Texel

Netherlands

Texel is the Netherlands' most painlessly dog-friendly Wadden island, a 24 km North Sea spit 20 minutes by free-for-dogs TESO ferry from Den Helder with five year-round off-leash dog beaches (Paal 8, 9, 17, 28, 31), the 4,300-hectare Nationaal Park Duinen van Texel along the western dune belt, the 850-hectare De Dennen pine forest with year-round off-leash loops, seven distinct villages (Den Burg the cobbled capital, De Koog beside the beach pavilions, Oudeschild with the Texelse Bierbrouwerij, Den Hoorn the smallest, De Cocksdorp at the Eierland lighthouse), and the De Slufter NATURA 2000 salt marsh on the northwest coast. Top spots for pets include the five year-round off-leash dog beaches at Paal 8, 9, 17, 28 and 31, the De Dennen pine-forest off-leash loops, and the EcoMare seal sanctuary plus the red Eierland lighthouse climb with a leashed dog, especially around Den Burg around the cobbled Groeneplaats and 1517 Hervormde Kerk, the De Koog beach-pavilion strip beside Paal 17, the Den Hoorn village square, the Oudeschild harbour and brewery, and the De Cocksdorp lighthouse cluster at the northern tip.