TexelSights

Sights in Texel

  1. Maritime & Beachcombers Museum

    The Maritime & Beachcombers Museum is a real winner. Its extraordinary variety of junk recovered from sunken ships and the shore is mind-boggling – and both tragic and comic . In the outdoor section there are demonstrations by rope-makers, fish-smokers and blacksmiths, while the indoor displays cover everything from underwater archaeology to windmill technology. Reede van Texel, which the museum translates accurately as Texel Roads, has nothing to do with asphalt but rather is a vast and amazingly detailed model of the shipping lanes and ports as they existed in the 17th century. Two hours will float away here just like a lost bottle at sea.

    reviewed

  2. Ecomare

    Initially created as a refuge for sick seals retrieved from the Waddenzee, Ecomare has expanded into a nature centre devoted to the preservation and understanding of Texel’s wildlife. It has displays on Texel’s development since the last ice age, islanders’ interaction with the sea, large aquariums filled with fish from the Waddenzee and the North Sea (including sharks and sea skates), while outside there are marked nature trails.

    reviewed

  3. Eureka Orchideeën & Vogelbush

    June is the time to see wild orchids on Texel, a rarity in the country; outside this month, dress lightly and head for the steamy Eureka Orchideeën & Vogelbush. Native orchid species can be viewed in all their tender, quivering glory alongside a menagerie of tropical birds in a large greenhouse.

    reviewed

  4. Lighthouse

    Texel’s lighthouse opened to visitors in 2009. Battered not just by storms but by war as well, this 45m crimson tower has views across the islands and shallow waters. The climb to the top is 153 steps.

    reviewed