Friesland

What has been claimed for centuries is true: Friesland is different. Discover the uniqueness of this province. Explore the specialties Friesland has to offer: on the water with the wind in your hair and the sun in the sky; sailing on the numerous Frisian lakes. Friesland has many lakes and canals. It is ideal for sailing, canoeing or other water sports. The region is ideally suited to explore by boat because it’s one of Europe’s largest areas of inland lakes. Other than magnificent waterways, Friesland also offers amazing events on and around the water. These events are very nice to visit even if you do not like water sports. It is a pleasant experience along the beautiful routes, which take you to typical villages and towns, where you can wander around and enjoy delicious culinary delights. Regarding culinary experiences, Leeuwarden was the “Capital of Taste 2015”.

The province is famous for its speed skaters. When winters are cold enough to allow the freshwater canals to freeze hard, the province holds its traditional Elfstedentocht (Eleven cities tour), a 200-kilometer ice skating tour. However, it has been almost two decades since the winters have been cold enough for the canals to freeze enough to have this event.

The Dutch Wadden Sea Islands are the five pearls in the north of the Netherlands. You can literally leave everything behind you. Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog are easily accesible by boat. There, you can cycle endlessly through the dunes or walk along the beaches. The Wadden Sea is even on the Unesco World heritage list.

Did you know that Friesland has no fewer than four national parks? The Drents-Friese Wold National Park is best known for the Bald dunes, a unique sand dune area in the middle of the woods. At the Lauwersmeer National Park, you will experience the vastness, typical of the Frisian land. A plethora of cycling tracks and walking trails give you the opportunity to dive into nature.

Not only for tourists but Friesland can also be a special destination for (international) entrepreneurs. Friesland is famous for several industries. With the many waterways in Friesland, it is not surprising that water technology  is one of the industries. Other extensive companies, such as the milk powder company Ausnutria Hyproca in Heerenveen, Philips and BD Kiestra in Drachten, and Wetsus (the European centre of excellence for sustainable water technology), are situated in Friesland.

Friesland has something for everyone. Relax while enjoying the serene nature and the inspiring scenery. Experience the comfortable and relaxed atmosphere of Friesland.

Friesland works together with Groningen and Drenthe on an attractive and supportive ecosystem for startups and scale-ups. Founded in Friesland and Founded in Groningen together offer technology clusters and partners support from start to growth. With high-quality startup programmes, they provide knowledge, inspiration and connections with the right partners. Discover all about Founded in Friesland. Curious which startups and scale-ups are situated in the North? Check the landscape overview in Dealroom.

Inqubator Leeuwarden has supported over 200 entrepreneurs with their next step since it was founded in 2010. The Inqubator building in the heart of the capital city of Friesland provides an inspiring workplace, along with other ambitious entrepreneurs. Inqubator Leeuwarden supports startups with high quality coaching, a dynamic community, and access to the most relevant network partners in the northern Netherlands. The organization also acts as a facilitator for Startup Visa. They take care of a proper landing in the North and help with important business opportunities.