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The purpose of this article is to provide you with some background information about Friesland, in the hope that it will improve your enjoyment while staying there. For now, you can already get some idea by watching the 'Friesland images'. For detailed information, there are many tourist books provided by your local VVV (Tourist Board).
Friesland is one of the Netherlands' twelve provinces. Located in the north of the
Netherlands, Friesland is one of the most remarkable provinces. In a relatively small
physical area (about 5700 km2) you will find an enormous diversity in culture, history and
landscapes. Although Friesland is famous for its water (the sea and the lakes), Friesland
has a lot more to offer you: apart from the approximately 50 (!) lakes, there are woods,
moors, sandy plains, flatlands, dykes, beaches, picturesque villages, and 4 beautiful
Frisian islands (Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog).
Friesland has something for everyone: Whether you come to enjoy the city life with its
discotheques, bars, terraces and restaurants or you come to enjoy nature with its
quietness and peacefulness, or both, Friesland has got what you are looking for.
To put it this way: Friesland is unique in its diversity.
There was a time when Friesland was part of the sea, and the ancient inhabitants of the
northern part of Friesland built so-called 'Terpen' (hills on which they founded
their villages), in order to be protected from the in-coming water of the sea. A lot of
these mounds can still be seen and visited.
By draining land and building dykes (that's what made us famous throughout the world), the
sea has been forced back to its present shores. A lot of lakes, which determine a large
part of the landscape and thus the province's culture and tourism, came into existence by
the digging of peat.
Friesland cares a lot about its nature, so even nowadays, you can still enjoy the fresh
air and the clean water without worrying about pollution.
Sailing and boating
Friesland is known for its water. You can sail on the Frisian lakes and canals, the Yssel
lake, the Waddensea (the sea between Friesland and the islands) or the North Sea. A lot of
tourists visit Friesland every year, especially to enjoy the lakes. Every year, about 12
million tourist stayings are reported, whereas Friesland 'only' has 600.000 inhabitants.
Possibly the greatest attraction during the summer is 'Skûtsjesilen', a sailing
competition of large, old wooden boats ('Skûtsje').
If you have never learnt to sail, but always wanted to, there are many sailing schools
located all through Friesland. For names and addresses we refer you to the local tourist
boards.
Swimming
Because of all the water in Friesland, one of the main holiday activities is swimming. Not
just in one of the many commercial swimming pools, but also in the lakes, canals and the
sea. Friesland has a strict environmental policy (no sewage is drained into the surface
waters), and as a result, you can swim almost anywhere: In 99% of all the lakes and canals
you can swim, due to the lack of pollution. The quality of the sea water is also very good
to swim in.
Sunbathing
The whole coast of Friesland, from Lauwersmeer in the north down to Lemmer in the
south-west, is suitable for sunbathing and swimming. You can go out in your bathing suit
and lie down on the dykes to enjoy the sun and get a tan, and take a plunge in the water
if you wish to do so.
The Frisian islands are well-known for their (sand) beaches and dunes, located mainly on
the north side of the islands (Vlieland is the only island which has a sand beach on the
south side as well as on the north side).
Walking
Friesland has a lot of woods, moors and sandy plains, especially in the south and
south-west in Gaasterland, in the south-east near Appelscha and on all of the islands.
They offer a great opportunity to walk along the specially constructed paths. The 'Boswachterij
Appelscha/Smilde' in the south-east is known to be one of the Netherlands's largest.
Fishing
Because of the enormous amount of lakes, canals and the sea, you can fish almost
everywhere. You can either take your fishing rod and sit on the banks of a lake or a
canal, or you can sign up for a sea-fishing trip on a boat on the Yssel lake, the
Waddensea or the North Sea. At some Frisian tourist boards you can buy the 'Viskaart voor
Friesland' (Fishing map for Friesland). It is a full-colour map, scale 1:100,000 with
plenty information about fishing spots, accommodations like boat rental, slipways, fishing
as well as behaviour rules and descriptions of the fishing waters and fishes that can be
caught. For more information, please contact your local Tourist
board.
