There are many different things to discover on a trip to Friesland: its eleven historic cities, a planetarium with a remarkable history, natural areas, and long routes by water or on foot. The first planning decision is therefore what to focus on: museums and cityscapes, or landscapes and active routes. The examples below show what each option has to offer. This lets you tailor your trip to the kind of experience you want, without turning the individual activities into a fixed itinerary.

Cities, History and Astronomy

The eleven Frisian cities received their town charters between the 11th and 15th centuries and together form the historic Elfstedentocht route. Visitors can experience monumental buildings, museums, canals, church towers and atmospheric streets. This historic setting offers several ways to explore: the collections reveal the history of the cities, while the buildings, towers and canals shape their cityscapes. The Fries Museum adds to these themes with more than 200,000 objects, making it the largest provincial collection in the Netherlands. Its collection reflects Frisian society and history from prehistoric times to the present day.

In Franeker stands the Eise Eisinga Planetarium, the oldest continuously operating planetarium in the world. It is open to the public and also serves as an educational center for astronomy. This offers a different focus from the historic city collections: here, astronomy and making it accessible to visitors take center stage. If you plan a visit, check the latest dates and opening hours.

Natural Areas and Activities

Nationaal Park De Alde Feanen features expanses of water, reed beds, swamp forests and open peatland. The park has hiking, cycling, canoeing and stand-up paddleboarding routes. There is a choice of options on foot and by bicycle, as well as activities on the water. At the information point, you can get a range of hiking, cycling and water routes, along with magazines and brochures offering information and ideas. These can help you find your way if you want to decide on the spot which type of route best fits your day. Route options and local access conditions may change; check the information relevant to your visit.

The wider region also offers a variety of natural landmarks: Friesland has four national parks, two national landscapes and the only two Dark Sky Parks in the Netherlands. The four national parks feature peatlands, forests, a Wadden Sea island and a lake that was once part of the sea. This range shows that nature in Friesland is not limited to a single type of landscape. When choosing a trip, you can therefore look for the setting that interests you rather than treating all natural areas as similar destinations.

Exhibitions, Walks and Long Routes

At the Ir. D.F. Woudagemaal, the visitor center offers an interactive exhibition, as well as guided tours of the engine hall and adjoining boiler house. There are also two nature trails in the visitor area for walks around the pumping station. This means you can choose between an exhibition and guided tour, or a short walk outdoors. Check the latest tour dates before your visit.

For a longer trip, there are two quite different options. The Elfsteden water route is 231 kilometers long and can be traveled by private boat or rented sloop. The Elfstedenpad, by contrast, is a 283-kilometer hiking trail divided into 16 stages. It passes through a landscape of lakes, cliffs, dikes, polders, forests and hedgerows. The distances and modes of travel make it easier to compare the scope of each option: on the water route, you’ll need to plan around a boat; on the Elfstedenpad, around a multi-stage hike. Navigation and route details may be updated; check the latest information before setting out.

Discover More Destinations

Terschelling, Gaasterlân-Sleat, Skarsterlân, Weststellingwerf, Ooststellingwerf, Ferwerderadiel, Franekeradeel, Achtkarspelen, Boarnsterhim, Dantumadiel, Dongeradeel, Harlingen, Heerenveen, Het Bildt, Kollumerland En Nieuwkruisland, Leeuwarden, Leeuwarderadeel, Lemsterland, Littenseradiel, Menaldumadeel, Opsterland, Schiermonnikoog, Smallingerland, Tytsjerksteradiel, Vlieland, Súdwest Fryslân, Wûnseradiel, Nijefurd, De Friese Meren, Wymbritseradiel, Menameradiel

For the broader travel overview: Netherlands.