When someone tells you that he is going to the Netherlands, the first thing you think of is Amsterdam. But the Netherlands has a lot of other great places to offer and Haarlem is at the top of this list for me personally. I have fallen in love with the city and the surrounding area so much that I have been there five times and will certainly go again. Haarlem is an ideal mixture of city and beach and so far not as crowded with tourists as Amsterdam.

 

How to get there

Haarlem is located just 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam and with several trains running every hour, it’s a stone’s throw away. And the train costs less than 5 Euros! The first few times when I was in Haarlem, I visited the town by train as a day trip from Amsterdam. But it is also worth to stay overnight in Haarlem.
Holland has a very well developed railroad network. With the train you can get everywhere very fast and reliable.

The old town of Haarlem

Similar to Amsterdam and many other Dutch cities, Haarlem has several canals that run through the city. The old town itself is relatively small and completely surrounded by canals, so it looks a bit like an island. The old town is the heart of Haarlem, here you can find almost all the sights within walking distance, except for the national park and the beach, but more of that below.

 

St. Bavo Church

The center of the old town is the St. Bavo church with the large square in front of it, where the Grote Markt is held every Saturday and Monday. The church was built in the 15th century in Gothic style.  If you have time, it is worth a short detour to the church, the nave has a beautiful wooden vault. The church is open Monday to Saturday from 10.00 to 17.00 and costs you 2.50 Euro entrance fee. For those interested in history, there is a flyer that guides you through the history of the church. The people of Haarlem are especially proud of the fact that Mozart has played on the organ of St. Bavo. The organ is still played regularly today, maybe you are lucky if you are there and hear a piece.

Corrie Ten Boom House

The museum is one of the main attractions for many visitors to Haarlem. The Ten Boom family hid Jews from the Nazis in their house during the Second World War. They are said to have helped over 800 refugees. In February 1944 the house was stormed by the Nazis and the Ten Booms were imprisoned. Corrie Ten Boom was the only member of the family who survived the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. Afterwards she told the story of her family all over the world. The Corrie Ten Boom house is often put on the same level as the Anne Frank house.

The entrance is free of charge. However, you must join a guided tour. There are only 20 seats per tour, so if you want to go at a specific time, you should book online. The tours are guided in English, German and Dutch.

 

Cathedral Basiliek Sint Bavo

The church was built in the 19th century as a bishop’s church. Inside you should be able to admire a magnificent dome and there is a tour at lofty heights between the towers with a magnificent view. Unfortunately, for various reasons we have never made it into the church. Maybe next time.

Jopenkerk

My favorite place in Haarlem! Holland has many old churches that are no longer in use and are therefore being reused. The Jopenkerk became a brewery with a restaurant. First of all, there is really good beer here, all kinds fresh from the tap, and secondly, you can eat really well here. However, it can get very loud in the big nave, so I prefer to sit outside when the season allows.

 

Windmill De Adriaan

Molen De Adriaan is a typical Dutch windmill. The original mill was built in 1779, but it burned down in 1932 and was rebuilt in 2002. Inside there is a museum, which you can visit for 5 Euro. We did not go inside but admired the mill from the outside and enjoyed a really good coffee in the restaurant next door.

 

Gouden Straatjes (Golden streets)

Haarlem has been voted “the best shopping city in the Netherlands” several times by the Dutch, not without good reason. Around the seven Golden Streets (Gouden Straatjes) and the Grote Markt you will find the shopping paradise. Everything is largely car-free and the stores are even open on Sundays. On the bigger streets you will find the more famous brand name stores, but as soon as you turn a little into the side streets, you will find really great small boutiques with handicraft.

 

Hofies

A really great way to get to know the city is to visit the many historic Hofies. In the past, houses for single women and widows were built around a small garden in Haarlem. These courtyards are real gems and are mostly open to the public, although some entrances are quite hidden. In the tourist office of Haarlem you can get a map of the city with all the courtyards on it and start your search. Attention, many courtyards are closed on Sundays to give the residents a little privacy.

Canal trip

If you have the time and the weather plays along, a canal trip through the canals of Haarlem is something wonderful. The trip costs between 12 and 20 euros, depending on the provider, and you will pass almost all the sights.

 

Off to the sea

The real attraction of Haarlem for me is the proximity to the sea and the national park. To be honest, the first few times I was here only for that reason.
The best way to get there is by bicycle. Many accommodations offer cheap or even free bicycles for their guests, otherwise there are really many bicycle rentals in Haarlem.

Tip: I always rent a bike at Rent a Bike Haarlem. Good service, nice people and fair prices. If you tell them where you want to go, they show you on the map what the best way is by bike and they have a lot of information already on their website.

From the center of Haarlem to the sea at the famous seaside village Zandvoort you have about 30 minutes by bike. But I prefer to take the way through the Zuid-kennemerland National Park to the village Bloemendaal, also directly at the sea. Until you reach the national park, you cycle through a beautiful suburban quarter with beautiful houses. In the national park there is a huge network of paved roads, which are easy to drive on. In the national park there are many animals, from hopping rabbits to Scottish highland cattle and wild horses.

On weekends the national park is also often used by locals and there are many walkers. In the summer you can swim in the sea, if you are sufficiently hardened of course also in winter.

By the way Haarlem is also known for kite surfing. On days with more wind you can watch many kites at the sea.