'Wadlopen' (walking through the Waddensea)
One of the main frisian attractions is what is known as 'Wadlopen': During the ebb
of the sea you can (together with an experienced guide) take a walk across (nearly) dried
up sandbanks from the mainland at Holwerd or Wierum to the islands of Ameland and
Schiermonnikoog. Thus you walk through one of The Netherlands's, perhaps even one of the
world's, most unique natural resorts. This 'Wadlopen' is sometimes called 'Horizontal
Mountaineering', most likely because of the effort it takes to reach the other side of the
sea.
It is too much!
It is impossible to give you a complete overview of everything that can be done to have a
great time while visiting Friesland! There are numerous other activities, that have not
been mentioned, like cycling, horseback riding, scuba-diving, (wind)surfing, water-skiing,
canoeing etcetera, skating during the winter time, and so on. For more information, you
can contact your local Tourist board.
Friesland is typically a province for outdoors holiday activities. This means that
something just has to be said about the weather.
The weather in Friesland, like in all of The Netherlands, is strongly influenced by the
sea. Therefore, most of the summers are mild, with temperatures rising to somewhat above
20 degrees celsius, and most of the winters are not too cold, with temperatures falling
just below zero. Spring and Autumn are pleasant, but can be very wet (100+ mm of rain per
month) and windy. We do have, however, Summers that are dry and warm, with temperatures of
around 30 degrees celsius. These are the Summers that are ideal for 'Skûtsjesilen'.
The winters can also be very cold. We do this, once every few years, to be able to
organize the greatest winter-event the world will ever witness: the 'Elfstedentocht'
or 'Alvestêdetocht', a marathon ice-skating race of over 200 kms, in which
thousands of people take part, taking them past the eleven cities ('Elf Steden' or 'Alve
Stêden') of Friesland.
A few years ago, the Dutch parliament in The Hague passed a bill in which the Frisian
language became the second official language of the local administration, next to the
Dutch language. This alone makes Friesland very extraordinary, because it is the only
province in the Netherlands with two official languages, of which the Frisians are very
proud.
Throughout the province you may notice that city names and street names are in Frisian as
well as in Dutch! Although Frisian is a very old language, and nearly superceded by the
official Dutch language, 75% of the Frisian population still speaks Frisian every day. The
Frisian language is the closest living language to English, as you perhaps may notice, and
is therefore interesting just for that fact alone. Many people, however, speak English,
German and French as well. This means that it will not be too hard to make yourself
understood.
Currency
As Friesland is part of the Netherlands, the Dutch currency applies to Friesland. The
Dutch currency unit is the Dutch guilder, expressed variously as fl (for florin), Dfl,
Hfl, G, NLG, or just f or f. The guilder is divided into 100 cents.
There are coins of 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents, 1 guilder, 2.5 guilders, 5 guilders and 10
guilders.
There are banknotes of 10 guilders, 25 guilders, 50 guilders, 100 guilders, 250 guilders
and 1000 guilders. Few traders accept 1000 guilder notes, due to lack of change.
Since there are no 1 cent coins, total amounts are rounded to the nearest 5 cents when you
pay.
Beware of mistaking a 5 cent coin for a 5 guilder coin: the 5 guilder coin is thicker,
more golden, and has a notched edge.
Changing money
There are many places to change money in Friesland such as banks, post offices, hotels and
'Grenswisselkantoren' (GWK, border exchange offices). Post offices usually give the best
rates. GWK are located in major cities and large railway stations. You should compare the
exchange rates at the exchange offices in the towns.
Banks and post offices are open from 9:00 until 17:00 or 18:00. Post offices are mostly
closed on Saturday afternoons. Banks, GWK and post offices are closed on Sundays. Hotels
are usually open every day of the week, but they are an expensive way to change money.
