All Disco Balls Unite Luminous Fall
While elsewhere the festival season abruptly ends after summer, here we keep going a while longer. In Leeuwarden, we are celebrating the darkness. From October through December, the packed cultural season will be in full swing. Night owls, culture lovers, film fans, adventurers, and dreamers will be spoiled for choice this autumn. With the adventurous night program of Museumnacht FRL, emerging talents at Popronde, fiery storytelling at Verhalenavond, the ultimate discovery festival Explore the North, and many other autumn festivals and events, Leeuwarden offers you the longest evening program of the year. A Luminous Fall.
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Breathtaking live performances
explore the north
Het programma - hey discobal!
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Saturday, 27 September
Read moreDuring Museumnacht, museums across the country reopen their doors after closing time. You enter as others head home. You wander through spaces usually off-limits. With an adventurous program, they experiment with music, performances, exhibitions, and stories that can’t withstand daylight. Sometimes quiet, sometimes full of sound. Nothing is set in stone. You can discover it all yourself
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Friday, 10 October
Read moreOp vrijdag 10 oktober strijkt Popronde neer in het centrum van Leeuwarden. Tijdens dit eendaagse festival zie je allerlei muziekacts op allerlei onverwachte locaties verspreid door de binnenstad. Kledingzaken, winkels, restaurants, huiskamers en andere verborgen parels veranderen deze ene avond in het jaar in een podium voor aanstormende talenten. Van hyperpop tot hiphop, van singer-songwriter tot dance en van blues tot rock, alles komt voorbij.
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23–26 October
Read moreThis autumn, De Harmonie transforms into a world full of stories and imagination for everyone aged 0 to 12. With music, theatre, dance, and exciting artworks, it promises to be a fantastic weekend. Alongside performances, there are also plenty of fun free activities in the foyer to join in. Help build a new world in the Wereld Werkplaats or let loose at the Downtown Disco. Bring all your friends!
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5-9 november
Read moreLights, camera, action! The film reels rewind to 1976, when the very first edition of the festival took place. The North must be heard and seen, which is why the Noordelijk Film Festival has been the blockbuster of film culture for 45 years. With the festival theme “Lightmakers and Night Watchers,” the festival seeks to bring light into a time full of darkness. Together, we reflect on the night—because in darkness, light has its greatest meaning. Somewhere, no matter how small. Like a distant lighthouse, or the Northern Lights in the seemingly endless polar night.
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Friday, 21 November
Read moreAll of Friesland gathers in a warm, wintry atmosphere to tell and listen to stories. Everyone has a story whether big or small, funny or moving, everyday or extraordinary. At Verhalenavond, every story finds a listening ear. At unique locations across Friesland, teachers, pub chatterboxes, philosophers, neighbours, and anyone who feels the call share stories of times when they showed courage.
Admission to Verhalenavond is free.
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21–25 November
Read moreExplore the North is putting hope in your emergency kit. In November, this special winter festival invites you to discover art in unexpected forms. Leeuwarden’s historic city centre—with its stunning churches, moody cellars, and other venues—forms the backdrop for a walk filled with concerts, literary performances, dance, and much more. In its 11th edition, artists explore together with you where beauty and love can be found in a confusing world. Recharge your spirit with writers and theatre-makers who wake you up with Sinead O’Connor, Spicer’s “Martians,” and the comforting thought that everyone is needed—even if it’s just to keep your Monstera alive.
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13–14 December
Read moreThe days grow shorter, the nights icy cold—but in contrast, there’s the warmth of glowing spires, sparkling stars, twinkling lights, and the sound of your favourite Christmas songs. December = Christmas month, and there’s no better place to capture the Christmas spirit than at the Blokhuispoort Christmas Market. All weekend long, the former prison buzzes with charming stalls, perfect for last-minute Christmas shopping, tasty treats, your favourite carols, and plenty of entertainment for young and old.
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16 December – 4 January
Read moreAs the old year shifts into the new, glowing artworks suddenly appear in unexpected places. This light route through Leeuwarden’s dark streets transforms the city centre into a place where stories are told in words and images. A poem on a bare wall, a beautiful quote on a monument, a dreary facade turned into a cinema screen. On the darkest days, Decemberlicht’s projections bring light into the night and guide you along a beautiful route through the city.
Luminous Locations - More More More
From October through December, Leeuwarden offers cultural entertainment every single day. Yes, you read that right: every day. Because in addition to the overarching program, a few radiant venues throughout the city centre present their own ongoing line-ups. Every. Single. Day
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Neushoorn
A magical pop culture venue in the heart of Leeuwarden. Here you’ll find big names in sold-out halls alongside emerging talent.
