“You absolutely have to visit Haarlem during your Holland round trip if you’re traveling in the Netherlands.” Haarlem wasn’t even on our radar at the very beginning of our research, but it kept coming up. And so, after our stops in Scheveningen and Harlingen, we also made a stop in Haarlem.

And what can we tell you? Haarlem is a truly amazing city! It was the right decision to take this trip. We were thrilled from start to finish. We were thrilled by the pretty towns, the incredibly friendly people, and the special atmosphere. The entire country has much more to offer than just Amsterdam. Haarlem is definitely one of our favorite places. We’ll share our best Haarlem tips and highlights with you.

  • Getting to Haarlem
  • Our accommodation in Haarlem
  • A walking tour of the old town
  • Cool tours through Haarlem
  • Molen de Adriaan – The Dutch Windmill
  • By tandem to the sea
  • The Woodstock Bar in Bloemendaal
  • Conclusion about Haarlem in the Netherlands

Getting to Haarlem

Public transport is well organized throughout the country. Getting to Haarlem from almost any direction is easy. We took the Intercity train from Utrecht via Amsterdam. The journey took just under 50 minutes, and a single trip cost around €11. From Amsterdam, it’s just €4.20 (journey time: 15 minutes).

But no matter where you are in the country, the express trains and short distances mean you can always reach your destination quickly. By train, you can reach Zandvoort, Bloemendaal, Overveen, Santpoort Noord, Santpoort Zuid, and Heemstede in 10 minutes. Schiphol Airport can be reached within 40 minutes by bus line 300.

You can buy train tickets at the ticket counter of the respective train station. There is also the so-called OV-Chipkaart. This costs a one-time fee of €7.50 and is valid for a maximum of 5 years. This card is a type of credit card for buses, trains, metro, and trams. As in many other countries, you can load this card with credit and then use it for public transport. You can find more information here: Holland Infos – OV Chipkaart.

If you are arriving by car, please note that there are hardly any free parking spaces. Parking on the streets in Haarlem is only free on Sundays and certain public holidays. Parking fees apply on other days. It’s best to park in one of the five public parking garages.

Our Accommodation in Haarlem

We wanted to really treat ourselves and booked a truly fantastic accommodation for our stay in Haarlem. We found a little gem right in the heart of the old town on Booking.com. We couldn’t get enough of our Bed & Breakfast Mya in Haarlem. We had a large room with a terrace, an incredibly comfortable bed, and lots of great details.

Haarlem-Netherlands-Hotel-Accommodation-Mya-Old Town

The room had a distinctive loft feel with stylish designs and details. The house itself has four more rooms (if we didn’t count wrong) and a small kitchen. The owner is incredibly kind and helpful, and he even serves a small but delicious breakfast in the kitchen in the morning.

Netherlands-Haarlem-Airbnb-Mya-Old-Town-Accommodation-Loft

More accommodations in Haarlem

We’ve picked out a few really cool accommodations for you that we would book ourselves. The pictures, location, and, of course, reviews from previous guests were important to us. But it’s best to decide for yourself which hotel you choose for your trip.

This cool hotel is located just 550 meters from the center and awaits you in a cool style. The rooms are minimalist but comfortably furnished with a desk, TV, bathroom, and seating. We think the cozy lobby is really cool. Previous guests particularly praise the location, the hotel’s style, and the modern rooms.

4.5 out of 5 points on Tripadvisor*

This modern 4-star boutique hotel is located in the city center of Haarlem and impresses with its distinctive style and charm. Guests have been coming to this hotel since 1839, and it is now known as Haarlem’s oldest city hotel. Look forward to stylish rooms, plenty of character, and authenticity. Guests particularly praise the breakfast, the location, and the service.

4 out of 5 points on Tripadvisor*

Another chic 4-star boutique hotel, located just 650 meters from the city center. A restaurant, a bar, a shared lounge, a garden, and truly chic and comfortable rooms with a bathroom, TV, wardrobe, and kettle await you in the morning. A continental breakfast awaits you. The accommodation’s terrace is truly cool.

4.5 out of 5 points on Tripadvisor*

Haarlem also boasts 5 stars. This cool hotel is located right in the city center and awaits you with a mix of luxury and casualness. The rooms are chicly furnished, but not too “snobby,” rather cool and casual. Look forward to large rooms with a TV, rain shower, minibar, desk, comfortable bed, and a view of the city center. Some rooms even have a whirlpool bathtub. Previous guests particularly praise the attention to detail, the highly professional staff, and the hotel itself.

4.5 out of 5 points on Tripadvisor*

A Tour of the Old Town

The old town in Haarlem is quite small, so you can easily explore the different corners on foot. We didn’t really see many tourists, so we enjoyed this quiet day in Haarlem. There are also hardly any cars in the old town, so you don’t have to worry about getting run over.

Recommended highlights in Haarlem: Grote Kerk (Great Church), Teylers Museum (the country’s first museum), Grote Markt, Haarlem Town Hall, Basiliek St-Bavo Cathedral, Hofje van Oorschot (backyard with a garden), Frans Hals Museum (contemporary art), Amsterdamse Poort.