Credit cards
Credit cards are not nearly as widely accepted here as in many other lands. American
Express, Diners, MC and VISA, however, are commonly accepted.
Most shops and hotels have signs on the door that tell you if and which credit cards are
accepted. To be certain, make sure to enquire first if you intend to pay by credit card.
Taxes and tips
All prices in the Netherlands include tax and tips by law. Normal Dutch practice in
restaurants is to round up to the nearest guilder for small amounts, and the nearest 5 for
larger amounts. Don't feel obliged to leave a tip. It is not expected. In taxis a 10% tip
is usual, though not obligatory.
In almost every village you can find a hotel. To help you on your way, we have already selected some telephone numbers for you. For more information, contact your local tourist board.
One of the thing the Frisians particularly like is good food! As a result, in Friesland
there are a lot of foreign food restaurants. You can choose between Chinese, Moroccan,
Turkish, Greek, Italian, Mexican, and of course Dutch restaurants. You can choose between
fish, meat and vegetarian dishes. Needless to say, there are some excellent fish
restaurants near the coast and on the Frisian islands.
And yes, we also have McDonald's, Burger King, Febo, ...
Especially in the bigger places (like Leeuwarden, Heerenveen, Drachten, Bolsward or
Sneek), you will find many of these restaurants. Here are some hints concerning
restaurants:
Cafés and Bars
Even the smallest village has at least one café or a bar. Bars and cafés mostly stay
open until 1 o'clock in the morning. In the large cities, they often do not close until 4
or 5 o'clock in the morning.
Bars and cafés in Friesland are not just for drinking: In many bars you can grab a bite
as well. Please, note the following:
Public transport
Friesland, as a part of The Netherlands, has relatively good public transport facilities.
You can travel by bus almost everywhere in Friesland, or you can travel by train from
Leeuwarden to Groningen, Meppel, Stavoren or Harlingen. To visit the Frisian islands, you
will have to take the ferry. The ferry to Vlieland and Terschelling departs from
Harlingen, the ferry to Ameland departs from Holwerd and the ferry to Schiermonnikoog
departs from Lauwersoog.
If you travel by bus, you will need a 'Strippenkaart' (Strip-card). These tickets can be
obtained at railway stations, bus stations, post offices and on the bus. We advise you,
however, to buy your ticket at the railway station, the bus station or at the post office.
If you decide on travelling by train, you will have to buy your ticket at the railway
station.
For more information, please contact your local tourist board.
There is a national public transport information service that can answer any question
concerning times and places of departure and arrival, tickets, routes as well as prices of
public transport. The telephone number is 06-9292; it costs 50 cents per minute, but can
not be called from outside of the Netherlands.
Bicycles
Another way to travel is by bike. Friesland is a typical part of The Netherlands to be
explored on a bicycle or on foot.What's more, if you plan on visiting Vlieland or
Schiermonnikoog, you should bear in mind that no cars are allowed on these islands (except
for the cars of inhabitants of the islands). This means that the only way to make a trip
on the islands is either by bicycle or on foot. There are several addresses in Friesland
where you can rent a bike, for very reasonable prices. You will find most Rent-a-Bike's at
the main railway stations. On the islands there are several privately owned Rent-a-Bikes.
When hiring a bike, you will be required to pay a deposit, and you should take some form
of identification.
Taxis
Taxis are normally not hailed in the Netherlands, but either taken from a taxi rank or
ordered by telephone.Most of the taxi stands can be found at the railway stations.
Telephone numbers and addresses of taxi companies can be obtained from the Gouden Gids
(the Dutch Yellow Pages) or regular telephone directories. Taxis are relatively expensive:
Costs are about $ 1.40 per km. In taxis a 10% tip is usual, though not obligatory.
Car hire
If you do need to hire a car, you are able to do so in most of the larger towns. Look in
the Gouden Gids (the Dutch Yellow Pages) for addresses and phone numbers of the
regular car hire firms (Autoverhuur).
