Posts with: ■ By: Tomás O’Reilly Gallardo

Asteriks, Leeuwarden’s most charmful venue

Despite Leeuwarden’s size compared to other Dutch cities, it has interesting music places in almost every corner, a combination that is perfect for developing a solid music scene. Blokhuispoort probably hosts the most peculiar of all venues in the Frisian capital. Once you go through the stone arch that hosts the main entrance of the building, you walk across the first courtyard where you can find a café and the library above it, if you glance to the left. Carry on to the second courtyard and in the further left corner you will see the entrance of Asteriks. Although this might be hard to believe, up a spiral stone staircase, almost claustrophobic, you will find… a concert hall. More →

The Holy Trinity of Leeuwarder nightlife

The nights in Leeuwarden are very different than the days. It’s when the night animals come out in all their glory, and that surely is something worth observing. Dutch and foreigner youth alike both disinhibit themselves in the streets that belong to them after sunset. This usually corresponds to Grote Hoogstraat, Oude Doelesteeg and Ruiterskwartier, the three streets that gather pretty much all the night life of the city. More →

Through the eyes of… Tomás O’Reilly Gallardo from Spain: The irony and excessive kindness

I arrived in Leeuwarden on January 26th. Prior to my Erasmus application, I had never heard of the city or even Friesland for that matter, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I read in forums that students here had a wonderful time, but I was unsure whether this tiny northern Dutch city would suit me, what would the people be like and a thousand other questions that were flying through my head. It was already dark when I set foot outside the station and the first thing I saw was a whole set of party-like lights and decoration. It was indeed the first of many times I was going to hear the words “Cultural Capital of Europe”. More →