Haarlem Netherlands Tips Old Town

Haarlem has often been voted the best shopping city in the Netherlands, and for good reason. Here you’ll find a wide variety of shops, exclusive home furnishing stores, trendy fashion outlets, unusual concept stores, and much, much more. The picturesque Gouden Straatjes (Golden Street) with its unique boutiques is particularly popular. If you’re looking for hip and cool shops, you’ll find a great route with many addresses on the HipShops website.

Haarlem-Netherlands-Shopping-Dille-Kamille

The weekly market (Grote Markt 2) also takes place every Saturday and Monday in the Old Town. In addition to the traditional weekly and themed markets, there is also an antique market, a book market, and an organic market. At the weekly market, you’ll find flowers, cheese, delicacies, fruit, vegetables, and much more. As always, we went with the flow and ended up in some great spots in the old town.

Haarlem-Netherlands-Old Town-Narrows-Tips-Excursion-Travel

You’ll find more interior design shops, flower shops, cafés, and trendy stores in Koningstraat. We repeatedly turned off and strolled through small, picturesque alleys. The small green oasis Korte Houtstraat in the center is truly beautiful.

In Breestraat, you’ll pass Café Native, a truly lovely and cozy café. Here you can get cakes, snacks, sandwiches, and many other treats. Be sure to stop at SLA (Kruisweg). Here you can put together your own salad. Taste: Top!

Haarlem-Netherlands-Old Town-Sla-Salatbar

Cool Tours through Haarlem

  • Haarlem: Interactive City Exploration Adventure*
  • Bike Tour to the Highlights of Haarlem*
  • Haarlem: 3.5-Hour Culinary Tour*
  • Walking Tour through the Beautiful City of Haarlem*

Molen de Adriaan – The Dutch Windmill

In the east of the old town is a beautiful Dutch windmill right on the romantic Spaarne River. It was destroyed in a catastrophic fire in 1932 and rebuilt only 10 years ago. You can visit this mill and learn all about how windmills work in general, how various machines can be powered by wind power, and much, much more. A guided tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and costs €5.50 for adults and €2.50 for children (children under 4 are free). You can find more information here: Molen de Adriaan.

Haarlem Netherlands Molen de Adriaan Mill

By tandem to the sea

We already saw on Google Maps that Haarlem is only 8 km from the sea. Naturally, we wanted to take advantage of this and inquired about a local bike rental. We strolled toward the train station and turned right onto “Lange Herenstraat.” This is where Rent a Bike Haarlem is located. Originally, we just wanted to rent two bikes and get going. But when we saw the tandems, it was pretty clear. And so, for the first time, we rode together on a tandem to the seaside (price: €23).

Haarlem-Netherlands-Tandem-Bike-Rental

It was our first time riding a bike like that. It worked surprisingly well, though, and we made really good progress. The route to the sea is really easy; you just drive straight west. Bloemendaal aan Zee is also indicated on all the signs. We had to cycle about 8 kilometers to get to the sea; it took us maybe 20-25 minutes on the tandem.

Haarlem-Niederlande-Bloemendaal-Nordsee-Ausflig-Tandem

The Woodstock Bar in Bloemendaal

We always feel most at home by the sea; we’re beach children through and through. As we approached the North Sea on our tandem, there was a fresh, fragrant sea breeze in the air. Arriving at Bloemendaal Beach, we could already see the sea in the distance. Finally! The weather was completely on our side that day, and so we enjoyed our short but wonderful excursion to the fullest.

Haarlem-Netherlands-Bloemendaal-Woodstock-Bar-Beach-North Sea

A quick turn to the right and we saw this colorful, hip beach bar. It almost seemed as if Pippi Longstocking lived there, along with some hippies. The Woodstock Bar is a jumbled microcosm of colorful beach chairs, tables, and sofas. A palm tree here and there, pleasant music from the speakers, and delicious snacks and drinks.

Haarlem-Netherlands-North Sea-Beach-Bloemendaal-Woodstock-Bar

Here in Bloemendaal, there are numerous beach pavilions, and large beach parties are often organized here. Sometimes several beach pavilions combine to organize a large beach party. Bloemendaal is the Dutch answer to Ibiza. That’s what people say about this place, at least. But it’s also a great place to just relax and unwind. There’s a holiday park nearby where you can stay in small, pretty bungalows (Sea Lodges Bloemendaal).

Bloemendaal-North Sea-Haarlem-Netherlands-Beach-Muscheln

Conclusion about Haarlem in the Netherlands

Haarlem is absolutely one of our favorite cities in the Netherlands. The city is small, cozy, and not at all crowded. Amsterdam should be prepared, because there are certainly nicer and, above all, quieter places in the country. We particularly liked the mix of city and beach here.

By bike, it’s only a stone’s throw to the North Sea, where you can really unwind. So if you’re planning a trip through the Netherlands or just looking for a place to relax for a few days, we highly recommend Haarlem.