Thialf is the spiritual home of Dutch speed skating and arguably the most famous indoor ice rink in the world. The 400-metre oval, the short-track ring inside it, and the upper bowl together hold around 12,500 spectators. World Cup events, World Championships, and Dutch Allround and Sprint Championships are staged here every winter, and the noise on a Saturday night when an orange-clad national hero rounds the final bend is one of the loudest in Dutch sport.
Outside competition weekends the rink is open for public skating, and tickets are cheap. Skate hire is available on-site. If you have any interest in winter sport or in why a country with no mountains keeps winning Olympic gold, an hour here is essential. The arena sits in the south of town, a short walk from Heerenveen railway station.