Texel island is my happy place in the Netherlands. Is the place where I celebrated my birthdays for the past few years and I highly recommend it for a peaceful weekend getaway in any season, especially if you’re craving nature and tranquillity. The largest of the Wadden Islands, Texel is easy to reach with just a 20-minute ferry ride from Den Helder. This spectacular island offers the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle, inviting you to unwind and connect with nature.

There are seven villages on the Texel island, and you can find accommodation in any of them. I prefer the western part of Texel: that’s where the wide beaches are (and the National Park Duinen van Texel). This part of the island is the best one for hiking trips to discover the island’s nature.

The pristine beauty of nature on Texel island

Texel, the largest of the Dutch Wadden Islands, is a haven for nature enthusiasts. The island’s diverse landscapes make it a unique destination in the Netherlands, offering a blend of serene beaches, sand dunes, forests, and picturesque meadows. One of Texel’s most notable natural features is the Dunes of Texel National Park, which covers much of the island’s western coast. This protected area is home to a wide array of flora and fauna, including rare bird species, which makes it a birdwatcher’s paradise. The island’s nature reserves, such as De Slufter and De Muy, are particularly striking with their salt marshes and tidal creeks, creating a constantly changing landscape that’s perfect for hiking and exploration.

Beyond the dunes, Texel boasts lush woodlands, like the Krimbos, which offer a peaceful retreat and are ideal for leisurely walks or bike rides. The island’s coastline, with its pristine sandy beaches, provides a tranquil setting for relaxation, while the inland areas reveal a patchwork of farmlands and quaint villages. Texel’s nature is not just beautiful but also accessible, making it an ideal destination for those looking to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the Netherlands.

Hiking in Texel Netherlands

What amazes me about Texel is the variety of landscape: on such a small island you have the beach, the dunes, fields and different types of forest.

If you start your walk on the beach, for example, and go towards the dunes, you’ll notice how the vegetation changes as you walk, from tall sea grass to small bushes and heather, then bigger bushes before moving into the forest, where you’ll see first coniferous and then deciduous forest. There are salt marshes and polders too. The nature on Texel is wonderful, from rare plants (I was fascinated by the wild honeysuckle growing everywhere, even in the forest) to birds and seals and the local Texel sheep (how I love their ugly faces!). Foraging while hiking in Texel can be a real treat: the forest and the dunes are rich in berries and all kinds of plants (don’t forget to only take a little from everything and leave enough for the animals that feed on them). I enjoy eating a few wild rose hips in my walks, they are flavourful and they give me some vitamin C.

On a hot summer day, hiking in the dunes might be a bit more difficult, but the forest is always close to provide coolness, and you can go for a swim in the sea at any time (just check for signs to indicate that the beach is safe). I can almost feel the salty breeze mixed with the pine scent…

Texel island is perfect for cycling trips as well. You can literally go from one end of the island to the next in one day, and there’s an easy road that you can take, along the eastern coast, and a more hilly ride through the dunes — the latest being more scenic. While cycling along the fields and the farms, you’ll come across points where you can stop for an improvised unmanned shop at the side of the road, to buy honey, cheese, eggs, jams, and other local goodies. You take what you need and leave the money in a box. Or you can stop to have lunch in one of the villages or at the beach bars, and have a swim in the sea before continuing your trip.

The only problem about Texel is that most of the time everything is fully booked and you have to plan your trip way in advance. A hiking trip to Texel Netherlands could be also a one day adventure: go there early in the morning, do the hike and catch the last ferry back to Den Helder (somewhere around 8 pm).

However you plan your trip, I think Texel should be that one place in the Netherlands that you visit at least once, if you like nature. It will offer you beautiful memories!

Stay tuned for more and follow Amsterdamian on Instagram and Facebook for daily stories about life in the Netherlands. Please share this post if you liked it!

Here you can find my photo book: Amsterdam Through the Seasons!

If you want to buy prints and other cute objects, check out our store on Society6!