Sailing past the harbours (ports of the Netherlands)
The Netherlands is a country of ships and harbours, and in this game mode you sail from port to port with the wind in your sails. You learn to place old fishing and harbour towns on the map — from the former Zuiderzee towns of Enkhuizen, Hoorn and Volendam to the Frisian harbours of Stavoren, Makkum and Harlingen on the other side of the IJsselmeer.
You also sail past large seaports and coastal towns such as IJmuiden, Scheveningen, Hoek van Holland and Vlissingen, and past northern harbours like Den Helder, Lauwersoog and Delfzijl. Many of these places flourished thanks to fishing and sea trade; some, like Urk, once lay as an island in the middle of the Zuiderzee.
Climb aboard and sail from harbour to harbour at your own pace — a fun, free way for kids and grown-ups to get to know the Dutch coast and its ports.
▶︎ Play nowFrequently asked questions
What are famous old harbour towns on the former Zuiderzee?
Around the IJsselmeer, the former Zuiderzee, lie many old harbour towns such as Enkhuizen, Hoorn, Volendam, Medemblik, Stavoren, Makkum and Urk. They once flourished through fishing and sea trade and often still have well-preserved historic harbours with wooden ships and old warehouses along the water.
What is an important seaport on the Dutch coast?
Along the North Sea coast lie important ports such as IJmuiden, the gateway to the North Sea Canal leading to Amsterdam, and Hoek van Holland near the mouth of the waterway towards Rotterdam. Scheveningen and Vlissingen are other well-known coastal harbours.
Why does the Netherlands have so many harbours?
The Netherlands lies on the North Sea and at the mouths of large rivers, which has long made it a trading and seafaring nation. Harbours such as Harlingen, Den Helder, Delfzijl and Vlissingen grew up for fishing, trade and links with overseas territories.
What is the best way to learn the ports of the Netherlands?
The most fun and fastest way to learn the harbours of the Netherlands is by playing, with the free helicopter in Toponauts. You sail from port to port and place each town on the map yourself, at your own pace — great for children and adults learning the coast.