• Understand
• Get in
• Get around
• See
• Do
• Buy
• Eat
• Drink
• Sleep
• Get out

Delfzijl [1] is a city of around 20,000 inhabitants located in the north-eastern part of Groningen Province in the Netherlands.

[edit] Understand

The city has a large industrial area, a busy port, a beach and a few attractions to entertain the (mostly accidental) visitors. The place is not recommended for a longer stay, but has plenty of shops, a few hotels and a well stocked public library with internet facilities.

Delfzijl gained national notoriety in 2005 and 2006 because of political turmoil caused by its bickering local politicians. One of the last mayors to leave town in a hurry (Ms. Marritje Appel), bitterly denounced the city as "Sicily of the North".

During the local elections of 2006 30% of all voters in the city of Delfzijl submitted an "abstain vote".

[edit] Get in

Take a train from Groningen (every half hour). There are also bus connections to and from Winschoten, Uithuizen and villages in the area.

[edit] Get around

Walk or cycle, otherwise you need a car.

[edit] See

• Near the Damsterdiep canal, a 10 minute walk from the centre, there is a small statue of Maigret [2]. Georges Simenon created the character of the sleuth Maigret while staying in the town in 1929. He based his story "A Crime in Holland" in Delfzijl.

• The Aquariom contains a small museum and sea aquarium near the dyke (situated in a World War II bunker).

• The windmill Adam (exhibition centre) in the city centre.

[edit] Do

[edit] Buy

Delfzijl offers the usual Dutch main street shopping experience (Blokker, Hema, Zeeman, etc.).

[edit] Eat

[edit] Drink

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Get out