you. Take a few days to explore the monumental, cozy city and the beautiful, relaxing environment. Three unique accommodation options ensure the ’ultimate harbor feeling’. You can if you want, sleep in a harbor crane, a lighthouse or a lifeboat. What else do you want!

The southwestern tip of the Frisian mainland is an intriguing region. By the car, it is an area hard to reach. And the Sneek - Stavoren train also doesn’t carry large crowds of people either. It is therefore a beautiful, tranquil area. The soothing peace of today stands in stark contrast to the turbulent and busy past.

Already in 991 Stavoren was looted by the Normans. Apparently it was already a prosperous, rich city at that time. Thanks to its strategic location on the Zuiderzee, Stavoren had even become the most important city in Friesland in the thirteenth century. When the Dutch count Willem IV wanted to conquer Stavoren in 1345, he ordered a part of his fleet to land north of the town. The rest of the army landed at Laaksum and would advance to Stavoren via Warns. The battle that ensued later became famous as the Battle of Warns, which ended in a miserable defeat for the Dutch and the death of Count Willem. The road from Scharl to Warns, along which the Dutch knights faced their demise, was called ’the ferkearde wei’ (the wrong way) until well into the twentieth century and is still popularly referred to this among the locals. At the monument on the Red Cliff a boulder with the text "Leaver dea as slave" (rather dead than slave), the battle is commemorated every year on the last Saturday of September.

Stavoren experienced periods of great wealth, but also of decline and downturn. The latter is the subject of the beautiful saga of "het Vrouwtje van Stavoren". (the lady of Stavoren) At the old harbor there is a statue of this haughty, rich widow who, as the story goes, has the origins of the Women’s Sands on her conscience: a shallow area off the coast that hindered shipping and would, therefore, be the cause of the decline of the town.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Stavoren was little more than a minor fishing village. A new impulse was the rail connection with Sneek (1885) and especially the ferry service at Enkhuizen, which started a year later. In 1888 a collision took place between the two steamboats "Friesland" and "Holland". This time ’victory’ was for Holland: the "Friesland" miserably disappeared into the waves. In 1899, the first of three steam ferries were put into operation onto which train wagons could be driven. In 1916, a peak year for the ferries, no fewer than 340,000 passengers and 43,000 freight cars were transported.

Nowadays Stavoren is a dormant, beautiful IJsselmeer town that comes alive especially in the summer thanks to water sports tourism. But also for non-boat people, the town is more attractive. Taste the unique atmosphere while walking. Come and visit Atelier Basalt, Kunsthuis Stavoren or Galerie De Staverse Jol. Or take a look at Toankamer ’t Ponthûs. And if you still want to get on the water, make a crossing to Enkhuizen with the current tourist ferry service. Also, the neighbouring Molkwerum and Warns used to be prosperous places thanks to trade and shipping. Because of the "islands" on which it was built, Molkwerum was long known as the ’Frisian Maze’ or ’Venice of the North’. Another nickname was "Heksenhol", which refers to the women whose men often stayed at sea for a long time. The village was known for trade in swan-brine meat and had its own representation in Amsterdam. Since 1916, the famous Molkwarder Koeke has been made in the village, a specific Frisian delicacy. Nowadays there is an Antiquity room with a tea-house in the original bakery Warns still has a number of so-called ’big skipper houses’. Nowadays, it is mainly pleasure boaters who have the village as their home port. There are various tourist accommodation options and a number of studios and galleries.

Besides the rich and turbulent history and the current tourist facilities, the area is also, and perhaps especially, worth a visit because of the beautiful landscape, nature and tranquility. The high-lying Red Cliff, the picturesque harbor of Laaksum, the low-lying Sudermarpolder, the former sea dike, the Mokkebank nature reserves and the "Bocht van Molkwar" and the vast IJsselmeer, which the locals still call "the See" for good reason. All that forms the beautiful backdrop in which you can enjoy a wonderful time.


Nieuwe encyclopedie van Fryslân voor slechts € 29,90 incl. verzenden!

Bijna 8 kilogram aan kennis over Friesland! Wees er snel bij want op is op.

De Nieuwe Encyclopedie van Fryslân is een onmisbare aanvulling in de boekenkast voor iedereen die gek is van Fryslân en meer wil weten van deze provincie. Op 15 september 2016 verscheen de vierdelige encyclopedie die rond de 3000 pagina’s telt, 11.000 trefwoorden bevat en ruim 8 kilo weegt. De encyclopedie staat bomvol actuele kennis over Fryslân en is een echte pageturner geworden.

Voor al diegenen die dit standaardwerk over Fryslân altijd al hadden willen hebben! Nu voor een wel heel speciaal prijsje! Maar let op! Op = Op!