The legendary derby: Spakenburg – IJsselmeervogels

In Spakenburg, you have ordinary Saturdays… and then you have the derby Saturday. As soon as Spakenburg plays against IJsselmeervogels, our usually down-to-earth, cozy fishing village suddenly turns into a slightly nervous, fanatical, and above all noisy football bubble.

It starts days in advance. At the bakery, at work, and even in the supermarket, you hear the same exciting question everywhere: “Are you going Saturday?” Blue and red scarves and flags appear, jokes get just a little sharper, and some families decide, just to be safe, not to get together for socializing.

On the match day itself, there is that wonderful, electric tension in the air. The sports park fills with enthusiastic supporters, fanatical fans, and curious villagers who mostly just come for the atmosphere (and a bit of excitement). Even from far outside the village and from abroad, enthusiasts come to the spectacle.

Of course, as a B&B we also reap the benefits of that, and it happens that 10 minutes after the derby date is announced, all rooms are already fully booked.

And on the field? Football is played there as if it were a Champions League final. Strong tackles, heart-stopping chances, loud cheers, and occasionally a dramatic sigh from the stands. But the most beautiful part of the derby may be after the match. Because whether you are red or blue: the whole village talks about it for days, sometimes even weeks, cheerfully—okay, sometimes a bit less cheerfully—and at length.

Because honestly… such a beautiful, passionate, slightly chaotic derby simply belongs to Spakenburg.

My 17-year-old daughter was also there and she heard supporters 'from outside' saying to each other: 'Next time, you just have to stay at that B&B here in the center! They have multiple rooms!'

Next time I will give her business cards. Although that's actually not even necessary. :)

This is our own website with the best price. Click here for our accommodations or ask us your question. Or read on with Discover the charm of B&B Hartje Spakenburg , Why to visit Spakenburg - off the beaten path or go to the overview of all articles.