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August 2026 – Texel Island, Netherlands

We’d had Texel on our radar for years. But somehow, every time I tried to spontaneously book a weekend getaway, everything was full. This summer, I finally remembered in time. And one month ahead we already had a hotel reservation, a ferry booking, freshly washed swimsuits, flip‑flops, and a colorful new beach blanket waiting by the door. 🙂

Not only was the trip super relaxing, but the island itself – with more sheep than people, seals swimming along the shore, spectacular sand dunes, and a famous beer brewery – welcomed us with features we didn’t expect.

Here’s our Texel mini guide to help you get the most out of the island. We hope you’ll love it as much as we did!

HOW TO REACH TEXEL

Reaching Texel is pretty straightforward. There are frequent ferry rides from Den Helder (every half hour in summer) and in just 20 minutes you’re already on island land. You can travel on foot, with your bike, or with your car, which makes it super convenient for every type of traveler. You can even buy your ticket online, register your license plate, and the barrier opens automatically when you arrive.

It’s honestly so fast that by the time we climbed on deck, grabbed a coffee and a slice of cake, we were still eating the cake when Texel appeared on the horizon! 🙂

WHERE TO STAY ON TEXEL

We wanted a place where we could walk to the beach but still step straight into a lively town in the evening – restaurants humming and supermarkets close enough to grab breakfast or an afternoon snack. That blend of coastal calm and island energy made De Koog the perfect base for our first Texel escape. We loved waking up in the morning and inhaling that beachy breeze.

Up north in De Cocksdorp, the island shifts into a wilder mood: endless beaches, a solitary lighthouse watching over the sea, and distant islands shimmering on the horizon. We even spotted seals resting on the shoreline like tiny guardians of the Wadden Sea!

Before leaving, we wandered through the dunes near Paal 17 and visited the seals sanctuary – a gentle reminder that Texel is full of small surprises.

WHAT TO DO ON TEXEL

Texel has far more to offer than we expected – from lighthouses and wildlife to museums, breweries, and protected nature areas. Here are some of the island’s highlights:

• Texel Lighthouse – iconic red lighthouse at the northern tip, with sweeping views over the sea and nearby islands
• Ecomare – seal rescue center and nature museum, great for learning about Texel’s wildlife
• Shipwreck and Beachcombing Museum Flora – quirky, fun museum full of objects washed ashore over decades
• Texel Brewery – home of the island’s famous Skuumkoppe beer
• Museum Kaap Skil – maritime history, shipwrecks, and life on Texel through the centuries
• Texel Sheep Museum – a charming look at the island’s sheep culture (yes, there really are more sheep than people)
• Navy Museum (Den Helder) – a great stop on your way to or from the ferry, with submarines and naval history

We only managed to visit the Texel Lighthouse, Ecomare, and the Naval Museum in Den Helder. Of course, we reserved 1.5 days just for the beach. If that wasn’t enough, Texel has dozens of bike paths crossing dunes, forests, villages and coastline, making it incredibly easy to explore. Clearly, we have much more to discover next time.

TRANSPORTATION IN TEXEL

• By car

As any respectable beach resort, Texel comes with its own “special” parking prices. We found it pretty expensive, and paying by the hour at several parking spots isn’t exactly straightforward – especially if you don’t already have a parking app installed. The easy alternative is the Texel Vignette, which you can buy online for a day, week, or year. A one‑day vignette costs 20 EUR and completely removes the hassle of figuring out how to pay at each individual parking lot.

Note that the paid parking applies to public parking at attractions and beaches; most accommodations include free parking.

• By bike

Biking seems to be the most common way to get around Texel. The island has excellent bike paths and plenty of rental centers. We spotted at least two shops just in De Koog alone.

• By bus

Texel has a few fixed bus routes that connect main villages. They run frequently enough for sightseeing, especially between the ferry, Den Burg and De Koog.

Outside the main routes, Texel uses on‑demand minibuses called Texelhopper. You book them via the app, choose your departure and arrival stops and you got yourself a pickup ride at regular bus prices.

We didn’t try the bus, but it seems cheap and reliable. After all, it’s a small island, nothing really takes that long to reach.

STAYING & DINING ON TEXEL

For this first trip, we chose an apartment hotel for a three‑night stay. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, we mixed things up between supermarket finds and the restaurants along De Koog’s main street.

• Accommodation: Strandplevier Suites Texel
• Favourite restaurants: Pollo and Restaurant Oranjerie ‘t Vogelhuis

We came back home rested and energized, surprised by how three days felt so much longer. Time simply works differently on the island. 🙂

Until next time – travel well!