Discover Leeuwarden: culture, museums and canals

Leeuwarden brings together historic buildings, museums and experiences on the water. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in the city, you can shape your trip around the themes that interest you most: the city’s history, collections, interactive nature experiences or a cruise through canals and Singels. The city’s green spaces and surrounding area offer other points of interest too. This makes it possible to explore Leeuwarden through a range of different interests.

Historic sites and finding your way around

The Oldehove in Leeuwarden is over 39 metres tall, or 48 metres including its upper section. At the foot of the tower, at Heer Ivostraatje 1, you will find the Leeuwarden Visitor Center. There you can get the latest tourist information and tailored tips on places, events and activities in the city and region. It is a practical place to start if you want to plan your visit around several interests. Another historic stop is the Blokhuispoort: the building was once a prison and was built in 1593. The tower and former prison highlight different aspects of the city’s history.

Museums with different focuses

The National Ceramics Museum at the Princessehof displays rare imperial Chinese porcelain, Art Nouveau ceramics and Delftware. The building also has a biographical connection: M. C. Escher was born in 1898 in the building that houses the Princessehof. The collections and connection to Escher’s birthplace thus offer two specific reasons to visit.

The Fries Museum offers exhibitions, workshops and insights into the work of artists in residence. The Natuurmuseum Fryslân offers a different kind of experience: this interactive museum spans four floors. Visitors discover animals and plants and can take part in activities, experiments and games. The Historic Centre Leeuwarden makes historical documents from the Middle Ages to the present day accessible. The offerings therefore differ in how you can engage with their subject matter: through collections and exhibitions, hands-on activities or historical documents.

Exploring the city on foot or by water

The Stichting Praamvaren Leeuwarden runs sightseeing and group cruises on electrically powered prams through the city’s canals and Singels. A skipper and guide are on board for every trip. A walking tour in Leeuwarden is about 1.5 kilometres long. This gives you two different ways to consider exploring the city: the cruise focuses on the waterways, while the approximate length of the walking tour gives you an idea of the distance on foot. If you would like to get to know the city through its waterways, the cruise is a distinct option; for a walking tour, the stated distance is a useful guide to the route’s length.

Green spaces in the city and surrounding area

The area around Leeuwarden offers wide-open views, quiet roads and high-quality cycle paths. This is a different focus from museums and historic buildings: here, the landscape and routes shape the experience. If you do not want to choose your stay based solely on cultural attractions, you can take these features of the surroundings into account.

In the heart of Leeuwarden, the Prinsentuin offers residents and visitors a peaceful green oasis. The park was laid out by Prince Frederick of Nassau in commemoration of the Eighty Years’ War. Its role as a green space in the city centre is thus linked to a clearly stated historical origin. The Prinsentuin offers a different perspective on Leeuwarden from its collections and buildings: a peaceful urban space whose origins are also part of the city’s history.

Discover more destinations

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