Island of Texel

This island is Texel, an oblong speck of land just off the Dutch mainland. It’s one of the Frisian (or Wadden) Islands, an archipelago that stretches east along the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. They were on the 52 Places to go in 2019 list for their emphasis on sustainable tourism and local foods.

Texel is the biggest of the Dutch islands, and is a popular getaway for Amsterdammers, though it is largely off the radar of more far-flung vacationers. With a maximum elevation of around 80 feet, the island is crisscrossed by bike lanes that run between its seven villages and the protected national park lands and farms that cover the rest. Though reportedly packed in the summer, when my local friends arrived in the final days of spring, it was still largely empty. They pedaled up and down the entire island at least three times and could coast for 40-minute stretches without seeing another person. The crisp air carried whiffs of farm animals and sea salt, and migratory birds making pit stops competed with vocal sheep for airtime.About 3km north of North Holland's coast, Texel is 25km long and 9km wide. Its typically flat Dutch landscape makes it idyllic for cycling. Sheep are everywhere across the island; the local wool is highly prized and there are numerous dairies producing cheese. During lambing season around Easter, you'll see bouncy lambs all over the island; locals enjoy taking a Lammetjes Wandeltrocht (walk to look at the lambs).

With enough diversions to keep you entertained for days on end, Texel is popular with Dutch and German visitors but otherwise little known, making it a wonderful place to explore.

Texel’s iconic Eierland Lighthouse has stood on top of a 20 metre high sand dune on the island’s northern shore since 1864. This towering, red landmark recently opened to the public and features an exhibition that details key episodes from its past.

Texel’s only craft brewery offers guided tours around its plant several days a week. The brewery lies around one kilometre away from the village of Oudeschild and is within walking or biking distance from the largest settlement on Texel, Den Burg. There’s also a tasting room onsite that serves all of the brewery’s delicious beers.

The Dunes of Texel National Park easily ranks among the most naturally beautiful places in the Netherlands and stretches down most of the the island’s western coastline. This rugged tract of land features several diverse landscapes including small woodlands, dune valleys and coastal plains. There are dozens of hiking trails and bike paths inside the park as well as designated areas for wildlife watching.

EcoMare is an aquarium, wildlife sanctuary, and nature museum located inside the Dunes of Texel National Park. Besides providing guests with information about Texel and the Wadden Islands’ ecosystems, Ecomare also acts as a refuge for wounded or sick seals and lets visitors get close to these adorable critters during feeding times throughout the day.

The Museum Kaap Skil is an award winning historical museum in Oudeschild is renowned for its groundbreaking architecture and fascinating exhibitions. The museum’s collection and exhibitions mainly revolve around local history and retell important stories from Texel’s past.

Fort de Schans is a star-shaped fort was constructed under William of Oranges’ order in 1574 and was created to protect Texel from the Spanish navy during the Dutch Revolt. The fort is open from sunrise to sunset most days of the year and offers incredible views over Texel’s southern coastline.

Juttersmuseum Flora offers visitors a glimpse into the hardy world of beach combers, fishers and lifeboat rescue workers. The museum features an enormous collection of flotsam and jetsam that has been discovered in the waters around Texel over the past 75 years including many surprising objects such as complete aircraft engines.

In the Texel Sheep Farm, there are many adorable critters to cuddle and play with at this charming farm near Den Burg including sheep, bunnies and baby lambs. It is even possible to ride a pony at Texel Sheep Farm and there’s also a well-stocked farm store onsite which sells many delicious local products.

Texel’s airport features the Aviation and War museum dedicated to the history of aviation on the island. The museum also serves as an information centre for the Georgian Uprising – a bloody rebellion against the German occupying forces which occurred on Texel at the very end of World War II.

When you get tired, first stop is always a coffee stop! And this one is in Den Burg, the unofficial capital of Texel right in the heart of the island. Bakker Timmer is right in the cosy city centre of Den Burg and as the name suggests it’s a bakery, but as soon as you walk in, you want to grab one of the few seats in the back and roam the glass cases as there are simply too many cakes and tarts to chose from. And it’s cheap, I mean…. really cheap. And good. So, maybe you might as well take two.

If you visited one of the beach clubs before going on this food tour, you’ve probably tasted a ‘Skuumkoppe’, which translates into ‘foam head’ and is a reference to both the foam on the high waves that crash the Texel beaches year round and the foam on top of our Dutch beers. Skuumkoppe is made by Texelse Bierbrouwerij which is found a stone’s throw away from Zelfpluktuin and has made a name for itself rapidly since brewing its first beer 20 years ago.

With Texel being an island, it’s no surprise that there’s plenty of amazing fish to be had. If you’d like some fresh fish for lunch or buy some fish and seafood to prepare yourself at night, visiting Oude Vismarkt in Oudeschild is the best place for it. This brand new fish shop is set in the old fish exchange, which has been completely renovated. Both locals and tourists make their way to Oude Vismarkt to have lunch at one of the wooden tables. What’s been caught that morning, is on your plate just a few hours later.

I’ll be honest, I am a little sceptical when it comes to Dutch wine. I mean, wine grapes need a lot of sunshine, and even though we do have good summers, The Netherlands are not exactly known for their sunny climate. Whenever I think of Dutch wine I have visions of wry plonk. But I have been proving wrong about this a couple of times. I have had some amazing white wine from Zealand, which is so good that KLM has even selected it as their wine served in business class.

 ‘t Pakhuus probably offers the best seafood that’s on offer in Texel. Because of the unique situation between the North Sea and the Wadden Sea, all sorts of beautiful fish and shellfish are caught and these are all beautifully served up at ‘t Pakhuus. Husband and I went there for a three-course lunch and were simply elated. We had locally grown oysters, a lobster bisque and salads made with freshly caught tuna and salmon. Even though the restaurant looks a little posh, we were more than welcome with our baby in the pram, who slept the whole way through lunch.

Since restaurants in general offer amazing food in Texel, I shouldn’t have been surprised that Michelin would award one of them. Bij Jef is a one star Michelin restaurant and lives up to its expectations. Eating à la carte is quite pricey, but the set menus are well priced and worth every Euro. Jeff cooks with local produce and every course is a surprise and a little party for your taste buds.

Hope this helped !!!