Fond of Vlieland. This fine Wadden Sea island really has everything for a successful weekend or midweek holiday in your own country. What is there to do on Vlieland? No shortage of beaches, of course, but Vlieland also has plenty of forest, special accommodation and cool activities. May this blog inspire you for a holiday on Vlieland.
If you are planning a weekend trip to the Wadden Islands, try to plan your visit outside the high season. By spreading out the crowds, we relieve the burden on nature and the local inhabitants and this way you can explore the island in peace and quiet. In spring or autumn, the Wadden Islands are at least as beautiful as in summer. Have you read Honeyguide Laura's blog yet? She went to Ameland for a weekend.
3x spend the night on Vlieland
During a holiday on Vlieland, you have plenty of accommodation options, whether you want to go back to basics or prefer a more luxurious stay.
1. Spend the night in a forest cottage
On the east side of the island, near the North Sea beach and yet among the trees in the forest, you will find eighteen forest cottages. These cosy cottages are designed according to the forest, resulting in some unique designs. A perfect place to unwind on Vlieland.
2. Camping on Vlieland
Is camping more your thing? At camping site de Lange Paal, you will fall asleep with the murmur of the sea as background music and be woken up by the birds. A beautiful campsite between the dunes and the forest.
3. Staying overnight in a hotel
Given the size of the island, everything is fairly central, but especially when you stay at Badhotel Bruin. This hotel is Vlieland's oldest hotel. The monumental building dates back to 1896. It certainly doesn't feel old. All rooms are equipped with comfort and there is even a wellness that you can use as a hotel guest.
Walking on Vlieland - Nature & culture
No matter where you spend your holiday on Vlieland, nature is always nearby. Whether you leave your tent and walk into the dunes, or leave the street of your hotel and explore the inland. Vlieland ís nature.
Sjoukje Mulder of Strunedeurdedune knows this like no other. In every season, she takes you strunking through the dunes or the woods of Vlieland. Sjoukje is a great nature lover and likes to share her knowledge about plants, mushrooms, butterflies and (Vlieland) natural phenomena with you during a nature walk. Did you know that mushrooms grow on the divide between the beach and the dunes?
More literary? Island poet Gerda Posthummes takes you around the island in a special way during the Slauerhoff tour. Along the 'glass plates' route, she will perform excerpts from the oeuvre of ship's doctor and poet Jan Jacob Slauerhoff. He spent a significant part of his youth on Vlieland, which had a great influence on his work. Gerda complements his fragments with her own work to form an inspiring story about Slauerhoff's life, his poetry and about island life.
4x Activities on Vlieland - Special experiences
What can you do on Vlieland apart from discovering the island on foot? Well, there are also cool (indoor) activities to experience. A fine option in less beautiful weather.
1. Visit Museum Tromp's Huys
Museum Tromp's Huys, for instance, is an interesting place to visit. The museum portrays Vlieland's impressive historical and maritime past. See, among other things, the collection of paintings, drawings and extensive photo and clock collection and learn more about Vlieland of the past (and present).
2. Make beach jute souvenirs
Fancy making your own art and contributing to a cleaner coast at the same time? With the Vlieland Hostess, you go onto the beach in search of everything the sea washes up. With these beach finds, you will make your own island souvenir.
3. Guided tour of Fortuna brewery
Something that was probably just as popular in the past as it is now is a beer in time. At Fortuna Vlieland, a guided tour will introduce you to Vlieland's sustainable beer brewery. Taste the Fortuna Vlieland beers and learn more about the role of sustainability in the brewing process.
4. Oyster picking
Vlielander Gerrit is a beachcomber and fisherman. He can tell you everything about the Wadden Sea, the tides and what is alive and edible. Go out with him to pick oysters in Vlieland. If you do like that, be sure to read this blog by Honeyguide Laura about oyster picking in the Netherlands.
3x Eating and drinking on Vlieland
There is also no shortage of fun hotspots on this Wadden island. These are three restaurants on Vlieland that I love to visit during my holiday.
1. Lunch at Koffiebar Leut
No holiday is complete without cake. At least, for me. At Koffiebar Leut, they bake it in their own oven. Here you drink the best fair trade coffee and, apart from cake, you can also enjoy a (mostly organic) breakfast or lunch. You can also pick up a picnic basket here to eat elsewhere on the island.
2. Beach pavilion East
And just as cake belongs to a holiday, a beach pavilion belongs to an island. Beach pavilion Oost is built from as many recycled materials as possible and is completely self-sufficient. Eat the catch of the day here or enjoy the sunset with a nice drink.
3. Dine at Restaurant Zuiver
When you sit down at Restaurant Zuiver, you get a plate full of honest, pure products straight from their own vegetable garden. Enjoy an artful five-course dinner on your plate. Discover what is in season and be surprised, because ordering a la carte is not possible here.
Hopefully, these tips have inspired you not to put off a holiday on Vlieland any longer. As far as I’m concerned, the Wadden Islands are the hidden gems of the Netherlands. So close, yet it feels as though you’re far away. That’s the magic of the island.
Will you let us know what you are going to do when you are on holiday on Vlieland? You can do so by posting on Instagram, tag us in your Vlieland snapshots or use #heyhoneyguide.
Love,
Yalou
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