Heerenveen is considered the most sports-oriented town in Friesland.
Known locally as ‘It Fean’, it has around 30,000 inhabitants, making it a large town by Frisian standards. It is bigger than most of the historic Eleven Cities towns.
Despite its size, Heerenveen never received city rights. The town was founded in 1551 during the peat extraction period in Southeast Friesland.
Heerenveen is strongly associated with sport. SC Heerenveen plays its home matches at the Abe Lenstra Stadium. The town is also home to Thialf ice arena, where skaters compete each winter for national and international titles.
Beyond sport, Heerenveen offers excellent shopping and a lively town centre with a wide range of restaurants. The town is home to several notable monuments, including Crackstate, an elegant historic building that houses the town hall.
From Heerenveen, you can reach the forests of Oranjewoud within minutes, a beautiful area for walking.
