Top 10 Insta-worthy Spots for Teens in Land in Friesland

A fountain that’s always cold and often even covered with a layer of snow—but always chill. No day is the same, so you’ll always capture a unique shot. You’ll find it at the Markt in Dokkum.

This quirky little bridge looks friendly enough, so you might wonder what’s so special about it. Well, it used to be a grandstand! The people of Dokkum would gather here to watch the public hangings of pirates and other scoundrels. Back then, it was quite the spectacle—and free to watch! It always drew a big crowd. They even once broke through the bridge! Will you create your own story or use the tale that comes with it?

PS: If you’re in Dokkum anyway, don’t forget to take your parents shopping and to a terrace. Definitely set aside an afternoon to explore Dokkum and these spots. Bet you’ll want to come back again!

You can try pole vaulting yourself in the Fierljeppolder. No need to explain—it’s fun and usually hilarious! Make sure your smartphone is fully charged and record everything, because before you know it, you might miss an amazing moment!

You’ll find the Fierljeppolder in Noardburgum.

A selfie was pretty tricky in past centuries, but the noble youth back then simply had their portraits painted. They also enjoyed a kind of vacation in Friesland, at their parents’ country estates. These historic manors and stinsen make the perfect backdrop for your selfie.

Depending on which estate you choose, you can easily spend half an hour wandering through the parks, forests, and gardens, and snap your best portrait in front of the house.

At low tide, you can see it, the Wreck of Wierum. It’s been there for about 70 to 75 years, and you can actually walk out to it. Just be sure to watch the tides carefully so you don’t get into trouble. Here you can check the tide times for Wierum.

Wierum itself is a small village with protected status, which basically means it’s an amazing film set. Feeling inspired yet?

Including the walk to the wreck, you’ll spend about an hour and a half.

What? Yep, this one can’t be missing from your timeline and is quickly gaining popularity. So you better be ahead of the curve, right? These 5-meter-tall statues stand on the dike near Holwerd and are called “Waiting for High Water.” They haven’t been there long, and even your parents will feel like kids next to them.

You’ll spend about 15 minutes here, but if you combine it with a drive along the coast visiting several other spots, you’re looking at around 3 hours including stops. You can find this “Sense of Place” route here.

A thousand-year-old mound in the flat Waddenland. With a church and a few houses, full of little discoveries. Definitely one for the “must be there, done this, check” category.

The climb with a “teen-friendly” loop around the church takes about 20 minutes. Great as a stop along the way or as part of a cycling and picnic trip.

Stand in the spot where, in 2006, 150 horses were almost drowned before being rescued by six Amazons who cleverly used the horses’ herd instincts. You can read the story here, and the artwork along the walking route almost brings it back to life. It’s a special place where you can snap a unique photo too.

You can park at Oazingaloane 1, Marrum—easy to spot thanks to the “Dike Temple” (which you’ll definitely want to add to your gallery).

If you take the walk, you’ll score points with your parents…and it’s fun too! Set aside about one to one and a half hours for this Insta-spot. It’s also great to combine with other places from this Top 10.

Alright, you didn’t experience the real Elfstedentocht. Maybe you think all the talk about it is a bit much, or maybe you’re a skater yourself and would love to skate it someday—if it ever gets cold enough again. The fact is, it’s the Tour of all tours and has always been an amazing event.

This artwork—which is actually the bridge—is definitely one that can’t be missing from your gallery. Thousands of tiles with participating skaters form a huge mosaic. And… some famous faces are in there! There’s plenty to discover, and it’s also a fun way to test your parents’ Elfstedentocht knowledge. Your challenge: snap a photo that looks like you’re skating underneath it.

You won’t spend more than about 15 minutes here, unless you visit it during a cycling Elfstedentocht or another route. Still, it’s worth the detour. A historic spot on a winding country road. The Elfstedentocht monument is on Google Maps—you’ll find the bridge on Cantermansweg just outside Gytsjerk.

Swimming the Elfstedentocht is quite the challenge. Maarten van der Weijden narrowly missed completing his first record attempt in 2018. But the footage went viral worldwide, especially since he swam to raise money for cancer research. He captured a bit of the Elfstedentocht spirit: lots of people cheering on the sidelines, farmers lighting the way at night with their tractors (it gets pretty dark here, you know).

His first attempt ended in Burdaard, where you can find this statue.

If you take a stroll through the beautiful village and maybe visit the local “house painter” Ruurd Wiersma, you can easily spend an hour there.

The statue is located in Burdaard, close to the windmill.