Hindeloopen is a small but quiet city in the southwest of Friesland. It is a very popular place for water sports and activities because it lies against the IJsselmeer: a great lake in the middle of the Netherlands. In the early days Hindeloopen was a very important trading place. That’s why in 1225 it received city rights despite the few inhabitants. In this century many ships left via the Zuiderzee to earn their living with trading. The skippers arrived with boats full of gin and sold it for wool slippers. This has been an important step for this city that still can be seen in everything aound this place.
Now in these days there live around 950 residents in Hindeloopen. That makes that this city is, after Sloten, the smallest city in Friesland. Although it seems more like a village due to the small number of inhabitants, it really is a city. If they speak the Frisian language then you can hear a strongly deviant accent called Hindeloopers. This dialect is distinguished by the medieval vowels. Hindeloopen by itself is a real port city so boats are still fully used on everyday basis.
Sightseeing in Hindeloopen
As you may have read, Hindeloopen is a shipping village. This means that even today shipping is still very important. Still located on the banks of the IJsselmeer you see many ancient traditions. Some examples of these are the sailor songs that you occasionally hear at parties. There are also many monuments to be found in and around this city. Hindeloopen has been named by the Japanese tourist association as one of the thirty most beautiful villages in Europe. Quite funny actually, since it really is a city and not a village but even this mistake indicates what value this city has. Hindeloopen is simply a place that you really should visit sometime.
Walking along the beautiful canals, visit the museum in Hindeloopen or enjoying the nature around it. In every season there is more than enough to do in this region. But also the lake called IJsselmeer is definitely worth discovering. Rent a boat or sail with a sailboat. That’s how you can see a picture of the Netherlands in a completely different way. And at the same time you see Hindeloopen at its best, from the waterside where this city originates from.
Activities in Hindeloopen
The weather in Hindeloopen is a little bit colder than in other places around it. This is because it’s location is on the side of the lake. As a result of this location the cold water wind blows faster over this land. The lake provides also more rainfall in this area. It is therefore possible that when you visit this place it is dry in The Netherlands while it rains a lot in this city.
This place is of course more beautiful when you have warm and nice weather, but also with rainy days it can be a great visit. For example consider a breath of fresh air in a storm on the dikes. Or simply enjoying it without all the tourist crowds. Also are there enough opportunities to discover it from the inside. So are there a few museums you can visit. But you can also try out the local seafood restaurant for a great meal with fresh fish.