The loveliest places on Ameland
Of course, tropical islands are wonderful—give me a ticket to the Maldives, Mallorca or any other island and I’ll already be packing my suitcase. But hey… did you know our own islands are also great? We went to Ameland ahead of you and came back without jet lag, with a number of lovely tips. Be sure to get inspired!
I like the Wadden Islands, but I don’t visit them often enough for my liking. A day trip to Texel now and then, but that was usually it. Until five years ago, when we took the ferry to Ameland on a cold but sunny November day. I was immediately sold: what peace and quiet, what space, and still so cosy.
The island’s beaches are enormous, the villages are charming, and you can cycle around the whole of Ameland in an hour (but I’d take the longer route). Public transport is fine if you have a long walk planned and want to take the bus back to your accommodation, but otherwise the bicycle is absolutely your means of transport here. Of course, on that cold November day by a fireplace, I promised myself I’d come back every year, but it took a little longer than planned. Then suddenly the hotel was booked, the fast ferry reserved and the days off requested.
If you’re planning to go to Ameland—and I would, if I were you—here are some tips.
Take the fast ferry
If your days and hours are limited, I’d recommend taking the fast ferry to Ameland. Wagenborg gets you from the mainland to the island in twenty minutes. I’d leave the car at P1, because you really won’t need it. And go early, because the first fast ferry leaves at 8:30 in the morning and you really want to make the most of that day.
Zee van Tijd (1)
I discovered this hotel-and-restaurant in Nes on the last day of my previous visit. What a shame, because I would actually have liked to have breakfast, lunch and dinner there every day. That’s why we agreed this would be our accommodation on a subsequent visit—and it happened. It’s a cosy yet hip place to stay, lively throughout the day, but also somewhere you can sit with a book on a sofa in the corner. Or in the enormous bathtub in the room of your comfort suite—just sayin’, whatever you like.
Zee van Tijd (2)
Zee van Tijd has a lovely terrace where you can enjoy drinks under the heaters until late in the evening. Inside is at least as cosy, and the food—meine gute—is so good. Absolutely order a fifty-fifty flammkuchen with your drink, half traditional and half Mediterranean. Everything else is delicious too, so you can’t make a wrong choice. In my opinion, the best restaurant on Ameland. At Zee van Tijd, you can also order a beach box with wraps, bowls and wine of your choice. Order a box an hour before you leave, and find a spot on the beach with a sea view or somewhere along the dike overlooking the Wadden Sea.
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By bicycle
Ameland is the island for cycling and walking. Through the Nesserbos forest, you can walk straight onto the beach, or you can choose the Wadden side and cycle from Nes over the dike to Hollum—or vice versa; it depends on where you’re staying. You can rent a bicycle on almost every street corner. We opted for the old-fashioned kind of cycling, powered by our own legs, but electric bikes are rapidly gaining popularity. There’s even a Cortina waiting for you on the pier, or you can simply stop by a rental shop in the village.
Beachclub The Sunset
Head to the beach in Hollum and never go home again. Sink your toes into the sand, order a tropical beer and you’ll genuinely no longer feel like you’re in the Netherlands at Beachclub The Sunset. I could have spent the rest of the summer here. A generous plate of nachos on my lap, a little book beside me—just enjoy.
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Drinks at a little café in Nes
By the fireplace at Van Heeckeren or on the sofa at Nescafé: these are the typical laid-back cafés where you can linger on the terrace endlessly with a cup of coffee or a cocktail, depending on what you feel like. Do have an Amelands Nobeltje as well, the liqueur known among locals as the tourist killer. Well, then you know what to expect.
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