As you can see from the map above, Friesland is located in the north of the Netherlands. Friesland was once part of the larger Friesland region.
The capital of Friesland is Leeuwarden , its largest city with just under 100,000 inhabitants.
Much of Friesland is made up of lakes and swamps and the landscape is green; The Frisian lakes in the southwest are popular for summer water sports. The West Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The eleven cities
On the map, you will see the original 11 cities of Friesland, connected by channels used in the long-distance ice skating event called ‘Elfstedentocht’. You can visit these cities on skates if the ice is thick enough in winter, but in summer the options multiply. The tourist office lists eleven ways to do the Eleven Cities Tour.
We will start our tour from the capital of Friesland, Leeuwarden, and describe the other cities in a clockwise direction.
Leeuwarden , the capital of Friesland, can be accessed by train from Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport: it takes about 2.5 hours. Leeuwarden’s population is less than 100,000 people, of which about a fifth are students at Stenden Leeuwarden University. You’ll find a lively center (once the lair of the exotic dancer Mata Hari) focused on the arts, shopping, and nightclubs. For views, climb the ‘Oldehove’, which is called the ‘Friesian Tower of Pisa’. On a clear day the view is towards the Wadden Islands (see map).
Sneek is a boater’s paradise (you can rent one, no license required) with a very interesting water gate, built in the early 17th century. Sneek is a hub for exploring the Frisian lakes. Canal side cafes, historic facades and shopping streets and alleys make Sneek an interesting destination in Friesland.
Near Sneek is Ijlst , so beautiful with its tree-lined canal-side gardens that it is used as a set. You can visit a sawmill called ‘De Rat’, which is exactly what you think it is in English, founded in 1638, while your children visit the interactive Royal Factories J. Nooitgedagt & Zn , a former toy and skate factory turned museum.
Little Sloten is a small town surrounded by 17th century ramparts, with canons. It is the smallest of the 11 cities with a population of less than 1000 and is in the middle of a large wooded cycling area.
Stavoren is the oldest city in Friesland. It was a small and wealthy city until the port was full. During summer, Stavoren can be reached by bicycle and pedestrian ferry from Enkuizen.
Hindeloopen is famous for unique painting, narrow streets, and wooden bridges. It is within one of the two national parks in Friesland, ideal for walkers and cyclists. Hindeloopen Art is in a particular style of painted furniture that began in the mid 1600’s and is still in production today. Faux marble and scenes from Greek mythology dominate this style. A web page gives you an idea of what is behind Hindeloopen Art.
Workum is known for its ceramics and for a museum dedicated to the popular Dutch artist Jopie Huisman, known for his incredibly detailed portraits and still lifes of everyday objects, such as his famous “worn boxers” and shoes; He imagined the poverty of his time, at the beginning of the 20th century. Workum Hotels.
Bolsward , a trading town and port in medieval times, marks the beginning and end of a 240 km bike tour of Friesland, the Eleven Cities Cycling Tour, the cycling counterpart of the Elfstedentocht ice skating tour. The tour begins on Pentecost Monday each year. Tourists are drawn to the red brick town hall, built by the locals from 1614, considered the best Renaissance building in Friesland. Walkers will like the Aldfaers Erfroute, which takes you to several small towns and museums.
Harlingen is a port city with ferry service to the Wadden Islands from Terschelling and Vlieland. The ‘Visserijdagen’ is the great summer festival in Harlingen, which takes place in the last week of August. From Harlingen, you can hop on a fishing boat and cruise the Waddensea.
Franeker , in the center of the ‘country of mounds’, offers tourists the oldest student pub in the Netherlands, Bogt van Guné (the university no longer exists, but you can still have a beer). The castle in the city center is called Martenastins and it was built in 1498. Every year, on Wednesday 5th after June 30th, the ‘Franeker Kaatspartij’ is celebrated. It is a handball tournament on a holiday.
Dokkum is a fortified port city with an attractive historic center whose street pattern has not changed since 1650. Have a coffee on Markt square at Cafe De Refter , once a former orphanage.
The Wadden Islands
The unique qualities of the Wadden Sea have made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010.
The shallow waters surrounding the Wadden Islands incubate a tremendous marine culture; The North Sea provides sediment and plankton to the sandy mud flats, which are exposed at low tide, forming the food that supplies countless birds, fish and seals.
There are good ferry connections to the Wadden Islands, also called the Frisian Islands.
A popular activity is walking through the marshes on an organized tour lasting approximately three hours. You will need high boots, warm clothes, a towel and water. Below is a detailed list of the equipment you will need and the organizations that provide guides for a walk: Mudflat Walk Trips.
The largest Wadden island that is not part of Friesland is the island Texel, shown on the map. Texel Island is a good place to rent a vacation home.
North Holland
You can get from Noord Holland (North Holland), shown on the map, to Texel Island by ferry from Den Helder. You can then go to the other Wadden Islands on inter-island ferries or take a ferry to Harlingen.
