Friesland: Eleven Cities, a Thousand Lakes and the Wadden Sea
Think of Friesland and you think of the Elfstedentocht, fierljeppen, kaatsen or skûtsjesilen. But Friesland is more than that.
Peace, space and water: the wide-open landscape is occasionally interrupted by a village or city, with plenty of room for cycling, walking and boating.
Eleven cities, eleven identities: as anyone familiar with the Elfstedentocht knows, Friesland has eleven cities, each with its own character and charm.
A culture of its own: from shopping in the cities and villages to enjoying an abundance of nature and a distinctly Frisian culture.
Water and nature
The many lakes, the IJsselmeer and the Wadden Sea make Friesland a paradise of water.
Watersports for everyone: plenty of opportunities for sailors, canoeists, surfers, swimmers and anglers.
Cycling and walking: the winding inland dikes, narrow roads and paths along the lakes make for an ideal area for cyclists and walkers.
Ferry routes: during the summer months, small ferries maintain connections across the waters and lakes, making numerous ferry routes possible.
Museums and monuments: museums, local history collections, manor houses, stone houses, visitor centres and monuments offer a fascinating picture of Friesland's history, culture, nature and architecture.
A province with a mind of its own
Friesland is the most distinctive province in the Netherlands.
Its own language and identity: the Frisians have their own language, culture, flag and anthem.
Typically Frisian landscape: green meadows, terps (mounds) and lakes beneath impressive cloud-filled skies.
Four landscape regions: the Terpenland (the clay soils in the north and west), the Frisian Woodlands (the sandy soils in the east and southeast), Het Lage Midden (the marshy peat area wedged between the clay and sandy soils), and the Wadden Islands, which curve north of the mainland.
The Netherlands' most beautiful front garden: the Wadden Sea is largely freely accessible; board a ferry or historic sailing ship, or lace up your walking boots and let yourself be guided across the seabed on foot to the other side.
Untouched nature and picturesque villages: the islands have no shortage of untouched nature and characterful little villages.
Shell paths: beautifully maintained paths take you everywhere, from lighthouse to duck decoy and from headland to rugged salt marsh.
Discover Friesland itself
Perhaps Frisians are even prouder of Friesland itself than of their overseas territories: fertile, spacious, clean and unexpectedly varied.
From the Wadden Sea dike: walk the province counter-clockwise along its border and you won't be bored; the land reclamation works of North Friesland are a great interplay between people and nature, with a special flora and fauna.
Harlingen and the IJsselmeer coast: after the monumental port town of Harlingen comes the rugged IJsselmeer coast, with illustrious little towns that also make great bases for watersports on the former Zuiderzee.
The Frisian cliffs: feel the ground rising beneath your feet and you're nearing the cliffs at Gaasterland, where the Hollanders were once defeated; the province owes these heights not to human hands, but to mother nature.
The Southwest Corner and Frisian Woodlands: the wooded, rolling hinterland of the Southwest Corner feels distinctly un-Frisian; from ‘steam town’ Lemmer the route heads east, towards the old peatlands and the wooded surroundings of Appelscha, the Frisian Woodlands.
