Page 319 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

NOR THERN AND EASTERN NE THERLANDS  317

OVERIJSSEL

Overijssel, a province in the east of Holland, has many areas of
natural beauty and lovely old towns. In a sense it is a province
of two halves, divided by the heathland and woods of the
Sallandse Heuvelrug near Nijverdal, which separate the
eastern district of Twente from the rest of the province.

This division is noticeable in many ways. Overijssel’s numerous unique
The two halves differ in their spoken museums and attractions highlight
dialect, and they each have their own local history and printing, tobacco, salt
cultural traditions. There are also religious and farmhouses, as well as traditional
differences, with Twente being mainly costumes, tin soldiers, Dutch painting
Catholic while the rest of the province is and modern art. For children, the
strictly Protestant. Twente, with its larger Hellendoorn adventure park (see p426),
towns, has a more modern appearance, the Los Hoes open-air museum and
and Enschede, for example, is livelier than Ecodrome Park are always popular.
western towns like Zwolle and Deventer. Apart from these activities, however,
Zwolle, however, is the capital of the the principal attraction in Overijssel is
province, a charming town dating back the countryside, which is ideal for walking,
to the 13th century, when its port at a busy hiking and touring by bicycle. In places
river junction led it to join the powerful like Giethoorn you can tour the rivers,
Hanseatic League, growing rich from lakes and canals by boat, while the
trade with England and the Baltic. Kampen Weerribben wetlands in the northwest
and Deventer, on the IJssel river, were later offer opportunities for nature rambles
members of the same league. and watersports.

Open-air dining at a restaurant in the historic town of Zwolle in Overijssel
Blue boats line a canal in the village of Giethoorn, Overijssel

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