Holiday apartment in Wijk aan Zee – Beach, dunes and discoveries

Wijk aan Zee combines a family beach with a dune landscape, outdoor art and a distinctive chess tradition. When choosing a holiday apartment in Wijk aan Zee, you can tailor your stay to very different interests: relaxing days by the sea, walks through nature or cultural discoveries with the whole family.

Beach and accessible paths leading close to the sea

Wijk aan Zee beach is a family beach. The so-called Blauwe Loper offers a special opportunity. It enables older people and people with disabilities who use a wheelchair, electric wheelchair, rollator or another mobility aid to reach a point close to the sea at Wijk aan Zee beach. This makes the beach layout one of the important aspects to consider when planning days by the water together.

Dune reserve for walks and active days

The Noordhollands Duinreservaat stretches from Wijk aan Zee to Bergen, including Bergen itself. The reserve and the adjacent forests of North Holland offer many paths for walking, cycling and horse riding. A Duinkaart is required to visit the Noordhollands Duinreservaat. The circular route “Rondje Wijk aan Zee” also offers a manageable way to get to know the landscape around the seaside resort: it is 5.5 kilometres long and takes about an hour and a half on foot.

Art in the dunes and historical traces

The Een Zee van Staal sculpture park is located in the dunes of Wijk aan Zee and features seventeen steel sculptures. Admission to the sculpture park is free. On the first Sunday of each month, a free guided tour begins at the entrance at 2 p.m. and lasts about an hour and a half; both the tour and admission to the park are free. Those also interested in history and regional landscapes can include the “Langs bunkers en forten” tourist cycling route in their plans. Among other places, it passes the remains of the Atlantic Wall and the famous Defence Line of Amsterdam.

A chess tradition with an international reputation

The Tata Steel Chess Tournament is an annual festival in Wijk aan Zee attended by chess players of all skill levels. It has been shaped by a long tradition since the first tournament in 1938. World chess champions such as Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand and Garry Kasparov have played in Wijk aan Zee. The Paasduin adds a good view of the village of Wijk aan Zee to the area’s appeal.

Which holiday apartment suits your plans

The differences between the beach, dune paths, sculpture park and event venue make Wijk aan Zee an interesting destination for trips with changing daily rhythms. You can combine a family beach with a short walk, plan longer activities in the Noordhollands Duinreservaat or focus on culture with the sculpture park and cycling route. This allows you to choose a holiday apartment in Wijk aan Zee according to your preferred holiday theme, without having to commit to just one type of leisure activity.

As another option for planning your trip, you can also consider Beverwijk.

To the higher-level travel overview: Beverwijk.