The beautiful island Vlieland in the Netherlands. We had a great weekend escape.
I came to the conclusion that I never visited one the beautiful islands in the Northern part of the Netherlands. Each of the five islands of the Wadden Sea (Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog) have their own atmosphere and character. We choose to visit Vlieland, as cars are not allowed on the island and we wanted a peaceful weekend with lots of slow travelling. Ready to read my tips about Vlieland?
What to do in Vlieland
Rent a bike! Everyone, I mean everyone, rents a bike to tour around Vlieland island. You simply can not miss the many shops that rent them out. You can go for normal bikes, tandems or, if you go with little ones, you can rent a famous Dutch cargo bike.
Vliehors Express - Take a tour with the Vliehors Expres and visit the Sahara of the North. The truck brings you all the way to the western tip of the island (where you otherwise can’t go). You can spot beautiful birds and seals and visit ‘het Reddingshuisje’. Sometimes you can even see the island Texel on the horizon.
Only a five minute walk from the ferry is the only village of the island, Oost Vlieland. The Dorpsstraat is the main street where you'll find a few boutique shops, bars restaurants and hotels.
Where to eat in Vlieland
Restaurant Zuiver - If you do one thing, book dinner at this amazing restaurant for a delicious five course surprise menu with pairing wines. Excellent choice, especially if you have dietary requirements. zuiver-vlieland.nl
Leut koffiebar and logies - The best breakfast place on the island is Leut Koffiebar. Great for lunch or just a coffee and cake too. Lots of vegetarian dishes. If you want you can book a room upstairs. leutvlieland.nl
Beachclub 't Badhuys - Probably the most beautiful beach club of the island. 't Badhuys is a perfect place for a relaxing afternoon with a glass of wine and a book. badhuys.com
Beachclub Oost - One of the few beach clubs on the island. Oost is tiny but has a nice atmosphere and a great fish platter to share. oostvlie.nl
Bistro 't Praethuys - Cosy cafe-restaurant on the main high street; the Dorpsstraat. Great choice for pub food and a pint of beer. westcordhotels.com/restaurants/praethuys
Hotel, Cafe and Restaurant Posthuys - You find Posthuys on the other side of the island, a great place for lunch, coffee or a drink when cycling around the Vlieland. posthuysvlieland.nl
Restaurant 'Het Armhuis' - A fine dining restaurant located in a previous home for homeless and poor people. armhuis.com
How to get to Vlieland?
To get into Vlieland, you'll have to take the ferry from Harlingen. The average travel time for this route is 1½ hour for the normal ferry or 45 minutes for the fast service. The ferry goes 365 days a year. Book your ferry to Vlieland with Rederij Doeksen
Cars are not allowed on Vlieland. Best to reserve a parking spot on one of the many parking areas in Harlingen from where you take the boat to the island.
Vlieland gets busy with tourists during peak season. Hotels and Bed & Breakfasts are very popular on the island. There is also a camping and a Landal Greenparks holiday home park with cute little cottages if you want to stay a little bit longer. Just make sure to book your accommodation in advance.
Want to know more about Vlieland
Visit the official website of VVV Vlieland
More information about the Wadden Sea islands
Reading Books about The Wadden Islands
Eilandgasten by Vonne van der Meer