Fishing near Leeuwarden, Friesland

Leeuwarden sits at the heart of Friesland, a province defined by its extraordinary density of canals, lakes, and navigable waterways. The city's own grachten connect directly to a wider network that fans out toward the Frisian Lakes, the Lauwersmeer, and the IJsselmeer. Around 100,000 anglers visit Friesland each year, drawn by pike, zander, bream, and perch in waters that range from narrow trekvaarten to broad open meren.