Het Wapen van Ameland

Het Wapen van Ameland is a historic inn and restaurant in Nes, the main village on the island of Ameland, and its name means the coat of arms of Ameland. Inns of this kind were important places on the Wadden Islands, where travellers arriving by boat needed food, drink and a bed, and where islanders met to talk business and share news. Nes, on the south side of the island, faces the Wadden Sea, and it is the village where the ferry from Holwerd arrives, so it has long been the island's gateway, and an inn near the centre was a natural place for visitors to stop.

The building is said to date back to the seventeenth century, though visitors should check the details locally. Dutch inns of that period typically had thick brick walls, low ceilings with heavy wooden beams, small windows and a large central room with a fireplace, and the cosy, rustic character that results is part of the appeal. Interiors usually mix old and new, with original beams and stone floors alongside modern fittings, and the walls may carry old photographs and maritime objects that tell about the island's past. Ameland was a whaling island in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and the wealth made by captains on whaling ships shows in the old houses of Hollum and Nes.

The food is regional and focuses on local produce. Menus on the Wadden Islands typically feature fish and shellfish from the Wadden Sea, such as mussels, shrimp and plaice, lamb that has grazed on the salt marshes, and Dutch classics like pea soup and pancakes, and many places offer island specialities. Prices vary, and it is wise to make a reservation in summer and on weekends, and to check opening hours and menus in advance, since island restaurants often have shorter hours outside the peak season. A visit is easy to fit into a day, since the village is small and the inn is close to the main square and the ferry terminal.

Ameland has many other places to see. Nes Harbor is the point of arrival, De Oude Toren in the village is a landmark, and the lighthouse at Hollum, De Vuurtoren, and the Hollum Village Center, Strand van Hollum and the Wadlopen Center, which offers guided mudflat walks, are all within an easy bicycle ride. The island is largely car-free, with cycling and walking the main modes of travel, and the beaches on the North Sea side are wide and quiet.

The inn suits couples, families and cyclists who want a hearty meal in a traditional setting. Allow an hour for a meal, and book ahead in the season.