Netherlands > Easter in Zierikzee

Today is Easter Monday. Because I was traveling for work last week, Nicolette and I postponed our plan to go away for Easter by a little bit. We are now leaving on Easter Monday for two nights to Zierikzee. The advantage is that the roads and the city will be much quieter. There is also a downside. The weather was sunny over the Easter days. For today, rain is forecast for the afternoon. Already when approaching Zeeland, the first raindrops fall on the windshield. This quickly turns into a heavy downpour. It is that dull, cloudy weather where it seems like it will rain for hours. This weather is probably a reason for other Easter tourists to head home. On the opposite lane, there are long traffic jams. We drive over the Brouwersdam onto the island of Schouwen-Duiveland. Approaching Zierikzee, we can already see the Dikke Toren (Thick Tower) rising above the city. A characteristic silhouette of this Zeeland town. The Hotel van Oppen is right in the city center. We park the car briefly to unload the luggage. Around the hotel, parking is only available for permit holders.

Netherlands - The access bridge to the Old Harbor of Zierikzee

Outside the city walls, there are a few parking spaces where parking is free. We leave the car there. It is about a kilometer walk back to the hotel. The distance is not the problem, the rain is. The room is not very large but fine for our stay in Zierikzee. In the afternoon, it seems to dry up a bit. It drizzles. We walk to the old harbor of the city. We pass the market, the harbor park, and arrive at the water. Several wooden sailing ships are moored here. The South Harbor Gate on the left and the North Harbor Gate on the right are two of the original city gates. The gates were once part of the city’s defenses. We take shelter for a moment under the gate. Along the water of the new harbor is Café de Gekroonde Suikerbiet. We go in for a drink. Inside is better than outside. I try their own beer, from “Brouwerij Noordt X Café de Biet.” A fine choice. In the evening, we walk from the hotel to restaurant Marktzicht. A cozy little restaurant full of maritime objects on the walls. The fish stew tastes delicious.