Landsmeer

Het Twiske Recreation Area, situated in Laag Holland to the north of Amsterdam, is a diverse nature reserve offering plenty of opportunities for relaxation and sport. A third of this recreation area consists of water, providing ample opportunities for swimming, diving, surfing and sailing. For children, Het Twiske is a paradise with fun water activities, such as a play channel, a paddling pool and an adventure playground with a tube fort, cable car, pirate ship, castle and ferries. There are also no fewer than seven small beaches and a harbour. For nature lovers, it is a haven where they can cycle, walk, sail, ride horses and rollerblade undisturbed in a varied landscape.

Nestled between Landsmeer, Den Ilp and the Noordhollandsch Kanaal lies one of North Holland’s most beautiful areas of peatland meadows: the Ilperveld. This unique landscape consists of hundreds of small peat islands, little windmills, singing birds and grazing cattle. With the Amsterdam skyline in the distance, the Ilperveld offers a perfect contrast between city and nature, where you can experience the true meaning of peace and space.

Anton Heyboer is one of the most famous artists of the last century. Many of his works have been acquired by international museums. And no, these are not the least of them… Think, for example, of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Ohara Museum of Art in Japan. But you don’t have to travel far to admire Anton Heyboer’s work. The Anton Heyboer Gallery can be found right here in Den Ilp. Until his death in 2005, Anton Heyboer lived here with his five wives and created tens of thousands of works. His ‘fifth’ wife, Petra Heyboer, opened the Anton Heyboer Art Gallery, where you can admire and purchase original works by Anton Heyboer from Wednesday to Sunday.

The museum exudes the atmosphere of the past century, with all its romance and practical everyday objects. At Grietje Tump, you can do more than just look – you can get actively involved! The museum isn’t just a collection of dusty artefacts to be viewed behind glass; it’s also interactive, featuring a curiosity shop and hands-on experiences. The permanent collection comprises furniture, everyday objects and jewellery, as well as old textiles such as christening gowns and samplers. In addition, the Grietje Tump Museum offers groups of up to 80 people a beautifully appointed venue for all your family gatherings and business events. You can enjoy lunch or dinner here in style, get married or bid a dignified farewell to a loved one.

The Twiskemolen is an octagonal internal-shaft mill, originally built around 1541 in Barsingerhorn. Since 1974, this historic polder mill has stood on the border between Landsmeer and Oostzaan, where it operates efficiently as a pumping station for the approximately 650-hectare Twiskepolder — in conjunction with an electric pumping station. The mill grounds and the surrounding biotope (over 4 hectares) have been officially recognised as a cultural and natural heritage site since 2024. Volunteers and local residents manage the site, ensuring that young trees cannot overgrow and that wind exposure remains optimal, which is crucial for the mill’s operation. The varied flora and fauna, including reed birds, hares and grass snakes, benefit from this management. Did you know that the mill can pump as much as 20–60 m³ of water one and a half metres upwards in a single minute? The combination of historic architecture, administrative heritage and ecological management makes the Twiskemolen a splendid example of sustainable polder management.