@deElfstedentocht

Koninklijke Vereniging De Friesche Elf Steden is a Frisian association founded in 1909 to promote skating and, in particular, to organize the legendary Eleven Cities Tour whenever conditions allow. The event follows a historic route through Friesland’s eleven cities and requires a continuous ice layer of 15 centimeters across the full course. Since the first officially organized tour, held in 1909, it has taken place fifteen times, with the most recent edition in 1997.

The association has more than 32,000 members and is run by a ten-person board. Each year, the board works with regional coordinators, assistant coordinators and volunteers to prepare for the tour, although whether it can go ahead depends on the weather. Its website shares information about the route, past editions, participant guidance, practical arrangements, safety and membership. Visitors can also explore historical records, news and personal skating stories contributed by members. Through its organizing work and preservation of the event’s history, the association sustains one of Friesland’s best-known skating traditions and celebrates the people and communities connected with it.