Netherlands Guide
The north and the Frisian Islands
Until the early twentieth century, the north of the Netherlands was a relatively remote area, a distinct region of small provincial towns far removed from the mainstream life of the Randstad. The year 1932 saw the opening of the Afsluitdijk, a 30-kilometre-long sea wall bridging the mouth of the Zuider Zee, once the corridor for the great trading ships of the Golden Age. Since the completion of the dyke, the cultural gap between the north and west of the Netherlands has narrowed, and now fashion and custom seem all but identical. The main exception is linguistic: Friesland has its own language, more akin to Low German than Dutch, and its citizens are keen to use it.
Highlights
1 Fries Museum, Leeuwarden A fine insight into the culture of Friesland, in the heart of this easygoing market town.
2 Harlingen Far-flung harbour, with a long history of traditional barge-building.
3 Terschelling The most alluring of the Frisian islands, wild and wind-blown.
4 Vlieland Tranquil, low-key island of woods and dunes.
5 Sneek This prosperous ship-building town of old is now famous as the location for the Sneek Week sailing regatta every August.
6 Groningen Dynamic university town in the far north, with a cosmopolitan outlook and the memorable Groniger Museum of art and culture.
7 Schiermonnikoog Atmospheric, little-visited island off the far northern coast.
8 Wadlopen The best way to experience the northern landscapes is to copy the Dutch and take a guide for wadlopen – mudflat walking.