Trip to Texel Island, Netherlands: What to Do, One or Two Day Itinerary
- Sreedevi Menon
- Aug 13
- 8 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Everyone knows there’s a Dutch island north of Amsterdam, but somehow we’ve all collectively been putting it off, waiting for the perfect day to visit. For us, that perfect day came after lunch on a random weekend, sitting at home wondering what spontaneous day trip we could take. And then the light bulb went on: why not Texel? It was long overdue.
Now that we’ve finally been to this pretty little island, I want to share what I enjoyed most, along with some of the best spots to visit. I’ll cover both a one-day and a two-day itinerary, so you can decide what works best for your trip.
Our journey began in The Hague, since that’s where we live. It took us around 2.5 hours to reach our first stop, but if you’re coming from cities further north, like Amsterdam, Texel is much closer and makes for a pretty easy getaway.
How to Get to Texel
Texel is an island to the north of Netherlands. To get there, you can drive or take a train to Den Helder and take the ferry across. There's no bridge.
From Amsterdam:
Driving time: Around 1 hour 15 minutes
Follow signs to "Texel/TESO" once you reach Den Helder - it leads you straight to the ferry terminal. If you are bringing your car onboard (recommended), then you can directly drive upto the ticket counter.
The TESO Ferry:
Departs from Den Helder every hour on the half-hour (6:30, 7:30,… until 21:30)
Departs return from Texel every hour on the hour (6:00, 7:00,… until 21:00)
Crossing time: 20 minutes
On busy days, ferries run every 30 minutes between 9:30 and 16:00. (Check the ferry schedule here.)
Important: You should buy a return ticket at the counter. If you miss your ferry (like we did, by five minutes), you have to wait a full hour for the next one.
Ferry Prices (2026)
Vehicle | Fri–Mon | Tue–Thu |
Car (up to 6.5m, incl. passengers) | €48 return | €32 return |
Pedestrian | €3 return | €3 return |
Bicycle | €6 return | €6 return |
You can buy tickets online at teso.nl or at the ticket office in Den Helder. If going midweek, you save a solid €16 on the car ferry.
Our Day Trip Itinerary
Stop 1: Schapenboerderij Texel (Texel Sheep Farm)
This was our first stop because it's right after you exit the ferry, on the road toward Den Burg. It closes at 4pm.
The farm is exactly what it sounds like: a working sheep farm where you can walk freely among the animals. When we arrived, a small black-and-white lamb was trying to make a break for it through the gate. Nobody seemed too concerned - apparently this happens a lot.
Inside, you buy tickets and then you're let loose. There's a cuddle corner where you can hold guinea pigs - and I mean properly hold them. You sit down on the hay, ask the staff, and they'll place one on your lap. It's free, included in your ticket. I'd never held a guinea pig before and honestly didn't expect to feel anything, but they're warm and soft and surprisingly calm once they settle. It became an unexpected highlight of the whole day.
There are pens with lambs and their mothers - the staff told us some lambs had been born that very morning. They have over 20 different sheep breeds here, plus goats, chickens, pigs, rabbits, and a donkey.
I ended up sitting in the hay for longer than planned with a goat eating straw next to me. We also caught the sheep herding demonstration with working kelpie dogs - that was genuinely impressive.
Practical info:
Address: Pontweg 77, Den Burg
Hours: Daily 10:00–16:00 (from mid-February)
Tickets: €7.50 adults, €6 children (2–12), free under 2
Sheep herding demos: 11:00 and 14:00 daily
Guinea pig holding: free - just ask the staff (you sit down, they hand it to you)
Reservation required (book online for a time slot)
Free parking
Dogs not allowed
I left with a stuffed sheep. No regrets.
Stop 2: Ecomare - Seal Sanctuary & Nature Museum
After the farm, we drove to Ecomare in De Koog. This is Texel's main attraction and for good reason - it's a seal rehabilitation centre where you can watch real seals being cared for and fed, plus there's a small aquarium and nature museum about the Wadden Sea.
The seals are the highlight. They swim right up to the glass, some of them clearly curious about who's watching. A few were completely unbothered, lounging in the water like they owned the place. Others popped their heads up and stared directly at us - first time I'd ever been that close to a seal, and it's surprisingly emotional.
We caught the feeding presentation - this happens at set times (11:00 and 15:30 daily) and it's the best part. A caretaker walks out onto the platform with a bucket of fish and explains each seal's story while feeding them. Many are rescued as orphaned pups from the Wadden Sea beaches. The seals do tricks on command (opening mouths, rolling over) as part of their health checks. It's not a circus act - it's medical, but it's still fascinating to watch. The presentation lasts about 20 minutes and is included in your ticket. The aquarium section has rays, flatfish, and other North Sea species.
Practical info:
Address: Ruijslaan 92, De Koog
Hours: Daily 9:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Tickets: €17 adults, €14 students, €11.50 children (4–12), free under 4
Seal feeding: Daily at 11:00 and 15:30
Free parking
Dogs not allowed
No Museumkaart accepted
Tip: Time your visit to catch the 15:30 seal feeding. It's included in your ticket and lasts about 20 minutes. The caretaker speaks Dutch but the seals are universally entertaining.
