At the foot of the Oldehove, the eye-catcher of Leeuwarden, I shake hands with Charlotte. An Austrian student who swapped metropolitan Vienna for village Leeuwarden and spontaneously fell in love with it. Village? Yes, because despite its more than 100,000 inhabitants, Leeuwarden feels friendly. With canals, historic buildings and cozy squares, it is a picture to behold, but it is the atmosphere that makes the difference.
However, Leeuwarden is not the only city in the Netherlands worth visiting. For instance, there's Enschede, a city that perfectly combines urban development with nature's comforts. Enschede is not that far from Leeuwarden and could be an interesting option to visit next on your city trips. Consider exploring these two cities in one go and experience diverse aspects of Dutch culture. If you plan to do so, don't worry about accommodation, as the Hotel deals in Enschede on www.hotels-in-netherlands.com might come in handy.
A cool Leeuwarden city trip
Charlotte, city guide at A Guide to Leeuwarden, is eager to show me the Leeuwarden she loves. We leave the main street and dive into seemingly random alleys that take me to places I would never have come to on my own. Around me, the most beautiful graffiti artworks pop up and suddenly I am standing on the Haniahof. What was once a slum has made way for artistic Leeuwarden, with a large pop stage, colourful studios and student housing.
Tsjoch!
With over 20,000 students, Leeuwarden can also rightly be called a student city. Per inhabitant, it even has the most events in the whole of the Netherlands. If there is no pop metal or cultural festival going on one weekend, there are always three local breweries to toast to. The most famous of these is Gruttepier, which you can enjoy in special beer café De Markies, near the Haniahof. For those who like something stronger, there is the Distillery Museum on Bagijnestraat. For 1.50 you get a look inside the old distillery as well as a tasting of Beerenburg. Yes, student prices are for everyone in Leeuwarden.
After Leeuwarden, I travelled on to Stavoren via the Elfsteden route. I discovered the most idyllic towns, tasted delicious regional dishes and went windsurfing on the IJsselmeer. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates as soon as those stories are online. Need some inspiration for a holiday in Friesland? You can do so on Friesland.nl!
The city tour is a must, because with every story Charlotte tells I start to love Leeuwarden more. Every Saturday, a free tour leaves from the Oldehove at 12:00 and every Friday at 15:00. For instance, she points out to me all sorts of references on the facades of the monumental buildings, where there is clearly no shortage of humour. Indeed, the city is full of history, but in some places just... nothing happened at all.
A Frisian oasis
Through the quiet side streets surrounding the city centre, we meander back to the Oldehove. But not without making a stop at the Sint Anthony Gasthuis. As the ice cream vendor cycles by old school with ringing bell, I suddenly find myself in a green oasis in the middle of the city. Aged Leeuwardeners line up en masse to live in this guest house, and not surprisingly so. Palace-worthy gardens enclose stately homes here and although you are not allowed to enter the grounds, it is really worth walking past it before re-entering the busy main street.
Back at the Oldehove, I say goodbye to Charlotte, but I am not leaving Leeuwarden yet. I remember all the reactions I got from those around me when I told them I was going on a city trip to Leeuwarden. "Leeuwarden, there's nothing to do there, is there? "Just a bit of shopping, surely, and off again soon?". I catch myself calculating how I can still visit all the places on my list in one afternoon. The city has surprised me and I haven't seen nearly enough of it.
Staying in Leeuwarden
Prove the cynics wrong. Leeuwarden deserves not just a day of your time, but actually an extra day. After all, there are also streets full of shops, beautiful canals and interesting museums. So add a night to your Leeuwarden city trip and make a great weekend of it. The city centre is teeming with special small-scale addresses, such as the monumental building of B&B De Olde Signori or the cool Retro room of hosts Mike and Leo in B&B Bij de Waagsbrug.
I visited Leeuwarden as part of a road trip through Friesland and slept just outside the city in a very special place. At Hotel Weidumerhout, you spend the night in unique hotel cubes, located in the middle of the meadow but equipped with every luxury. After a long day in Leeuwarden, I watched the sun slowly turn all shades of orange from my 'cube', with nothing around me but a few contented horses, a rabbit hopping by and a glimpse of Leeuwarden on the horizon.
Tower of Pisa?
I continue my citytrip Leeuwarden at the tower I have seen from the ground a few times now. The Oldehove, also known as the Frisian version of the Tower of Pisa, is famous and infamous in Leeuwarden. Its construction was started in 1529, but it would never be completed because construction errors caused the first tower to be crooked already. Climbing it you can, however, and apart from trouble with your balance, it gives you a great view over the whole city.
Once down, it is first time for lunch. On Wilhelminaplein, opposite the impressive Palace of Justice, the Friday market is displayed. I plop down on the nearby terrace of The Mayor of Naples. An Italian restaurant with a beautiful interior and a menu that will make both your stomach and wallet happy. Tip: even if you don't eat pizza, or are sitting outside in the sun like me, it's worth taking a look in the open kitchen and admiring the giant pizza oven.
Cell shopping
After lunch, I continue my way and let the canals guide me. It brings me to the beautiful Jacobijnerkerk, where you can also take a look inside every Saturday and in the summer months from Tuesday to Saturday. Time is ticking and before I leave the city I have one more must-see on my programme, namely the Blokhuispoort. Until 2007, it was inmates who walked in here through the imposing gate. Now the former prison is open to all and its 180 cells are home to all kinds of artists and entrepreneurs. From 'Eddies Knipcel' to an exhibition space and a beauty salon: wandering around the cell blocks you really feast your eyes. A unique concept that you should let sink in for a while in the accompanying Café 'De Bak'.
It is possible in Leeuwarden
It is possible in Leeuwarden, that tough city in the north. Get a haircut in De Bak and climb leaning towers. Spotting the most beautiful graffiti in hidden alleys and tasting Beerenburg for a euro. In Leeuwarden, there is a party every day of the week and a friendly hello on every street corner.