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Municipality in Friesland, Netherlands
Photo: Mic B, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Vlieland (West Frisian: Flylân) is the second of the West Frisian Islands in the Netherlands, being located between Texel and Terschelling. It is wonderfully peaceful and natural, as it is car-free, except for a few permitted vehicles of locals. After Schiermonnikoog, it is the most thinly populated island of the bunch.
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This is the oldest building of the island, originating shortly after 1575 and since the 1950s home to this little museum. It has a collection of art works on display, mostly from the hand of local artist Betzy Akersloot-Berg, who was Nordic by birth but lived in this house from the end of the 19th century. The museum also has a range of silver works, photos, clocks, sea charts, model ships, on top of ample information about the island's history, and some of its notable inhabitants with most notably Willem de Vlamingh, a 17th-century explorer who mapped a lot of Perth and its surrounding bays.
Successor to a chapel that would have existed since at least 1245, the church of Vlieland has a distinct architecture setting it apart from its counterparts on the mainland. Its name, however, it only received upon the 350-year anniversary of the building in its current state (1997).
Without a doubt the landmark of Vlieland. Vuurduin (meaning fire-dune) was constructed in 1876 as the lower lighthouse of IJmuiden. Its three top-most floors were however deconstructed and rebuilt on Vlieland, functioning as the island's lighthouse since. Due to its location atop the Vuurboetsduin, one of the Netherlands' highest dunes, the lighthouse itself only measures in at 16.8 m. The lighthouse, originally designed by Quirinus Harder, who pioneered cast iron lighthouses in the Netherlands, is entirely automated these days, and is open to visitors under supervision of a lighthouse keeper during irregular times that are announced on the website of VVV Vlieland (look for 'Bezichtinging Vuurtoren').
A guided off-road bus tour, taking two hours, and travelling across the Vliehors sandflats on the western end of the island. For those without sea legs, this is the best method to see seals on the island that does not include boarding a boat. Tickets can be bought online, or in person at Parfumpaviljoen (Dorpsstraat 73).
Pulling some 6000 people onto the island of 1250, Into The Great Wide Open is a four-day festival held in the first days of September. The organisation annually invites an artist to stay on the island as an artist-in-residence before the festival starts, and to produce new work on the island, which gets presented during the festival. The festival as a whole, which is named after a Tom Petty album, appeals most to the culture-lover who seeks more depth, tranquillity, nature and diversity. Event venues are spread all over the island.
Everyone loves a pancake, and this is the local place to go when you're looking to get one. Their speciality, however, are the typical Dutch "poffertjes", fluffy mini-pancakes served with sugar.
This modern restaurant gets good reviews, both for food and service. They have a love for regional, biological produce and modern twists for traditional dishes. In high season, they also serve lunch. It's best to make reservations in advance.
It was built as a service station of sorts for postmen working for the private postage company serving the post route between Amsterdam (where ship-owners lived and the country's economic heartland was), and Texel (where a lot of sea-faring ships moored as the Zuiderzee was difficult to navigate for its shallow waters). The route was extended onto Vlieland and neighbouring Terschelling in 1778, at which point this house was built. This private postage route was in operation until 1927, after which it served as a farmhouse and coast guard outpost. Nowadays, it houses a restaurant that serves anything from pancakes and hamburgers to exclusive wines and plentiful fish and meat-based dishes.
One of the better restaurants in town, and the closest thing to fine dining. Good service, nice food and a proper restaurant-style atmosphere. If you're looking for a romantic evening, try their private dining rooms. Make sure to call ahead though, especially in high-season, as this place fills up quickly.
This large, 4-star hotel belongs to the Westcord chain and offers a good range of facilities, including free WiFi and a wellness area. It sits right on the beach, less than a kilometre from the village centre. Most rooms have lovely views.
A very popular and nice place: in the dunes, very close to the sea
The cheapest rental company, though its one location is a 10-minute walk into town. Their cheaper rates, however, might convince you to make that walk though.
Located right across the street from the ferry terminal (with also a dependency in the marina), Jan van Vlieland is likely the first rental agency you'll come across, as well as its top-rated one.
Also located by both the ferry terminal and marina, though not all bicycles can seemingly be obtained from their dependency in the marina.
The age-old bakery of Vlieland, now owned by the third generation of the same family of bakers. They offer some local specialities that you won't necessarily find in supermarkets, including Vlielandse duimpjes (butter biscuits), Vliedûntje (currant bread dough), Juthout (layered currant bread) and Vlielands suikerbrood (traditional sugar bread).
Where traditionally a lot of the good booze on the island would wash up on the beach's surf from seagoing vessels, nowadays, a specialist liquor store makes obtaining alcohol a lot less cumbersome than patrolling the beaches. De Branding (which fittingly means "the surf"), offers a range of six French wines from the Pays d'Oc which have been specially selected and bottled for the island. Other specialities feature the Vlielander Kruidenbitter (gin), a "Wadka" (soft vodka) and a range of several liquors. All of this, of course, in addition to the regular offerings of any other liquor store.
If desired, the store offers delivery of orders to vacation homes on the island, which can be arranged for using the assortment list on their website, and by contacting them by calling or mailing.
Although it is classified as a drug store, the warenhuis (translating both as "department store" and "warehouse") is a bit of an everything-shop. Outside of the expected, they offer clothes and other textiles, household items, toys, beach wares, gifts and souvenirs. If you need something on a whim, this would be the place to look.
By car
As mentioned above, private cars cannot be brought onto the island. This section therefore details directions to the ferry terminal in Harlingen.
By public transit
All direct trains to Harlingen go via Leeuwarden.35 for second class (as of Aug 2024). As this is a regional service, upgrading to first class for this journey has no real benefits.
By boat
Vlieland has a single harbour for private boats: The Waddenhaven.53 during the winter as of Aug 2024) per square metre of space your vessel occupies.
From other Wadden Islands
If you happen to be on Terschelling, there are a few daily ferries between the two islands, also operated by the Rederij Doeksen.
Public transit
Public transit on Vlieland really isn't that difficult to wrap your head around, as there simply is just one bus line.
Bike rental
There are three bike rental companies active on Vlieland.
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