Frisian festival: Leeuwarden here we come!
Because Friesland - on spec or planned well in advance - is always a good idea. Because Leeuwarden is part of the total package when visiting the Frisian province. And because we experienced an unprecedented TOP weekend where it was not possible to choose a favorite moment. Tackling Leeuwarden? This is how you do it:
A new favorite among all Ljouwerts and far beyond in the city Steak. Stek is located in a beautiful old bridge keeper's house across the street from the park (the Noorder Plantation - also nice!). Anyway, you'll probably come across it automatically, because the house is simply strikingly beautiful there on the waterfront. You want to go, just like a lot of other people, so it is busy there. Especially when the sun is shining, and we understand that. Then getting up and making room for your fellow man is difficult. Although that is not necessary: you can join us all day long. From breakfast to lunch and ending the day with a delicious dinner at the exact same table. And the food is also delicious: wraps with avocado and a delicious apple nut cake that you want to take home.
Between about twelve and three o'clock the hunger clap sounds. The tasty appetite. In Leeuwarden you will – sooner or later – find it at the address of Conscious sandwich. A mega menu is ready for you to enjoy, including plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Even a vegan yogurt with chocolate smoothie is worth trying (tested and approved). Broodje Bewust is in its entirety worth trying. And don't let the name fool you: here you can eat delicious, guilt-free organic delicacies, also gluten-free. A little love for people, nature and the general wildlife is the core of Broodje Bewust. That's why. A conscious sandwich. Ah. And, also the Hand made sweet cookies are even tastier than you hope they will be. Vegan, vegan or not: Broodje Bewust is an excellent choice. Especially when the sun is shining and you claim a table on the forever sun-drenched terrace (on the bridge: it's fun watching boats!).
Sí sí, a little bit of Italy in Leeuwarden. Discover Leeuwarden from the water with a real gondola (yes, all the way over from Venice). Romantic? Yes! But also great fun with La Familia. Floating around the city in the typical waterway on a beautiful sunny day is exactly what a weekend trip to Leeuwarden needs. We throw in a 1 plus 1 equals two: Friesland and water, the two are inextricably linked and that excludes the real Italian – false – notes. Friday, Saturday and, if you really insist, maybe Sunday too. Although that turns out fine, because the gondola has a nice story attached to it. Gondola through Leeuwarden is no punishment.
We hardly dare to say it too loudly, but the city tour through Leeuwarden is a great Leeuwarden tip. We know all about: in Amsterdam we always laugh a little too hard when we see a guide with an umbrella in the air as a landmark or we are more than happy to swear when we tirelessly end up behind a horde of walking tourists. But Leeuwarden took a turn on us. That is entirely to blame A guide to Leeuwarden, where a team of 9 men (/women) are so incredibly enthusiastic about the city that we don't want to leave after an hour and a half of strolling. That has everything to do with the concept behind the guides. This is how it works: people register in advance to join the walk (which is useful if there is no interest on the day in question, but there always is), then the kick-off of the walk is under the shadow of the Oldenhove - our Pisa's own tower – and be amazed by things you really (really) didn't know about the city. And not only history facts, but also fun facts and special works of art that you would otherwise not have passed by are discussed in detail. Of course, we won't reveal exactly what that is...
And then, when the tour has really come to an end, you decide for yourself what kind of contribution you want to make: whether you enjoy the walk enough to donate an amount (to be filled in yourself) in return. Why is that so much fun? Especially because the guide does his best and is looking forward to it. We in turn find it extra fun.
What is also not a punishment is your dinner at Probationary Leave. Whatever you do, be sure to visit Blokhuispoort. This former prison was renovated at the beginning of 2018 and has since housed the wonderful restaurant including an incredibly nice terrace on or actually practically on the water, which - if you are on a boat - can mean mooring. Even if it is just for a short while, the trial leave is fun, the people are very nice and we think it is more than worth the hour and a half drive (from 020). For example, try the salmon tataki as a starter and order it again. And again. Never enough.