Walking
As has been mentioned before, Friesland can best be explored either by bicycle or on foot.
As many of the Frisian village centers are small, most distances are easy to walk, and
walking is pleasurable, providing the best opportunity to appreciate Friesland, along with
its architecture, lakes and landscapes.
Friesland is province with a low crime rate, and there is nothing to fear from walking in
any part of Friesland. However, in any large city you should beware of pick pockets.
Shops and markets are closed all day on Sundays and on Monday mornings. Normal shopping
hours are 09:00 or 10:00 to 18:00 (17:00 on Saturday). Exception to this rule are the most
camping stores, which often stay open until late (22:00) and do open on Sundays.
There is late-night shopping almost everywhere on Thursdays until 21:00. In some places,
late-night shopping is on Fridays, instead of on Thursdays.
In most of Friesland you can buy international newspapers, especially in the summer season. Apart from that, most parts of Friesland have cable television, so international television stations, including American, Belgian, British, French, German, Moroccan, and Turkish television, as well as a number of satellite channels, can be received almost all over Friesland.
Telephone
Telephoning can be done from public or private telephones. You can find public phones in
post offices, phone booths, hotels, cafés, bars and hotels. Making a telephone call from
your hotel room can be rather expensive. The bright green telephone boxes can be spotted
from a distance. There are two ways of paying for using a public telephone: in cash or by
telephone-card. Telephone cards can be obtained in various places, ranging from railway
stations, tobacconists and post offices, to Tourist boards and drugstores. They are
especially practical for long distance calls.
To make an international call, you dial 00 followed by your country code, then the
national area code leaving off the initial 0 (9 for Finland and Spain) followed by the
local number.
Many countries have a 'Call Direct' or 'Collect Call' service. To dial these services, you
dial 06-022 (free of charge), followed by a 4 digit code for the country you want to
connect to (a list of these codes can be found in the Friesland Yellow Pages (Gouden
Gids')), which puts you in touch with an operator in your own country who can arrange
a reversed-charge or credit call.
Fax
If you want to send someone a fax, you can do so at main post offices and sometimes at
drugstores or bookstores. Prices will be slightly higher than a regular telephone call.
Mail
In every village you will find at least one (red) mailbox. Post, with local destinations
(these destinations can be found on a board above the mailbox) should be put in the slot
that says 'Streekpost'. Letters and cards with other destinations should be put in
the slot that says 'Overige Bestemmingen'.
Postage stamps can be obtained at drugstores, bookstores, card shops and post offices.
Mailboxes are emptied twice per day: at 18:00 and at 23:00. Mail which has been posted
before 18:00 will be processed the same night, mail which has been posted after 18:00 will
be processed the next night.
Friesland time in the summer is two hours ahead of GMT, and one hour in winter.
We have already said that Friesland has something for everyone. There are much more places to visit than can be treated in detail. To give you a general outline on places to visit, we have selected a few items, without pretending to be complete.
Museums
For those interested in museums, we have compiled a list of museums in Friesland (unfortunately, it only exists
in Dutch)
Lake trips
It is really worthwhile to take one of the many lake boat tours to see Friesland from the
water. It is also possible to make an IJssel lake trip to Amsterdam, Enkhuizen or Hoorn.
More ideas
Tourist boards are in the Netherlands called VVV. The head quarter in Friesland is
near the Central Railway station at Leeuwarden. See here for the list of Frisian VVV's . If you are outside our country, please
contact your local Tourist board.
Not surprisingly, there is an immense choice of activities in Friesland. You can find a
leaflet of what's on this week in most café's and bars. Local activities are often
published in local newspapers.
Films
In all of the bigger towns you will find one or more cinemas that present the most recent
movies.
Non-Dutch films are always subtitled, so you can see many films in English.
© Digital Region Friesland
Thanks to Steven Pemberton, Astrid Kerssens and Maarten Millaard.
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