About 80 percent of Vlieland is nature reserve and is managed by Staatsbosbeheer. This is particularly easy to see in the Kroon's Polders: the area consists of four polders and serves as a breeding, refuge and feeding ground for around 70 bird species. The dike along the polders is suitable for birdwatching. You can hike around the area and visit a new birdwatching hide; wet ground can affect the route.
On the south side of the island, the birdwatching hide at Dodemansbol offers views of waders, barnacle geese, peregrine falcons, spoonbills, shelducks, wigeons, pintails and other birds on the mudflats. Birdwatchers can combine this spot with the dike along the Kroon's Polders, though the two need not offer the same view of the island.
Hiking trails and changing landscapes
Vlieland’s hiking trail network includes six routes marked with posts and three special walks ranging from 2 to 8 kilometres in length. A 3.5-kilometre hiking route laid out by Staatsbosbeheer runs through Bomenland. Posts with yellow bands mark the way; in changing conditions, check the markers on site. From 1 August to 15 March, you can hike almost anywhere on Vlieland. During the breeding season, from 15 March to 1 August, certain areas are closed to the public. Check current local notices before setting out.
The Pad van Twintig crosses an open, largely untouched landscape between Vlieland’s Wadden Sea side and North Sea side. On both sides are pastures managed by Staatsbosbeheer, where Soay sheep and Scottish Highland cattle roam freely. At Kooispleklid, high and low dunes meet; a cranberry field lies on the western side of the dune area. From the elevated cycle path, you can see across an eroded valley. The Vliehors, in turn, is a 2,120-hectare treeless sandy area at the western tip of the island. The Wadden Sea, which borders Vlieland, is also part of the region’s landscape and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2009.
An extensive network of shell-surfaced paths makes it possible to explore many parts of the island by bike. The Pad van Twintig is one specific landscape route; the cycle paths form a separate network. You can plan your explorations according to whether you prefer to walk through the landscape or visit different places by bike.
Village history and maritime heritage
In Oost-Vlieland, Dorpsstraat has 39 listed national monuments and forms part of the protected village landscape. Vlieland’s Nicolaaskerk dates from 1605 and is one of the oldest originally Protestant church buildings in the Netherlands. Tromp's Huys Museum is housed in Vlieland’s oldest building, constructed shortly after 1575. Its collections tell the story of cultural and maritime history through paintings, drawings, etchings, prints, photographs, clocks, nautical and other maps, and ship models.
The island’s more recent past is also present: Bunkermuseum Wn 12H is the only one of the positions built on Vlieland to have survived. The visitor route passes through trenches and bunkers, as well as viewing points and gun emplacements. Check current access information before visiting.
The Vlielander Kaasbunker is housed in a former Second World War bunker that was part of the Atlantic Wall. An exhibition explores the building’s history, cheese, seaweed and other Vlieland delicacies. If you book in advance, you can take a video tour of the bunker and its surroundings, followed by an extensive cheese tasting. The visit brings together island history and local products.
Planning your journey and accommodation
Visitors are not allowed to bring their cars to Vlieland. When the ferry arrives, a bus is waiting to take travellers to their accommodation. The Rederij Doeksen service from Harlingen to Vlieland and back is listed as taking around 1 hour and 35 minutes; the direct fast ferry takes around 45 minutes. Timetables and crossing times can change, so it is worth checking the latest services before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Oost-Vlieland, Vlieland, Het Bildt, Ferwerderadiel, Leeuwarden, Kollumerland En Nieuwkruisland, Achtkarspelen, Wymbritseradiel.
For the broader travel overview: Friesland.