Where we fell into one surprise after another, so beautiful and everything is about wonder and fools. The historic estate Park Vijversburg, a small distance from the city center of Leeuwarden, is unfortunately too beautiful to remember from anyone else. Especially fun with the kids, and –be prepared– it almost makes you a child again. Endless winding paths and hiding places, new discoveries around every corner. A real water labyrinth (personal favorite), hidden bridges, countless ponds and beautiful works of art. The latter in particular is what makes Park Vijversburg (not to be confused with a forest) so special. Works of art in the form of tree houses, hammocks, climbing towers and designed by big names from, we name it, Japan or even New Zealand. Everything to introduce the offspring to art in a playful way.
Wandering paths so that the kids unconsciously run and frolic and every season nature transforms the park. Wildflowers in the spring and cooling shade trees as natural parasols in the summer change into the most beautiful autumn colors of the fall. And under a layer of snow, the park may seem even more fairytale-like than it already does (also fun: more than enough sledding hills for the kids to slide down). Anyway, a visit to the Leeuwarden area is no longer possible without a pit stop at the park. Please note: entrance is not completely free, all year round you pay a minimal amount of €2,50. Which we understand, otherwise the park would never have been as well maintained as it is now.
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Leeuwarden has a handful of fantastically fun concept shops that deserve a browse every visit to the Frisian city. Concept store Nørd for example, has been a favorite for a long time and not least because it is a shop & coffee bar (one where shopping and drinking coffee is good. Really good), but also because of the beautiful green overgrown wall with handsome hanging, standing and all kinds of other types of plants. And all this supplemented with well-known brands and new labels yet to be discovered. We like.
And also House of Colour is one of those – perfectly located: between Conceptstore Nørd and Broodje Bewust, easy to combine during a day trip/weekend in Leeuwarden). Here they sell the Madam Stoltz and HK Living, you understand such a concept store, from the city. Cushions, tableware, candlesticks. Leaving empty-handed is difficult.
Museums? Save it for a rainy day? Well, museum visits are always possible. Provided they are worth it and luckily Leeuwarden has at least two highly recommended places. It Keramiekmuseum Princessehof is always a good plan. Not least because of the beautiful building with the handsome courtyard, but also because of the special entrance and the old room of Princess Maria Louise (yes really, Maria Louise as in the Princess of Orange-Nassau). Visit the special exhibition 'Sunken Treasures' until August 30 and admire the most beautiful objects rescued from the wild seven seas. A whole lot of porcelain, pieces of shipwreck and more from the depths of the sea, in short: the secrets of the Maritime Silk Road. Also a must, when in Friesland, it is Fries Museum. Here you will learn all about how Friesland and Leeuwarden came into being, discover the Frisian resistance museum and admire a different exhibition with every visit. We visited Other Worldly where worldly artists artistically exhibit the underwater world and discuss pollution and drowned refugees. As you walk past all the works of art, you are slowly transported to another world under water.
Enjoying culture in Leeuwarden, or the whole of Friesland, for that matter, we would like to consult the real one culture connoisseurs. Benefit from it for your own benefit.
The best beds are available in Friesland Post Plaza. After all, you have to sleep and fortunately it is possible in Leeuwarden. And let it be in the former post office. It is beautiful there. A handsome building from the outside, with a great terrace in front of the entrance, and even more beautiful things to look at from the inside. And all that is covered in beautiful licks of paint, supplemented with accents from the time when postal workers still walked around. Extra bonus points: Post Plaza is also damn well located (within a minute's walk you are in the shopping streets of the center) and has a wonderful Grand Café where you always make a good choice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And psst: we were even told that there is a beauty wing (massages!), although a visit to Leeuwarden is much more fun to explore outside the hotel. But that's our opinion.
We visited Leeuwarden on the recommendation (and with tips!) of the people from Visit Friesland. You should do it too... Just take a look at the website Friesland.nl shows you why: so much to discover!
