Dokkum is one of the eleven historic Frisian cities, and one of the most atmospheric. The town centre is ringed by canals and largely intact from the 18th century — a compact star-shaped fortification pattern visible when seen from above. The main reason most Dutch visitors come is the memory of St Boniface, the Anglo-Saxon missionary martyred here in 754, whose story is told at the chapel and spring outside the old walls. Beyond that, Dokkum rewards slow exploration: walking the canal circuit, visiting the two windmills, and understanding the town's history as a naval base.