Friesland has eleven cities and IJlst is one of them. The city is around twenty minutes by bicycle from Heeg and as it is linked by river to Sneek it is a popular spot for boat enthusiasts to spend the night. IJlst has more to offer though, such as a fully operational sawmill.
If you want to capture a picture of IJlst, visit the Galamagracht and the Eegracht. Typical of the city are the linden trees and the ‘overtuinen’ or ‘bleachfields’, waterside gardens which are separated from the houses by the street. In the olden days it was here that people used to bleach their laundry. Another place worth visiting is De Rat Sawmill which is still operational after three centuries.
Hey, did you know?
With its population of around 3,200, IJlst is one of the smaller eleven cities. It owes its name to the River Ee or Ie and means ‘on the Ie’.