East Flevoland and IJsseldelta

The Landscape

The polder landscape around Dronten was conceived in the mid-20th century by visionary planners and shaped by the hard work of pioneers. Its straight lines and orderly roads earned it the nickname “drawing board landscape.” But more than sixty years later, it has blossomed into a region of wide-open views, open waters, and breathtaking skies. Colorful fields and blossoming orchards brighten the land and fill the air with sweet scents. Along the shores of the Veluwerandmeren, green polder forests stretch like ribbons, giving nature free rein. Bird-rich lakes, wild marshes, and quiet corners attract rare species, even sea eagles and flamingos have made this place their home.

The IJsseldelta lies at the mouth of the River IJssel and is surrounded by the three Hanseatic towns of Zwolle, Kampen, and Hasselt. In this remarkable region, the flowing river water meets the tranquil land of polders, floodplains, and ancient stream ridges. It’s a landscape full of contrasts: wide and open, with endless views, yet also intimate and vibrant, with swaying reeds, winding dikes, and historic towns along the water’s edge. This delta was shaped by centuries of cooperation between humans and nature. Rivers carved out channels and left behind fertile clay; farmers raised mounds and built dikes. The result is a landscape that tells the enduring story of people living in harmony with water.