Cycling through Friesland's 11 Cities

Welcome to Leeuwarden, the lively capital of Friesland and the starting point of your cycling trip. Here you will quickly notice that the region differs from the rest of the Netherlands. Frisian is a language of its own, and the local culture has a strong identity that still shapes city life. Take the opportunity to stroll along the charming canals, sit down at a café or discover some of the city's many historic buildings before the cycling adventure begins in earnest the next morning.

Overnight stay in Leeuwarden

The first cycling day takes you through the typically Dutch landscape to the old Hanseatic town of Bolsward before you continue towards lively Sneek. The town is known for its canals and the famous 17th-century water gate, the Waterpoort. Be sure to try the local drabbelkoeken before the evening ends at one of the town's pleasant restaurants or cafés.

Overnight stay in Sneek 

Today you leave city life behind and cycle through Friesland's lake district, the largest continuous inland lake area in Western Europe. The landscape is dominated by water, open views and quiet country roads. Later you reach Gaasterland, an unexpectedly hilly and wooded area by the IJsselmeer with deciduous forests, winding streams and the famous Rode Klif with its far-reaching views.

Overnight stay in Stavoren

Today's stage offers several of Friesland's most characterful small towns. Hindeloopen attracts visitors with its narrow lanes, wooden bridges and colourful cultural history, while Workum is known for its ceramics craft. The day ends in Makkum, whose ceramics traditions stretch all the way back to the 16th century.

Overnight stay in Makkum

The route continues along the IJsselmeer to Franeker with its world-famous Eisinga Planetarium, the world's oldest working planetarium. After that, the port town of Harlingen awaits on the UNESCO-listed Wadden Sea. Stroll along the promenade and discover the town's many historic warehouses, canals and monuments.

Overnight stay in Harlingen or Franeker.

Today you follow the coast through the open polder landscape. Along the way you pass the characteristic terps – artificial mounds where people built their houses before dikes protected the land from the sea. The stage ends in the well-preserved fortress town of Dokkum, known for its moats and its long pilgrimage history.

Overnight stay in Dokkum

The last cycling day goes through the classic Frisian landscape of pastures, cows and canals. You pass the famous bridge in Bartlehiem, a well-known landmark of the Elfstedentocht, before returning to Leeuwarden. Here there is plenty of time to discover the city's more than 600 heritage sites, cosy shopping streets and the leaning Oldehove.

Overnight stay in Leeuwarden

After breakfast it is time to say goodbye to Friesland. You leave Leeuwarden with memories of a week filled with historic small towns, beautiful canals, expansive lakes and easy-to-cycle countryside. If you are travelling home via Amsterdam, we will gladly help you book a hotel so you can explore this wonderful cycling city.