Activities and events in and around Leeuwarden

Leeuwarden and its surroundings offer a diverse range of activities and events, making it a vibrant destination for visitors. Whether you're interested in exploring the historic city center, taking a boat tour, or experiencing local cultural festivals, there's something for everyone. With highlights such as guided city walks, markets, and nearby attractions like the Wadden Islands, visitors can enjoy both the rich culture and stunning nature of Friesland. Perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway, Leeuwarden guarantees a memorable experience for all.

24 hours in Leeuwarden

Explore Leeuwarden in a day. Wander through the charming streets of the historic center, experience Frisian culture, and be amazed. Enjoy all the beauty Leeuwarden offers. You'll see so much in just 24 hours!

48 hours in Leeuwarden

Let's be clear from the start: one day in Leeuwarden is never enough! To explore the best culinary spots, truly experience the city, and delve into its centuries of history, you’ll need to stay overnight! Even 48 hours might not suffice: if you agree, why not stay just one more day?

Meet Mata Hari and learn more about Friesland

Discover the Frisian in yourself at the Fries Museum! Here you will discover all about the eleven cities and the countryside, the love-hate relationship with water, famous Frisians as Mata Hari, the search for the typically Frisian and Friesland's place in the world.
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Meet Mata Hari and learn more about Friesland
Unique exhibition

The city palace in the historic city centre owes its name to the ancestress of our current royal family: Maria Louise of Hesse-Kassel, princess of Orange-Nassau. An intimate exhibition that gives an inside view of her eventful life. Through portraits, prints, drawings and an Orange family tree, it becomes clear that Maria Louise has been crucial in preserving the Orange Dynasty.
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Unique exhibition
High Tea, but with beer.

Grutte Pier Brewery takes its name from the heroic stories of Pier Gerlofs Donia, a freedom fighter and folk hero who protected Friesland from the Saxons and Dutch around 1517. After the raid on his farm, which the Saxons set on fire and in which his wife was killed, he transformed from a peaceful farmer into a legendary warrior. Thanks to his giant stature and superhuman strength, he was renamed Grutte Pier. A name that stands for strength, freedom, independence, reliability and pride. Just like the beer. These two faces of Grutte Pier, as peaceful farmer and pugnacious warrior, can be recognised in their label.
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High Tea, but with beer.

Island: Ameland
Island: Ameland

Ameland never fails to impress. With its four charming villages and two breathtaking nature reserves, it is the perfect destination in any season. If you're curious about what the Netherlands might look like after the energy transition, Ameland offers a glimpse into the future. The island is leading the way among the Wadden Islands in its ambition to become entirely self-sufficient in water and electricity.

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National Park de Alde Feanen
National Park de Alde Feanen

De Alde Feanen is one of the Netherlands' twenty National Parks, and for good reason. This distinctive area is abundant in both natural beauty and cultural heritage, shaped by the historical peat excavations that once took place here.

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Island: Terschelling
Island: Terschelling

From the boat, you'll witness the Netherlands' only natural bay and soon reach the only port located entirely within a nature reserve (Natura 2000). And you haven't even set foot on land yet. Terschelling boasts stunning landscapes and a wealth of cultural heritage, but it's the blend of both that makes it truly special. Highlights include the vast bunker complex hidden beneath the Hoge Duin, the shipwreck house on the Boschplaat, and, of course, the renowned local theatre festival, Oerol.

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