Westerkwartier's most beautiful villages
Drive through the Westerkwartier and you will come across another beautiful village every time. Every place in this region has its own story. Here you will find the village that was voted the most beautiful village in the Netherlands in 2019, as well as the Pompeii of the North. Get to know the villages of the Westerkwartier.
Ezinge
Ezinge is also known as the Pompeii of the North. This is not for nothing; the village is internationally renowned thanks to the excavations of farms and outbuildings dating from 600 BC to the fifth century AD. If you go to Ezinge, you will see that the village lies on a raised piece of land. This is a mound, an artificial hill on which people used to build their houses to protect themselves from the water. Near the beautiful Torenkerk church on this mound, you have a fantastic view of the National Landscape Middag-Humsterland. In Museum Wierdenland, you will learn all about the special history of this area.
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Niehove
Magazine Elsevier once labelled Niehove as 'Most beautiful village in the Netherlands'. Walking along Niehove's narrow church paths, you wouldn't know that this small village used to be the capital of the former island of Humsterland. As you stand here among the red-brick houses, so it was here centuries ago. The Romano-Gothic church from the 13th century stands in the centre of the village, on top of the mound. The church's visitor centre offers information about the village and the Middag-Humsterland region. Seen from above, Niehove is like a spider's web. From the church, narrow church paths lead to the lower ring road. Be sure to walk around the church to experience this with your own feet.
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Visvliet
Visvliet is located on the Lauwers river on the border between Groningen and Friesland. A village with a rich history and a beautiful single-nave church building from 1427. The preservation of Visvliet's history can be seen in the Oudheidkamer. An experience in itself with bedsteads and a cellar that still holds the weck pots. Check the website for opening hours. Prefer the outdoors? Moor your boat in the harbour or along the jetty. Have a cup of coffee in the living room shop and then look for the planets with the Dream Tour. It's all possible.
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Zuidhorn
"They farmed well!" This proverb fits well with the farmers who built homes on the street 'De Gast' in Zuidhorn around the end of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century. This protected village sight can be recognised by the many beautiful and stately council houses, villas and other monumental buildings such as the old tax office. Zuidhorn is also a great place to eat and shop. Prefer to be active? Take a walk in the Johan Smit park. With a bit of luck you will come across a Scottish Highlander.
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Tolbert
Do you love monumental buildings? Then Tolbert is the place for you. Walking with the Fredewalda foundation's audio tour, you will learn all about these icons of Tolbert. You start at the Oudheidskamer in the Cazemierboederij, where a model shows you what the village looked like in 1925. The tour also takes you past the Postwagen, a new building from 2013 based on the historic building from 1900. It used to be an inn, post stop and tram stop, among other things. Now you can visit it for all kinds of activities and delicious food.
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Garnwerd
Walking through Garnwerd, it seems as if time has stood still. You can lie on the grass and dive into the Reitdiep if it gets too hot. This swimming spot is also suitable for small children. Combine swimming with a visit to restaurant Garnwerd aan Zee or the historic restaurant Bij Hammingh, which are located next to the 19th-century corn mill De Meeuw. Here you can enjoy the beautiful view over the Reitdiep. Meanwhile, the children have a great time in the playground with trampolines at restaurant Garnwerd aan Zee. Need to stretch your legs? Then walk down the narrowest car-accessible street in the Netherlands. Prefer to dive into history instead of water? Then you can take a guided tour of Garnwerd by appointment.
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Aduard
Musing looking out over the water. Your feet dangling off one of the benches at the edge of the canal. Aduard introduces you to its history in a special way. On the benches you will find works of art that tell the story of the past, and in the Kloostermuseum you will get to know what was once the largest monastery in Groningen. Aduard is a village with many faces, make your acquaintance.
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