Tourist Info

This Tourist info site, offers you some information about what to visit and what is interesting to discover in Leeuwarden and Friesland. The VVV/tourist board opposite train/bus station at centre Leeuwarden (at black skycraper) can give you a lot of  information. Visit it or call: +31 (0)900-202 40 60.  Opening hours VVV Leeuwarden:  Monday: 12.00 – 17.30 uur, Tuesday till Friday from 9.30 – 17.30 uur, Saturday 10.00 – 15.00 hour.

LEEUWARDEN

Leeuwarden is the capital city of province Friesland (Fryslan) and 1 of the Historical Eleven City’s. The old centre of the cities  are build around canals, like Amsterdam, because in the past the Dutch used  water “roads” to travel & trade.  In the past there were not  many roads, only water, and thats why the cities are now narrow for cars and the Dutch prefer to use a bicycle to move fast and easy in a city.  There are many international Universities in Leeuwarden and many Business offices. Leeuwarden has a  World Trade Centre with an Expo hall, a Holland Casino, and much more to offer.  The WTC EXPO is near the 2 Bordine locations.

FOR A ZOOM-ABLE MAP OF LEEUWARDEN, CLICK HERE

HISTORY

Leeuwarden develope in the 13 century, and was a trading city, a harbour city, it was build on 3 hills (terpen) to protect against the sea (” Bordine “). Nowadays Leeuwarden is not a harbour city any more, but a modern city with a ancient mostly 16 century city centre, with many canals and city walls (the structure of the city walls looks like a diamond) and museum.  Friesland has a lot to offer like the eleven ancient city’s, culture (own Frisian language and typical sports), events, lakes, woods, wadden islands and the protected landscape  (UNESCO HERITAGE) of the the waddensee and it’s only 1 hour by car from Amsterdam.

NOWADAYS

Leeuwarden has almost 100,000 habitants, almost ¼ part are (international) students and the (International) business centre is growing fast. There are many monuments, musea, restaurants, café’s, theaters, terrases, and a great city park/harbour “prinsentuin” and much more.  (see links below). Leeuwarden is daily visited by Dutch tourists too.

There are many museums in Leeuwarden, like Friesch museum, Prinsessehof and many Theaters like Harmonie, Romein, zalen Schaaf ,Gloppe, etc. You can not only find in Leeuwarden the biggest provincial museum of Holland but also the smallest museum of Europe. The Keramiekmuseum (Prinsessehof pottery) is one of the most prominent museums of Europe. In the Museum street you can find many old time stores. The Spy Mata Hari, the Famous graficus & artist Escher and Saskia van Uylenburgh, the wife of the famous painter Rembrandt are some examples of famous persons who are born in Leeuwarden. You can visit the houses in Leeuwarden they are born.  There are many nice, simple, but also exclusive Restaurants in Leeuwarden. They offer variety of international food. In spring and summer its nice to sit at a terrace near one of the canals in the centre. At the old centre, in small narrow streets you find also a variety of small surprising and exclusive shops.

FRIESLAND

The province Friesland has to offer a variety of interesting culture and nature. You will find many lakes, like the IJsselmeer and Snekermeer. At the West/ North part of Fryslan you find the coast line of the  The Wadden Sea  (protected world Heritage) and the North Sea with the island and great sandy beaches  . You can easily travel to some of the beautiful islands, like Schiermonnikoog, Ameland, Terschelling and Vlieland, which have sandy beaches and nice forests and nice bicycle roads. Take a visit at the well know historical eleven Frisian cities or take a look at picturesque old villages on hills (Dutch: terpen, to protect against the sea in the past).

VISITING SURROUNDINGS

From Leeuwarden you can travel by train to the east to city Groningen, to the south/west to Sneek and Stavoren and Ijselmeer, to the west to Harlingen and by boat to the islands Terschelling and Vlieland, and to the south to Grou Heerenveen and Zwolle, Amersfoort, Amsterdam/airport.  By bus you can reach almost every city, village in Friesland or the boat to the islands Ameland and Schiermonnikoog.  The Bus station office can give you timetables and more info, also about city bus schedules and city lines. At:  http://journeyplanner.9292.nl/ you can plan every journey in Leeuwarden, Friesland and Holland.

BICYCLE RENT

At the train Station of Leeuwarden, at “Fietspoint” near Rabobank office, you can Rent Bicycles. Prices from EUR 8,50  a day. Tel: +31 (0)58-2139800.