Visit Urk
Urk actually used to be an island. For hundreds of years the people here lived alone in the middle of the stormy sea. They have their own language and a very strong sense of pride. When the polder was built the island became part of the land. But the spirit of the village never changed. It still feels like a world apart from the rest of The Netherlands. Walk through the **Ginkies** which are the tiny narrow alleys between the houses. They are so tight that you can touch the walls on both sides. Every house is painted with care and has a small ship in the window. The village is built on a small hill of clay that kept it safe from the waves. You can find the **Lighthouse** at the highest point looking out over the water. Visit the **Fisherman's Monument** near the harbor. It holds the names of all the men who were lost at sea over the years. The harbor is still full of green and black fishing boats today. You can eat the best fried fish in the country right on the docks. It is a place of deep faith and hard work that stays with you long after you leave.Top sights to visit
The best places to visit in Urk
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Best match
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from€195/night
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Canal View Suites
Boutique suites · Waterfront · Breakfast included
from€245/night
Museum
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National History Museum
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from€18/person
Spa
Spa
Wellness & Spa Centre
Thermal baths · Art Deco · City centre
from€35/session
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History of Urk
Urk is a village that refused to change even when the world around it did. For a thousand years it was a tiny island of clay in a stormy sea where the people lived entirely on what they could catch in their nets. They developed their own language and their own way of life because they were cut off from the rest of the country. To live on Urk was to live at the mercy of the wind and the waves. In 1942 the island was suddenly connected to the land as the **Noordoostpolder** was drained. The people woke up one morning and found that the sea they loved had been moved miles away. But instead of becoming like the rest of the polder the villagers kept their island spirit. They still have the largest **fishing fleet** in the country and their houses are still huddled together on the high ground of the old island hill. Walking through the narrow alleys called **ginkies** feels like exploring a secret world that still smells of salt and fresh fish. The **Urk lighthouse** stands as a silent witness to the many men lost at sea over the generations. It is a place of deep faith and hard work where the old traditions are still the law of the land. For the road trip visitor it is the most unique stop in the country because it is an island that is no longer in the water.Stay in the loop
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