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Stadsschouwburg de Harmonie
The leading theatre in the north of the Netherlands. Every year, around 830 performances, events, and activities take place here.
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Podium Explore
At Podium Explore, artists put a smile on your face. Enjoy cheerful (poetic) parties, mythical tales, local exhibitions, and a rotating weekly lunch and dinner menu.
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VHDG
VHDG (Voorheen de Gemeente – formerly the municipality) is an art initiative in Leeuwarden’s heart, focused on experimentation and talent development in contemporary art. From art markets to exhibitions—a radiant spot not to be missed.
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Kunstruimte H47
An open stage and breeding ground for contemporary visual art. An accessible place where art and the public meet and learn from each other.
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De Beatriks
The (new) home of Friesland’s alternative music scene. De Beatriks is a haven for unconventional artists, independent thinkers, and an audience that looks beyond the charts. A new pop venue in a familiar place.
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Slieker Film
Friesland’s leading arthouse cinema. A place where not only the love for film but also the love for people and culture comes together. Happily, an ever-changing film selection is screened here 7 days a week.
Kijk je ogen uit - musea
Luminous Exhibitions
Get ready to feast your eyes this autumn in Leeuwarden! At the Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics, Bauke de Vries explores fragility, transformation, and the beauty of imperfection in his exhibition Unbroken—served with a touch of humour and satireAt the Fries Museum, you’ll meet Wybrand de Geest. This remarkable exhibition reveals the high society and glamour of the 17th century through portraits by the Frisian painter, featuring the royal House of Nassau, the wealthy elite, and their fabulously rich children. At the Nature Museum Fryslân, you’ll discover everything about nature: from the tiniest busy bee to the largest whale—and everything in between. Go on an underwater safari, explore the old orphanage, and be amazed by the dragon!
Want to experience the museums in a different light? Then don’t miss Museum Night—an adventure through the exhibitions after dark. Curious about all the exhibitions and museums in Leeuwarden? Here’s a selection to get you started!
Meer info
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De Utrecht
De Utrecht
A hidden gem in the middle of downtown Leeuwarden. Built in 1904 in art nouveau style, crammed with sayings, lavishly decorated and full of symboli...
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Kunstruimte H47
Kunstruimte H47
Kunstruimte H47 is the gallery hosting exhibits of contemporary visual arts located in the city centre of Leeuwarden.
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Blokhuispoort
Blokhuispoort
The Blokhuispoort is a cultural business-centre in the lively centre of Leeuwarden. Housed in a former prison, it is now full of creative initiativ...
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Fries Landbouwmuseum (Frisian Agricultural Museum)
Fries Landbouwmuseum (Frisian Agricultural Museum)
Friesland has been an agricultural province for centuries. Since time immemorial, farmers have kept livestock and worked the land. In the Frisian A...
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Dekema State
Dekema State
Dekema State was originally a noble residence, where several families lived until 1996. The noble residence and the gardens are now open to the pub...
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Kunstwinkel Ogenblik
Kunstwinkel Ogenblik
A partnership of 7 artists and designers, who run an art shop/gallery together. A new exhibition based on a theme is organized every 3 months. In a...
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Natuurmuseum Fryslân (Frisian Museum of Natural History)
Natuurmuseum Fryslân (Frisian Museum of Natural History)
An interactive museum for the whole family to enjoy!
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Fries Museum
Fries Museum
Discover the Frisian in yourself at the Fries Museum! Here you will discover all about the eleven cities and the countryside, the love-hate relatio...
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Museum de Grutterswinkel
Museum de Grutterswinkel
Museum de Grutterswinkel showcases life around a real old-fashioned grocery shop and everything it entails.
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Historic Centre Leeuwarden
Historic Centre Leeuwarden
The HCL is the centre for Leeuwarden's historical heritage. Thousands of linear meters of historical documents, from the Middle Ages to the present...
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'The Other Museum', from classic cars to lace
'The Other Museum', from classic cars to lace
'The Other Museum', from classic cars to lace. Our museum has an incredible collection of classic cars, as well as an beautiful (and huge) model ra...
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Pier Pander Museum
Pier Pander Museum
The Prinsentuin, the beautiful city park on the edge of downtown Leeuwarden, houses the museum and temple dedicated to the Frisian sculptor Pier Pa...
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Galerie De Roos van Tudor
Galerie De Roos van Tudor
Gallery De Roos van Tudor is located in two monumental buildings in the centre of Leeuwarden and focuses on contemporary art by both emerging and e...
