Colors of Leeuwarden - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Leeuwarden Residents are known for cherishing their traditions, hard work and an indifferent attitude to modern cultural trends. In 2018, the city was declared the cultural capital of Europe, all thanks to its well-developed cultural sphere and the variety of traditional festivals. In many respects, Leeuwarden owes this honorable status to its hardworking residents whose character manifests itself literally in everything. In the 30s of the last century, the city began to build a dam across the North Sea, which remains the most important component of the transport infrastructure to this day. The length of this dam exceeds 30 km. Construction work was carried out simultaneously from two opposite shores in the opposite direction. When the dam was finished, it turned out that locals built a much larger part of it, which is one of the most striking evidence of their hardworking nature.

Walking around the city, many travelers note its high livability and coziness. The streets are always kept clean and each free piece of land is planted with greenery. Despite the modern rhythm of life, townspeople remain faithful to historical traditions. The cult of dairy production is still of great importance here. It is not by chance that on one of the city streets you can see the statue of a cow called "Our Mother". In the immediate vicinity of the city, there are farms where rare cows are bred. Dozens of types of cheese, premium-quality butter and other dairy products, which are an important component of local gastronomy, are made from their milk.

Such a careful attitude to old customs is surprisingly combined with a rich festive life. One of the country's largest and most vibrant music festivals, Into The Grave, is held in Leeuwarden. The venue is the central city square where there was a large cemetery in medieval times. When the territory of the city began expanding rapidly, this area was built up quickly. Walking around the square today, fragments of shiny stones can be seen underfoot - they are nothing but old gravestones. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

During the festival, the square turns into a huge open-air concert venue where famous rock bands from around the world perform. Such a big love of local people for heavy music has another interesting manifestation - a huge number of specialized music stores that are found literally on every street. Here you can buy not only rock paraphernalia and music CDs of modern performers, but also old vinyl records. Many tourists go to such stores in search of original souvenirs.

In 2013, another interesting festival of modern music and art was held in the city for the first time - Welcome to The Village. Ordinary local volunteers became its organizers, the holiday turned out to be so fascinating that now it is held annually. The festival is participated by modern musicians, artists, photographers and designers, young actors and representatives of other areas of contemporary art. The venue is the splendid Groene Ster Park located near Leeuwarden. Here, amidst thickets of centuries-old trees and the peaceful surface of lakes, concert venues and art spaces are equipped to hold all performances and music concerts under the open sky. Guests of the festival will be able to visit interesting exhibitions, appreciate the skills of young theater actors and participate in fascinating workshops at which everyone can show their talents.

Even if a trip to the city does not coincide with one of such enchanting holidays, tourists always have the opportunity to get into the special lifestyle of local people. Near the city, there are many farms, many of which are currently open for tours. Here you can see beautiful cows, try rare farm cheeses, and learn how to take care of animals on your own. Such trips to farms have become one of the favorite types of recreation for local families.

A walk along the city's streets and colorful markets promises to be a great adventure as well. Outside the framework of festivals, the city is enveloped in a very calm and peaceful atmosphere. Leeuwarden has managed to maintain the charm of a quiet provincial town. A unique culture made it famous far beyond the country's borders. Everything is special here, from musical preferences of locals to unique gastronomic traditions.