Friesland

We start our road trip in Lemmer, on the shores of the IJsselmeer. Lemmer immediately sets the tone for the road trip through Friesland with its characteristic houses and boats. On the beach you can enjoy long walks, lots of water sports and beautiful views of the IJsselmeer. In Lemmer, take the 'Battle of the Dock' walk, which takes you through the streets surrounding the town's waterfront. A must see is Woudagemaal. The oldest working steam pumping station in the world is a Unesco World Heritage Site and still regulates the water level in the area.

We can also recommend a stopover in Sloten. Sloten is, like many towns in Friesland, a small town, but that does not make it any less lovely. The old walls, ramparts and canals give Sloten a cosy atmosphere. Many people call Sloten not only the smallest, but also the most beautiful town in Friesland.

Not far from Stavoren is Hindeloopen, which we drive to via a landscape of forests, coast and Frisian lakes. Hindeloopen is another small town in Friesland, full of monuments and old traditions. Those who thought to master the Frisian language will probably be disappointed in Hindeloopen. The Frisian spoken there is a strongly deviant and conservative dialect with many medieval vowels and Old Frisian words. Always wanted to see the skates of King Willem-Alexander? Then pay a visit to the Eerste Friese Schaatsmuseum. The museum has a large collection of skates, sledges and a special Elfstedenhalle and tells the complete history of the Elfstedentocht. Not much further north is Workum with its cosy old facades. We can certainly recommend exploring the beautiful surroundings and nature reserves on horseback or by bike. You should also try a Krûdeftich swiet-brea, a sweet herb cake made from, among others, rye bread and hazelnuts. Bolsward is also worth a visit. A hidden gem is the Boerekerk, a former monastery that was destroyed by fire several times, until architect Jelle de Jong breathed new life into the church by sealing the destroyed open roof with glass. Without a doubt a photogenic and wonderful place.

The port city of Harlingen is the well-known embarkation point for the ferry to Vlieland or Terschelling. It is therefore the ideal place to extend the route with the roadtrip Wadden Islands. In the centre of Harlingen, beautiful boats float, including a replica of the Nova Zembla of the Dutch sailor Willem Barentsz. The Frisian city of Harlingen entertains you further with its cosy streets, canals and monuments. It is a typical fishing town of North Holland. After Harlingen, we head deeper inland to Franeker. In the quiet town of Franeker, you will find the oldest working planetarium in the world. The solar system in the Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium shows the current position of the planets and was built to scale in 1773. An interesting attraction for young and old. On the Bolwerken, the city's old defences, you can still find four old tea houses from the 18th century. At that time, tea was a new exclusive drink around which a whole ceremony was made.

In Dokkum, in the year 754, Bonifatius was murdered in an attempt to convert the then Frisia to Christianity. This not-so-beautiful beginning of Dokkum's history has left the city with an indelible place in history. Located between the Kleistreek and the Frisian Woods, Dokkum is one of the Eleven Cities. Fans of the Elfstedentocht cannot miss Dokkum. It is a turning point in the tour and the place after 'The Hell of the North', because whoever reaches Dokkum also reaches the finish in Leeuwarden. The bulwarks, the Admiralty, the canals, the Bonifatiuskapel and the IJsfontein are all attractions that will fill your day. Or just stroll along the many shops in the centre or sit along the canals and watch the boats sail by, there is more than enough to do in Dokkum. In this last Elf City, you are sure to find a souvenir to immortalise your road trip. You can also taste the traditional Dutch herbal bitters in the original Beerenburg factory.

A fifteen-minute drive from Dokkum is National Park Lauwersmeer, where the Lauwerszee used to be. For fear of flooding, a dam was built in 1969, resulting in a beautiful nature area of meadows, open water and reed beds. You will find a spacious car park near Esonstad, a nice fortified town to walk through. You can explore the Lauwersmeer on foot, by bike or by boat. A round trip has the advantage that you can see the whole area in a short time. We drive from one nature area to another, namely the Alde Feanen. The area was created by old peat excavations. Alde Feanen does not mean 'Old Fens' for nothing. At the visitor's centre, there are numerous activities for children and numerous footpaths start. You can SUP-pen, rent a boat or visit the Skutsjemuseum. The Alde Feanen cover a large part of Friesland, so you can spend some time here.