A trip to Friesland leads to a region that is known far beyond the country's borders as one of the most beautiful provinces in Holland. The interplay of forests and lakes in the Gaasterland, the Ijsselmeer coast and the offshore Wadden Islands is the reason for the high number of visitors. Water sports enthusiasts indulge their passion on countless lakes and set sail - mostly with their own boats - on the Ijsselmeer. Numerous small, dreamy villages entice visitors with their Dutch culture and culinary delights, all of which are connected by waterways, cycle paths and hiking trails. Whether you are travelling by boat or by bike, Friesland is always worth a visit.

Friesland, the largest of the twelve Dutch provinces, has a long coastline with the North Sea. Off the coast are the Wadden Islands of Ameland, Schiermonnikoog, Terschelling and Vlieland, which are just as popular with tourists as the Frisian mainland and are ideal for both family and active holidays. Increasingly popular and highly recommended is renting a house by the water or exploring Friesland by chartered boat. The whole of Friesland combines more than 30 smaller, but also larger lakes. From the Tjeukemeer to the Heegermeer and the Sneekermeer - the waters are connected by a dense network of rivers and canals. Especially during the warm season, skippers conquer the land to explore the regions protected from wind and weather on small and larger sailing boats and houseboats. You can rent houseboats and sailboats everywhere - even traditional flat-bottomed vessels. So it's no surprise that Friesland is also home to exceptional traditional water sports that are completely unknown to most out-of-towners. Take part in lectern pole jumping: a kind of pole long jump over the moat. Equally unknown is kaatsen. This ball game involves several teams of three competing for victory. In winter, ice skating is trendy and inseparable from Dutch culture: no event conveys a better image of this than the "Elfstedentocht". The race through the eleven Frisian towns is held on 200 km of frozen canals. Similar sporting-cultural events take place in the summer half-year, such as the folk cycling race through the eleven towns or SUP11, where stand-up paddlers follow the tracks of ice skaters in 5 days.

In addition to the wide range of water sports, Friesland leaves nothing to be desired for cyclists. Cyclists always have the right of way in Holland - also in Friesland. The network of cycle paths is dense and well signposted. Ameland, for example, has a network of cycle paths over 90 kilometres long. The view of the beach and the wide sea from the dunes or the ride on a bike through evergreen forests cannot be afforded with any money in the world.

If, on the other hand, you prefer a place where you can stay by the water and enjoy all the other amenities, we recommend one of the many holiday parks. De Kuilart near Koudum or the Bodelaeke water resort not far from Giethorn.

Those interested in culture will find a multitude of sights, museums and culinary highlights in Friesland. The picturesque Giethorn, also known as the Dutch Venice, is famous for its canals, small wooden walkways and bridges. You can also explore the dreamy village from the water in small electric boats.

The charming provincial capital of Leeuwarden, on the other hand, enchants with a city centre worth seeing that is criss-crossed by several canals. The Oldehoven Toren - the town's landmark - is not called the "Frisian Tower of Pisa" without reason. Once visitors have climbed the 40-metre-high leaning tower, a spectacular view awaits them. In the frieze museum, a colourful smorgasbord of archaeological relics, silverware and unusual textile works awaits those interested. Be sure to stop here at the "Pannekoekschip", a former historic two-masted clipper. The ambience is stunning and it makes the pancakes taste just that little bit better!

Sneek - the second largest town in Friesland - lies in the heart of the Frisian Lake District. Sneek's town hall shines with a rococo façade, unusual for this region, and a photogenic water gate including a small tower. This 17th-century gate was part of a larger defence system, and today it is Sneek's landmark.

Small but nice is the Frisian town of Sloten. If there is a town that lends itself to a postcard motif, it is Sloten. Although it is the smallest of the 11 towns in Friesland - and indeed in the world - Sloten offers visitors a wealth of idyllic canals and historic buildings to admire. In the fortified town you will find numerous winding alleys with cosy terrace cafés, pubs, two locks worth seeing and an interesting museum. Housed in the former town hall, the Mueseum Stedhûs Sleat tells the fascinating story of Sloten through a multimedia presentation and exhibits, while in the 'Vertrekzaal' an impressive replica of the town map by Dutch cartographer Nicolaas van Geelkerken from 1616 adorns the curved wall.

The little town of Hindeloopen seems to speak the language of flowers - or so one might think on a tour of the town. Fantastically beautiful furniture decorated with flower paintings can be found everywhere in Hindeloopen. The lovingly constructed wooden bridges are unique in this Frisian seafaring town, set between the beautifully decorated houses and narrow streets, offering visitors a perfectly preserved insight into the traditional life of the Frisians. With its elaborate labyrinth of old alleys, canals and wooden bridges, the old town of Hindeloopen is a real pleasure to explore on foot or by bike.

Finally, Dokkum is also worth mentioning, one of the most beautiful eleven Frisian towns. The centre of the fortified town with its stepped gables, canals and bulwarks still exudes a historic atmosphere. Dokkum, with its cosy cafés, restaurants and shops in old buildings, surrounded by enchanting nature, is definitely worth a visit. Shop in cosy little boutiques, exclusive clothing shops and special interior design shops in the historic centre. Finish off your shopping afternoon with a "Dokkumer koffie", a cup of coffee with a dash of Beerenburg and whipped cream. A bottle of Beerenburg is also a great gift for your loved ones at home, as the famous Frisian herbal liqueur originates from Dokkum. Proost!