We bid you a warm welcome to our unrivalled West Frisian sea port!
A visit to Harlingen is always worthwhile. The unique combination of maritime tradition and cultural heritage offers many activities and sights to enjoy. Versatility and warmth; these qualities sum up Harlingen. If you think you’d like to stay a bit longer in our beautiful town during the Harlingen Tall Ships Races Sail Experience, then book on time! It will be busy, that’s for sure!
Proud of Harlingen
Harlingers are proud of their town and not without reason. Harlingen is uniquely situated on the Wadden Sea – a Unesco World Heritage site. Its harbour has a fishing fleet all of its own which gives the town a special atmosphere of ‘big sky views and dreams of the sea’ which is so inextricably bound up with the shipping industry. Holidaymakers value Harlingen’s attractive inner harbour enormously and its so-called Bruine Vloot (Brown Fleet) is world-famous. Harlingen is also a regular port of call for the hundreds of people who take the ferry to visit the West Frisian Islands of Vlieland and Terschelling.
But let’s go inland, too! There isn’t another place in Europe that has so many carefully restored historic monuments on a comparable number of square meters. Harlingen’s jaunty warehouses and richly decorated mansions recall a lively trading history. Its canals and small bridges are reflections of the pride of Holland. There’s the sea, the sailing and the cultural heritage, but there’s also a bustling shopping centre, charming markets, original galleries, great restaurants and a lively brass band as well. Harlingen stands proud as “having it all”.