Holiday apartment in Zurich: dikes, the Wadden Sea and Frisian culture

Zurich is a place where landscape, waterways and Frisian culture meet in an unusual way. Leesbaar Landschap is a landscape artwork. The associated hiking trail is accessed at the foot of the sea dike via a floating bridge – a tangible experience for anyone who likes to combine their stay with exercise and open landscape views. The entrance at the foot of the dike connects the floating bridge with the open landscape and makes Leesbaar Landschap directly accessible as a trail experience. This provides a specific starting point for a walk at the sea dike, where waterways and landscape art come together.

Holiday apartment in Zurich between history and architecture

Zurich also has notable cultural landmarks. The war memorial in Zurich commemorates the struggle against the occupying forces, as well as regained freedom and peace, for the residents of Zurich in the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân. The Dorpskerk Zurich is a relatively rare Frisian example of church architecture in the Neo-Renaissance style.

Dikes, polders and paths through the landscape

The newly created triangular Zuricher Oord Polder is a polder. The Zuricher Slaperdijk is a short section of dike that was built in 1753 behind the threatened Zuricheroord. The chronological gap between the two elements is tangible in the local history: the polder was newly created, while the Slaperdijk was built in 1753. Its connection with the threatened Zuricheroord makes the historic section of dike even more concrete.

Several paths lead to or through Zurich for hiking enthusiasts. The tenth stage of the Klooster Claercamppad follows the IJsselmeer northwards to Zurich. The Ziltepad leads to Peins through the wide surrounding countryside and then continues to Zurich. In addition, the “Zurich–Pingjum–Beach” route connects the distinctive villages of Zurich and Pingjum via the sea dike and through the hilly landscapes around the former Marneslenk. For day planning, the routes differ primarily in their geographical course. Along the IJsselmeer, the tenth stage leads north; via Peins, the Ziltepad reaches Zurich from the wide surrounding countryside, while the route to Pingjum runs along the sea dike and through the hilly landscapes around the former Marneslenk.

The Wadden Sea and IJsselmeer as landmarks

From the sea dike near Zurich, there are views of both the IJsselmeer and the Wadden Sea. The Wadden Sea near Zurich is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At Zurich, its water reaches the dike twice a day and recedes twice a day. The changing water provides a temporal framework for observations at the sea dike, while the views of the IJsselmeer and Wadden Sea direct attention to two different waterscapes.

Zurich is located near junction 90 of the Dutch cycling node network. The proximity to junction 90 complements the hiking trails with a specific cycling reference point.

Discover more places

For further travel planning, you can also include Schraard, Idsegahuizum and Piaam in your itinerary.

For the overview of the wider area: Wûnseradiel.