Leeuwarden
Dive into Europe’s new Capital of Culture – in just 48 hours
CROWNED in January with much fanfare and ceremony, Leeuwarden is one of two European Capitals of Culture for 2018. Yet most people have never heard of the place, which is a pity because it has everything you could wish for – canals, quaint streets, cosy bars and a couple of stunning museums. It’s also the capital of the Dutch province of Friesland, which has its own language (Frisian) and a strong reputation for independence.
Unsurprisingly, Frisians are grabbing the opportunity to showcase Leeuwarden, with a string of events and exhibitions throughout the year, so now is a great time to visit. Here are my tips for spending a lazy weekend in the city… DAY ONE MORNING Your first stop is Wilhelminaplein, Leeuwarden’s most central square, where the Fries Museum has an excellent collection of Frisian artefacts and a section dedicated to the region’s spirited resistance to the Nazis during the war. And until April, there is a special exhibition on the life (and death) of First World War spy Mata Hari, who was born in Leeuwarden. She also has a statue dedicated to her next to one of the nearby canals.
It’s a short stroll from the museum to the city’s pretty Nieuwestad area, where you can browse in the shops before wandering along the attractive streets of the old town, exploring the independent shops and boutiques of St
Jacobsstraat and Kleine Kerkstraat. Pop into either the Zuivelhoeve or
House of Taste deli to stock up on delicious unpasteurised Frisian cheeses, local ales and more sausages than you can shake a stick at.
At lunchtime, enjoy a hot chocolate and uitsmijter (that’s ham and eggs to you and me) at the nearby Fire
Cafe, or else sink into one of the comfortable armchairs at Laura & De
Chef, where they do decent burgers and salads.
AFTERNOON
Noted Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher was born in the city’s
Princessehof, a grand 18th Century mansion that has since been transformed into a stunning ceramics museum. The museum has a breathtaking collection of Far East and Middle Eastern porcelain and contemporary works.
Across the square from the museum is the Pisa-like Oldehove, once the Netherlands’ tallest church tower. The building subsided in the 16th Century and has been a symbol of the town since. Round off the day with dinner at
Proefverlof, housed in a former prison, where you can choose to eat in a beautifully renovated industrial space – all girders and beams – or in one of the old cells. Follow this with a low-key bar-hop, taking in De Strolheod, Cafe de Spoek, an old rockers’ haunt, or Kelder 65.
DAY TWO MORNING
Be sure to visit the little museum in Hindeloopen, home to a display of the colourful painted furniture for which the town is renowned, before heading down to the harbour for lunch while gazing out over the still waters of the IJsselmeer. Alternatively, you could consider a trip up the coast to where artist Joop Mudder’s series of sculptures called Sense Of Place follow the dykes of the Wadden Sea. AFTERNOON Jump on the train to explore the nearby town of Franeker before heading back to Leeuwarden. Have dinner at the excellent and atmospheric Grand Cafe Tsjoch, housed in the Post Plaza
hotel, which used to be the city’s post office.