Oranjewoud: Parkland and Garden Art

Several themes at Oranjewoud raise different questions when planning a trip: Are you interested in garden art, classical music or a guided tour with a set programme? If you are looking for a hotel, the reason for your visit can provide a starting point. Especially if your trip is tied to a festival or guided tour, specific dates are part of the decision; if you are more interested in the gardens, you can focus on their historical and landscape features.

Garden Art and Parkland

The Overtuin is part of the Oranjewoud estate. It is home to old, monumental and unusual trees; many date back to the garden’s redesign in the English landscape style in the 19th century. For garden enthusiasts, these trees offer a tangible feature connected to the history of the design: here, the English landscape style is linked to the redesign of the estate.

Another garden-related destination is the Oranjestein estate. Lucas P. Roodbaard laid out its garden in the English landscape style in 1821; guided tours of the estate explain the park designed by Lucas P. Roodbaard. The shared English landscape style links the Overtuin and Oranjestein in terms of design, while Oranjestein can also be understood through its specific year of creation and the guided tours.

The museum café at Museum Belvédère offers panoramic views of the Oranjewoud estate, the former country residence of the House of Orange-Nassau. This view adds a named historical reference to the estate to the perspective on its trees and garden style, providing a different point of reference from the tours of Roodbaard’s park.

Culture and History

The Oranjewoud Festival is an annual classical music festival held in the Oranjewoud parkland area. The Het Oranjewoud park area has been designated a protected townscape since 2012. The festival and the designation reflect different interests: the festival is a recurring musical event, while the designation is a formal classification of the park area. If you are planning to travel for the festival, check the specific date in advance.

The “Aunt Marijke” experience route offers a biographical perspective. It explores the life of Maria Louise van Hessen-Kassel in Oranjewoud and her contribution to historic Friesland. Unlike a garden history, it focuses on a person and her historical contribution. This offers a distinct perspective if you are interested in biography and Frisian history.

Routes and Guided Tours

The Landgoedwandeling Oranjewoud trail follows the hiking junction network for most of its route. For visitors choosing between a hiking route and a guided tour with historical commentary, these are different considerations: the hiking junction network describes the route, while guided tours explain a park or a historical topic.

The Gidsenteam Heerenveen/Oranjewoud offers historical guided tours from March to October 2026. They take place either in the Oranjewoud parkland area or in the centre of Heerenveen. So the location is not the same for every tour; if you are planning to join one, check the specific dates and location of the tour before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Heerenveen, Oudeschoot.

Go to the main travel overview: Heerenveen.