Stop 3: The Texel Lighthouse (Vuurtoren)
From Ecomare, we drove north to the lighthouse at De Cocksdorp - it's the iconic red one at the very top of the island. You can spot it from far away.
We didn't climb it (the wind was genuinely too strong to enjoy the beach nearby, so we kept our visit short), but if you do want to go up:
Practical info:
Address: Vuurtorenweg 184, De Cocksdorp
Hours: Daily 10:00–17:00
Tickets: €6.50 (must book time slot online in advance at vuurtorentexel.nl)
118 steps, no elevator
Free for children 4 and under
No pets, no flip-flops (winding staircase)
The view from the top is apparently spectacular - 47 metres up, and Texel's lighthouse is the only one in the Netherlands where you can see the sea from three directions. On a clear day, you can spot the island of Vlieland.
Even without climbing, the beach near the lighthouse is worth seeing. It's wide, flat, and wild. There are signs in three languages warning about strong currents - no swimming allowed. The wind here was intense enough that we turned back after a few minutes. But on a calm day, it would be a beautiful walk.
The Drive Itself
Don't underestimate how scenic the driving on Texel is. The island is 25 km long, and the roads cut through open farmland with sheep grazing on every dike. We passed traditional Texel farms with thatched roofs, hay barns marked with names like "Noord Haffel," and endless flat views with just a cyclist or two in the distance.
It's the kind of landscape that makes you pull over and take photos through the windshield.
What We Skipped (But You Might Want to Do)
If you're staying overnight or leaving earlier than we did:
De Slufter - a unique nature reserve where the sea flows into the dunes. Great for birdwatching and hiking.
Den Burg - the main village with shops, restaurants, and a weekly market (Mondays).
Beach at Paal 17 - one of the most popular beaches, right near Ecomare.
Texels Brewery - try the local Texels Skuumkopp or Vansen beers.
Bike rental - the island is flat and bike-friendly. Many people do Texel entirely by bicycle.
What It Actually Cost Us (Two People, Day Trip from The Hague)
Expense | Cost |
Fuel (round trip ~260 km) | ~€30 |
TESO ferry (car, weekend rate) | €48 |
Schapenboerderij Texel (2 adults) | €15 |
Ecomare (2 adults) | €34 |
Stuffed sheep souvenir | ~€12 |
Total | ~€139 |
From Amsterdam, your fuel cost would be slightly less (~€22–25 for the shorter drive).
We didn't eat on the island (had lunch before leaving and dinner back in The Hague), so no food costs. If you add a lunch stop, budget another €20–€30.
Midweek savings: If you go Tuesday–Thursday, the ferry drops to €32, saving you €16 immediately.
Tips for Doing Texel as a Day Trip
Leave early. We left after lunch and it was tight. If you want to do the sheep farm, Ecomare, the lighthouse, AND have lunch, leave The Hague by 8:00–9:00 AM.
Hit the sheep farm first. It closes at 16:00 - earlier than everything else. It's also right on the route from the ferry.
Time Ecomare around the seal feeding. The 15:30 feeding is the last one. Get there by 14:30 at the latest to see the museum and aquarium before the seals are fed.
Check ferry times before heading back. Ferries leave Texel on the hour. If you miss one by five minutes (ask me how I know), you're waiting a full hour. In summer, the last ferry leaves at 21:00.
Fuel up before Den Helder. There are petrol stations on the way, but not many options right at the ferry terminal.
Book lighthouse tickets in advance. They use time slots and can sell out in summer.
Bring layers. Even in summer, the wind on Texel - especially near the lighthouse and beaches - is no joke. It was summer when we went and we were grateful for jackets.
Is a Day Trip Enough?
We saw three things and drove the length of the island, and it was a full day (left after lunch, back in The Hague around 22:00). If you want a relaxed experience with biking, beach time, a proper lunch in Den Burg, and multiple nature spots, stay overnight.
But if you just want a taste of the island - the seals, the sheep, the lighthouse, the landscape - a day trip works. You'll be tired, but you'll have seen something completely different from anything else in the Randstad.
FAQ
Can you do Texel as a day trip from Amsterdam? Yes, and it's the most common way people visit. Amsterdam to Den Helder is about 1 hour 15 minutes by car. Add 20 minutes for the ferry. Leave by 9 AM and you'll have a full day on the island.
Can you do Texel as a day trip from The Hague or Rotterdam? Yes - we did it from The Hague. It's about 1 hour 40 minutes to Den Helder. From Rotterdam, about 1 hour 50 minutes. It's a longer drive, so leave earlier.
Can you visit Texel without a car? Yes - take the train to Den Helder, walk onto the ferry (€3), and rent bikes on the island or use the Texelhopper bus. But for a day trip, a car gives you much more flexibility.
Is it worth visiting Texel in bad weather? The sheep farm and Ecomare are mostly indoor activities. The lighthouse and beaches are weather-dependent. We had an overcast, windy day and it was still great.
How many sheep are on Texel? More sheep than people. The island has about 14,000 residents and roughly 14,000 sheep. You'll believe it when you're driving past the dikes.
Do you need to book the TESO ferry in advance? No reservation needed - you just show up and drive on. But on summer weekends, there can be waiting times of 30–60+ minutes. Check teso.nl for live waiting times.
Visited: 2026. All prices and times verified for the current year.
Comments