A cyclist rides past a modern, bright house with a pointed roof, surrounded by greenery along a paved path. A modern black house with red windows surrounded by green bushes, with a tall white lighthouse in the background.
Netherlands

Schiermonnikoog: Island of the Grey Monks

Schiermonnikoog is an island of vast open spaces. The beach is so enormous that you could lose yourself in it—at some points, more than a kilometer wide, an endless stretch of sand between the dunes and the sea. Walk here, and your only companions are often the wind and the waves.

The name means “Island of the Grey Monks”, a tribute to the Cistercian monks in their grey robes who lived here centuries ago. Today, instead of monks, two lighthouses stand watch over the island. The red lighthouse, nestled in the dunes, is still in operation. The white lighthouse, in the middle of the village, has been retired for over a hundred years—now serving only as a silent backdrop.

In the heart of the village stands something unusual: a gate made of two massive whale bones—a relic from a time when whaling was part of the region’s history. Today, it feels more like a curious monument, a reminder of something long gone. Just like the grey monks.

Map of Schiermonnikoog
Noordertoren, the red lighthouse of Schiermonnikoog, has been a landmark on the island since 1853, guiding ships safely along the Wadden Sea coast.
A group of people walks along a path between tall dunes toward a building on a hill, with bicycles parked beside the path.
A modern black house with red windows surrounded by green bushes, with a tall white lighthouse in the background.
The Zuidertoren, Schiermonnikoog’s second lighthouse, was deactivated in 1910 and now serves as a water tower.
A white house with a red tiled roof and large windows. A paved path leads through a green garden in front of the house.
A green lawn with neatly trimmed hedges, colorful houses with gardens and decorated with flags in the background.
A bustling restaurant terrace is filled with guests sitting at tables, enjoying food or drinks, surrounded by greenery.
A large, arched whale bone serves as a gate. In the background, trees and bicycles are visible, with a paved path in the foreground.
A striking landmark on Schiermonnikoog, this whalebone arch recalls the island's history of whaling. The bones were placed here in 1956 as a monument to the past.
A cyclist rides past a modern, bright house with a pointed roof, surrounded by greenery along a paved path.
Cycling is the main mode of transport on Schiermonnikoog, where cars are largely restricted. The island’s quiet roads and scenic routes make it ideal for biking.