Menu:
A Guide to Haarlem, Netherlands
Haarlem is a small city about 20km west of Amsterdam and can be easily reached by train. It has a picturesque historic centre with good shopping and is also home to the renowned Frans Hals museum. |
Haarlem railway station, which was built in the Art Nouveau style of architecture, is around 600m north of the centre.
A 10 minute walk down either Jansweg or Kruisweg will bring you to the Grote Markt, the heart of the town.
The imposing gothic Grote Kerk (Sint Bavokerk) dominates the square. Entry costs €2.50, children 12-16 €1.25. The church houses one of the largest Müller pipe organs in the world, said to have been played by both Handel and a 10 year old Mozart. Free organ concerts are held at 2015 on Tuesdays between mid-May and mid-October.
A further 10 minute walk south from here is Haarlem's foremost attraction - the Frans Hals Museum at Groot Heiligland 62. It houses a fine collection of paintings by 17th century Haarlem portrait artist Frans Hals (c1580-1666) as well as many other Golden Age artists. The building is a hofje - an old almshouse with an inner courtyard.
Admission costs €13, free for children 0-18 and museumcard holders. Open 1100-1700 Tue-Sat. The museum has a small cafe for drinks and snacks.
Nearby is the Historisch Museum Haarlem (Groot Heiligland 47) with a collection of historical city paintings and artefacts. Admission €5, 0-18 /museumcard free. |
Back on Grote Markt, Frans Hals museum has a modern art exhibition space - De Hallen Museum - housed in the old Verweijhal en Vleeshal (meat hall) next to the Grote Kerk. De Hallen is open 1100-1700 Tue-Sat, admission is €6, 0-18 /museumcard free.
On the western side of Grote Markt is the Stadhuis (City Hall) - outside of which you will find a market on Saturdays and Mondays.
Walking east of the Grote Markt is the Teylers Museum (Spaarne 16) - the oldest museum in the country - in a large riverside merchant house. It contains a varied collection of art and scientific items from the 18th and 19th century. Check out the striking neo-classical Oval Room. Entry is €9, 6-18 €2, museumcard free. Open 1000-1700 Tue-Sat, 1200-1700 Sunday.
From the other side of the Spaarne river, one can take a boat cruise around Haarlem and beyond. Prices start at €12.50.
There are a number of decent lunch places on the main shopping drag Grote Houtstraat. Hartig en Zoet (Grote Houtstraat 170) serves sandwiches, cakes or high tea using their own baked organic breads. Hofje zonder Zorgen (Grote Houtstraat 142a) has a similar menu with some organic products. The nearby Garrone (Grote Houtstraat 179 ) is the city's best ice cream parlour.
Aangenaam (Kleine Houtstraat 105) is an organic eetcafe that is also open for dinner. For a classy Indian meal try Jai Bharat (Oude Groenmarkt 24). Another decent (and cheap) eat can be had at Bagels & Beans cafe (Gierstraat 49).
Note, an organic farmer's market is held at Botermarkt on Fridays.
Patronaat (Zijlsingel 2) is the city's main music venue with regular gigs. The Patronaat cafe is open late Thursday to Saturday.
There is a VVV tourist information at Verwulft 11 (in the middle of the street near the V&D department store).
Getting There: The regular train service from Amsterdam Central (usually platform 2) to Haarlem takes just over 15 mins. A day return costs €7.60 or in 1st class €13 (2012 prices). Alternatively, combine the day with a visit to the beach at Zandvoort-aan-Zee.
 | If you are looking for a convenient hotel (rates up to 80% off) in Haarlem then please click here |