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Northeastern Netherlands

Few travellers venture to this far corner of the Netherlands, but those who don't go are missing out on the country's rural heart, a place where traditions are kept alive and prehistoric relics dot the landscape. The Netherlands' best-known walking trail, the Pieterspad, legs it from here, from Pieterburen 490km south to Maastricht.

Provincial capital Groningen is a buzzing, youthful city. Museums, restaurants, bars, theatres, canals, festivals – it's the north's cultural point of reference and a fine base for exploring.

On the coast, try the strangely intriguing pastime of wadlopen (mudflat-walking). Or head to Bourtange, on the eastern border with Germany; its hefty defences are just as forbidding now as they were in the 16th century. South, Drenthe is a great garden with shifting tableaus of sheep pastures, stream-cut peat bogs, marshlands and fascinating hunebedden (neolithic burial chambers), often accessible only by bike or on foot.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Northeastern Netherlands.

  • See

    Groninger Museum

    Those arriving by train can't help but notice the Groninger Museum. Occupying three islands in the ring canal in front of the station, the museum is, at the very least, a striking structure that will draw an opinion from any observer. Within is a scintillating mix of international artworks from throughout the ages. The wildly eclectic architecture was the brainchild of Alessandro Mendini, who invited three of his fellow architects to each tackle a section. This explains why, to many, the museum has little consistency and appears thrown together on a whim. Inside, things are quite different: bright, pastel colours add life to the exhibition halls, and natural light seeps in from all angles. The Mendini Pavilion, a picture of deconstruction, holds temporary exhibitions; like the curatorial direction, they are a wonderfully eccentric mix.

  • See

    Nieuwe Markt

    This dynamic city's most ambitious redevelopment project to date, the gleaming 'New Market' square is slated to become an A-lister hub for alfresco lounging when it finally takes shape in 2019. Its eastern side will be hemmed by the pyramidical hulk of the Forum Cultural Centre, and several cafe terraces, including trendy Het Concerthuis, will fringe its southern side. For foodies, the main lure will be Merck (old Dutch for 'market'), a state-of-the-art food hall with 24 kitchen stalls, a coffee roastery, rooftop terrace and distillery by cocktail king Mr Mofongo. In 2020 a new luxury hotel, four-star WestCord Market Hotel Groningen, will also open on the square, complete with bakery, bar, restaurant and terrace.

  • See

    Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum

    This engaging tour of the lives of seamen and the ships they sailed unfolds through the set of buildings that once made up a 16th-century distillery. Going through the labyrinth of 18 rooms is a navigational feat in itself. Highlights include an intricately carved replica of the church at Paramaribo – the capital of former Dutch colony Suriname – in a bottle (Room 3) and detailed models demonstrating just how the many local shipyards operated throughout the centuries (Room 8).

  • See

    Martinitoren

    A climb up 251 steep and spiralling stone steps to the summit of this elegant, 96m-tall medieval tower (1482) rewards with grand views – and worrisome proximity to its giant bells, which ring every 15 minutes most days. Buy admission tokens at the tourist office across the street. From the top terrace, another 54 steps wind up to the carillonneur's cabin where, twice a week, at noon on Tuesday and 11am on Saturday, the city's carillonneur (a professor at the university) performs a mesmerising one-hour concert. The current carillon was cast in 1662–63 and comprises 52 bells. Year-round, watch for occasional concerts on public holidays and during festivals.

  • See

    Forum Cultural Centre

    Groningen's landmark cultural centre - home to the city's tourist office, library, five cinemas, exhibition spaces, the Nederlands Stripmuseum and a fabulous pavement cafe - will open its doors in 2019. Towering 10 storeys high on Nieuwe Markt, the eye-popping trapezoidal building is downtown's most striking piece of contemporary architecture and an icon of the new Groningen. Crane your neck upwards to admire its pièce de résistance – a hipster rooftop terrace with bar and summertime film screenings.

  • See

    Menkemaborg

    Some 25km northeast of Groningen, in the town of Uithuizen, is one of the Netherlands' most authentic manor houses. Originally a fortified castle dating from the 14th century, Menkemaborg received its present gentrified appearance – a moated estate of three houses surrounded by lavishly landscaped gardens – early in the 18th century, and it has barely been altered since. Inside, the rooms retain all the pomp and ceremony of 18th-century aristocratic life, complete with carved-oak mantelpieces, stately beds and fine china. The gardens surrounding the mansion have been painstakingly restored to their symmetrical design of 1705 and replanted with herbs and flowers from the original plans. The garden in the northeast corner holds a unique sundial and there's a maze to the northwest – enter with some caution as it might take a while to find your way out. There's a good-value cafe in the old estate farmhouse with tasty and filling soups and sandwiches. Hourly Arriva trains run between Uithuizen and Groningen (€6.40, 35 minutes). The train station is a 1km walk west of Menkemaborg. National bike route LF10 passes right through.

  • See

    Zeehondencreche Pieterburen

    Devoted to the rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured seals, this centre houses 20 to 30 sea mammals, which can be seen lounging and swimming in various pools. The centre also leads seal-watching cruises on the Waddenzee, departing from Lauwersoog, and is the starting point for guided mudflat-walking hikes. Check schedules and make reservations on the website for both. Back in the 1970s, seeing how pollution and tourism were taking their toll on the local seal colonies, Lenie ’t Hart, a resident of the small coastal town of Pieterburen, began caring for the creatures in her backyard. From this small start arose this centre, which has released hundreds of seals back into the wild since then.

  • See

    Noordpolderzijl

    The tiniest harbour in the Netherlands is 29km north of Groningen and 4.5km northwest of the village of Usquert. Its desolate beauty is striking and is best appreciated from the mudflats. Used until recently by shrimpers from Usquert (the nearest train station), the harbour now serves mainly as a takeoff point for wadlopers (mudflat hikers). To reach it from Usquert, cycle or drive by car between flat fields with huge clouds on the horizon. The old inn that once served the sluice gate, ’t Zielhoes, is still in operation and its waddentaart, a rum-infused fruit pie, alone is well worth the trip.

  • See

    Martinikerk

    This huge 16th-century church commands the northeast corner of Grote Markt. The iconic church and its tower, Martinitoren, are among the few remnants of the Golden Age to survive fierce fighting late in WWII before Groningen's liberation on 17 April 1945. The large square on which it stands, framed with historic houses, was used until 1837 as a graveyard. Particularly worthy of admiration is No 25 with an ornately carved gable, the former parsonage of the Sint Walburg church that once stood on the north side.