For the next installation in our mini-series, it’s time for a Haarlem day trip.
Haarlem is located so close to Amsterdam that you’ll barely feel like you’ve crossed city limits. Only about 15 minutes away by train, Haarlem is a wonderful breath of fresh air after a few days in Amsterdam.
Cute-as-a-button, historic, and easy to get to– you may never want to leave. It still has the canals and gorgeous architecture associated with Amsterdam, but far fewer (and less noisy) tourists, with a more laid-back and relaxed vibe.
Dating back to 1245, Haarlem is an excellent example of a Dutch medieval city. Historically, it served as an important hub for art, textiles, beer brewing, and various other commercial enterprises.
Its prime location between Leiden and Alkmaar allowed it to collect loads of money in tolls in the Middle Ages, as ships constantly passed between these two cities. As shipping became bigger and bigger during the Dutch Golden Age, Haarlem transitioned to the primarily commuter town that it is today, with Amsterdam surpassing it in commercial importance.
Luckily, much of Haarlem’s medieval center, with its gabled houses and cobblestoned streets, remains intact to this day. It is nicknamed “Bloemenstad” (Flower City) due to its long history of tulip bulb production, one of Holland’s most famous exports. The flower fields at Lisse are super close by, and an absolutely marvelous sight in the springtime.
There are loads of NS “sprinter” trains departing from Amsterdam Centraal or Amsterdam Sloterdijk that stop in Haarlem. The journey takes about 15 minutes, and the trains are super regular, once every 10 minutes or so. Once you arrive at Haarlem’s gorgeous Centraal train station, it’s about a 10-minute walk to the Grote Markt and the city center.
Traveling by train is definitely the easiest option, though if you’re staying in the Elandsgracht area of Amsterdam there is also a bus (#80) that will get you there in about 45 minutes. Intrepid wannabe-Dutchies can also bike– the roads are flat, impeccably maintained, and the journey will only take about an hour. Note that if you decide to come back to Amsterdam on the train, you’ll need to buy a special ticket for the bike and ride in a designated bike carriage, only allowed during off-peak travel times.
Full disclosure, Haarlem is one of our favorite cities. We were super tempted to move there since it’s so adorable and so close to Amsterdam, but the allure of biking everywhere we need to go was just too strong to add a train commute. So for now, we’ll stay in Amsterdam– but again, Haarlem is very tempting.
Recommended Reading
Top Things to Do in Haarlem
Check out the city's wide variety of amazing museums.
From windmills to secret gardens to Dutch Masters, Haarlem definitely packs a punch museums-wise!
- The oldest museum in the Netherlands, the Teylers Museum (top 2 photos above), is your first stop. The museum has a bit of an eclectic collection, from Dutch Master works to fossils and historic books, and is housed in a gorgeous 19th century hall. They have recently opened the residential portion of the museum for the first time, and it’s remarkably well-preserved from when the original Teyler lived there back in the day.
- Frans Hals is one of the most famous Dutch painters and portraitists, and the Frans Hals Museum (bottom 2 photos above) is home to the largest collection of his works in one place (for Piet Mondrian fans, check out the Kunstmuseum in The Hague!) Intriguingly, the museum is split into two buildings– double the fun.
- The Molen de Adriaan (below right) is an integral part of Haarlem’s skyline and a must-visit. Sitting right along the Spaarne River waterfront, it is a perfect example of a traditional Dutch windmill, especially if you haven’t visited Zaanse Schans yet. The inside has neat exhibits about the structure, layout, and history of Dutch windmills.
- While not strictly museums, Haarlem is super well-known for its hofjes, a type of enclosed courtyard garden. These date back to medieval times as well, where they were initially founded as almshouses, where women who had fallen into unfortunate circumstances could live. The oldest hofje in Haarlem dates back to the 1300s! Note that these are not exactly easy to find. While 21 exist in the city, you sort of have to know what you’re looking for– many are hidden behind high walls or otherwise obscured from view. It’s a delightful “well-kept secret,” though, sort of like a speakeasy for gardens!
- The Ten Boom family are national heroes in the Netherlands for their efforts to help Jewish people hide or escape the country during World War II. You can visit their home, now a museum, called the Corrie Ten Boomhuis, and the hiding place they built upstairs. Corrie was the only family member to survive the war, as sadly the family was betrayed to the Nazis. Tours are limited, so make sure to plan ahead if you’d like to visit.
Explore the city center
Meandering around is (in our opinion) the best thing to do in Haarlem. It’s so small that you don’t really need to analyze a map, you can just start out in Grote Markt and pick a cute street to walk down!
- Speaking of, the Grote Markt is the “main square” of Haarlem, rumored to be the nicest in the country. Don’t miss the imposing City Hall and the absolutely massive Grote Kerk church (AKA St. Bavokerk.) Fun fact: Mozart played St. Bavokerk’s 5000-pipe Müller organ once as a child, and the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This area is comparable to some of Amsterdam’s squares, but much more laid-back. There are a variety of food options around, or you can just sit for a bit and enjoy. On weekends there is often a market in the square, where you can get fresh produce, hot stroopwafels, vintage clothes, and beyond. - The Haarlem Philharmonie has 5 different concert halls, with different styles, sizes, and acoustics. The “Little Room” in particular is made totally out of wood– which means it has some of the best acoustics in Europe. The Dutch Philharmonic and the Dutch Chamber Orchestra both regularly play here.
- Not to be confused with Amsterdam’s Negen Straatjes, some of the best shopping (from big-box stores to small boutiques and window-shopping) can be found in Haarlem’s Gouden Straatjes (Golden Streets.) Haarlem is regularly voted one of the best shopping areas in the Netherlands, and there are a variety of cafés to enjoy as well. We particularly love the ice cream at Chocolaterie Pierre.
- Relatedly, just meander around the various neighborhoods! If you go early in the day, you’ll get fabulous photos, and each street is worth admiring. It will really feel like you’ve suddenly entered a dollhouse.
By the way, if you haven’t already noticed this in Amsterdam– Dutch ground-floor apartments are infamous for leaving their windows open, allowing passers-by to peek inside and admire the interiors. Sounds creepy, but if you spend enough time in any Dutch city you’ll definitely notice it!
Haarlem is one of our absolute favorite cities in the Netherlands, worth visiting time and time again. It’s an absolute must-see for anyone visiting Amsterdam– even if you only have a half-day to go check it out, a Haarlem day trip is always a good idea.
Keep an eye out for the next few Amsterdam day trips coming your way soon– we’ve got Delft, Gouda, Utrecht, and more queued up! In the meantime, you can pin this guide for later on Pinterest here or by clicking on the photos below.
Don’t miss our other day trip guides to cute-as-a-button Zaanse Schans and sophisticated Den Haag (the Hague.) Speaking of tulips… our guide to Keukenhof will give you all the best tips for a stress-free visit to the world capital of tulips.