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Museum Hert fan Fryslân
Museum Hert fan Fryslân
The Museum 'Hert fan Fryslân' (Eng.: 'Heart of Friesland') is situated in the middle of the characteristic village of Grou, itself lying in the 'he...
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Mineralogisch Museum
Mineralogisch Museum
Hidden among the trees, surrounded by meadows,halfway between Grou and Warten is Mineralogisch Museum . The large barn of an old farm has been con...
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Graphic studio: Grafisch Atelier Friesland
Graphic studio: Grafisch Atelier Friesland
Graphic studio: Grafisch Atelier Friesland is an open studio for graphical artists and printing technique enthusiasts.
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The Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics
The Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics
In the middle of Leeuwarden's historic city centre stands the 18th-century city palace of Maria Louise van Hessen-Kassel, princess of Orange Nassau...
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Uniastate en Tsjerke Bears
Uniastate en Tsjerke Bears
On the grounds of the Cultuur-Historisch Centrum Uniastate, there is a 13th century church with an ornate interior and a beautiful wood-carved pulp...
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Museumhuis van Eysinga
Museumhuis van Eysinga
Huis van Eysinga is an impressive 18th-century city villa that was inhabited by the family of one of the most significant men of its time: Frans Ju...
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Staying the night?
STAY OVERNIGHT IN STYLE
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Stop by the Visitor Center.
TOURIST INFO
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Got to go?
ALWAYS A PLACE TO PEE
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Here anyways? Stay a little longer
Friesland
Coffee, lunch, or drinks break - Let's refuel!
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Stadswaag
Stadswaag
Come and experience tasty treats in this lunchroom in the centre of Leeuwarden, with a Dutch kitchen.
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Banhs & Boba
Banhs & Boba
Getting a quick sandwich. It happens all over the world, including in Asia. Taste? Banhs & Boba brings Asian street food to Leeuwarden. Tasty, fres...
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Café de Strohoed
Café de Strohoed
Café de Strohoed is a brown Café in Leeuwarden, where everyone is welcome.
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Special Beer Cafe de Markies
Special Beer Cafe de Markies
Specialty beer cafe De Markies is a leading Specialty beer cafe in Leeuwarden, Friesland where knowledge, service and a warm smile are our focus.
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Vino & Verder
Vino & Verder
Discover exceptional wines and delicious local produce in a unique place in the city!
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Bar Zelle
Bar Zelle
Cosy, comfy place in the heart of the city centre where you can go for a nice cappuccino, cocktail or drink! Freshly made sandwiches, pizzas, snack...
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Bagels & Beans Leeuwarden
Bagels & Beans Leeuwarden
In the location of the former Forum Ljouwert (a marketplace for vegetables, cheese, butter; grains, and corn market), at the Kelders 3, you'll find...
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Brownies&downieS Leeuwarden
Brownies&downieS Leeuwarden
Brownies&downieS stands for pure. Pure in all its facets. Our employees are sincere, enthusiastic and pure. But we also consider the products with...
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Barrevoets
Barrevoets
At Barrevoets you can enjoy a killer cappuccino, hearty lunch, cocktail or gorgeous fresh smoothie.
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Grand café De Dikke Van Dale
Grand café De Dikke Van Dale
The Dikke van Dale is located at Nieuwestad 69 in the centre of Leeuwarden. It is the perfect location for a night out in the town.
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Grand Café De Hofdame
Grand Café De Hofdame
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and events with a view of the Oldehove.
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Bowls 'n Rolls
Bowls 'n Rolls
Bowls 'n rolls is the first poké bowl restaurant in Leeuwarden and stands for convenience and quality! A quick, healthy and nutritious meal for an...
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The Bakery Leeuwarden
The Bakery Leeuwarden
The Bakery Leeuwarden is the modern bakery of Leeuwarden. Enjoy our wide range of breads. But that's not all! Not only the bread but also ice- crea...
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Irish Pub Paddy O'Ryan
Irish Pub Paddy O'Ryan
Paddy O'Ryan: The Irish Pub where we bring the convenience of Ireland to Leeuwarden.
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Double B
Double B
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Garage Modern
Garage Modern
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't Zusje
't Zusje
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Fire Café
Fire Café
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Grand Café Post Plaza
Grand Café Post Plaza
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Fellini City Lounge
Fellini City Lounge
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Public transport & parking
Wondering how best to get around Leeuwarden?
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FAQ
Answers to all your burning questions!
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City map
Getting lost is a choice.