The Wadden Islands

The Dutch Wadden Islands are a separate island stay, not a string of easy stops on a coastal drive. Choose one for two or three nights to enjoy beaches, dunes and cycling. The ferry port and the rules for bringing a car differ by island.

Choose one island first

• Texel is reached from Den Helder and offers several villages with different kinds of accommodation.
• Vlieland is reached from Harlingen. Visitors generally leave their cars on the mainland.
• Terschelling also has ferries from Harlingen and is a different island stay, not a neighborhood of Vlieland.
• Ameland has its mainland ferry connection at Holwert.
• Schiermonnikoog is reached from Lauwersoog and is another choice for a stay without a visitor car.

The crossing changes the shape of a travel day

Count the journey to the ferry, the crossing and the trip to your accommodation as one complete transfer. Two nights on an island give you a full day between arrival and departure; three nights give you more room for the weather and a slower pace.

Give the north enough time

Leeuwarden and Groningen can be parts of a northern route, but neither replaces choosing the correct ferry port. If your trip is a short first visit centered on Amsterdam, the western Netherlands itinerary is a simpler starting point. Add an island when it can be a proper part of the holiday.

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