It has a picturesque centre with good shopping/eating and is also home to a number of renowned museums including the Frans Hals collection. Haarlem makes for an interesting day out and can also be combined with a visit to the nearby beach at Zandvoort-aan-Zee

Arriving by train, the art nouveau-styled Haarlem railway station is around 600m north of the city centre. The station was built in the early 20th century to replace the original station. Amsterdam-Haarlem was the first railway in the Netherlands, opening in 1839.

To reach the heart of town walk down either Jansweg or Kruisweg which will bring you to the Grote Markt, the city’s main square.

Grote Kerk (Sint Bavokerk) Haarlem

The imposing gothic church known as the Grote Kerk or Sint Bavokerk dominates the square. It dates back to the 15th and 16th centuries and has a 78m lead-covered wooden tower.

The church houses one of the largest Christian Müller pipe organs (1738) in the world, said to have been played by both Handel and a 10 year old Mozart. The organ has 5,068 pipes and the longest pipe is 10m.

The cross-shape floor of the church consists entirely of gravestones (1,500 altogether) including that of artist Frans Hals – which is located in the Choir section.

The church is open to the public 10:00-17:00 Mon-Sat (closed Sundays) and entry costs €4.00, children 13-16 pay €2.00. Free entry to children 0-12. Weekly organ concerts are held between mid-May and mid-October.

St. Bavo’s, Grote Markt 22, 2011 RD Haarlem

Stadhuis Haarlem

On the western side of the Grote Markt square lies the Stadhuis (City Hall), part of which used to be a monastery. The VVV Haarlem tourist office is found at the Stadhuis (Grote Markt 2) and is open 10:00-17:00 Mon-Sat (closed Sundays).

Frans Hals Museum

A further 7-10 minute walk south from the Grote Markt is Haarlem’s foremost attraction – the Frans Hals Museum on Groot Heiligland. It houses a fine collection of paintings by 17th century Haarlem portrait artist Frans Hals (c1582-1666) as well as many other Dutch Masters of the time.

Frans Hals was particularly renowned for his exceptional civic guards portraits and the museum has a large room with the 8 works on show. You can sit on comfy sofas to study the paintings.

The museum building is a hofje – an old almshouse with an inner courtyard – and Hals himself spent the final years of his life here. The lovely courtyard is accessible to museum visitors and has a number of benches.

Admission is €18.50 for adults, €9.00 for ages 19-24/CJP holders, free for children 0-18, I Amsterdam City Card and Museumkaart holders. Special exhibitions can attract a supplement.

It is open 11:00-17:00 Tue-Sun (closed Mondays).

Book Frans Hals Museum tickets here

Frans Hals Museum, Groot Heiligland 62, 2011 ES Haarlem

Verwey Museum Haarlem

Nearby the Frans Hal HOF locaton is the Verwey Museum Haarlem. It has a permanent collection of historical paintings including those of local watercolour painter Kees Verwey (1900-1995) who the museum is named after.

It also has artefacts from Haarlem and the South Kennemerland area and holds various temporary exhibitions.

Admission is €13.50 for adults, €8.50 for children 13-18, free for children 0-12, I Amsterdam City Card and Museumkaart holders. Free entrance is available on the first Sunday of each month.

Open 11:00-17:00 Tue-Sat, 12:00-17:00 Sun-Mon.

Verwey Museum Haarlem, Groot Heiligland 47, 2011 EP Haarlem

Teylers Museum

Just east of the Grote Markt is the Teylers Museum, an art, natural history and science museum in a large riverside merchant house. It is the oldest museum in the Netherlands originally opened in 1784.

It contains a eclectic collection of art and scientific items from the 18th and 19th century. This includes electrical machinery, fossils, coins and Dutch Masters art.

Perhaps the highlight of the museum is the magnificent neo-classical Oval Room with its authentic 18th century interior.

The Pieter Teyler House is a newer wing of the museum (opened 2021). It is the house of museum founder Pieter Teyler (1702-1778) featuring fully restored period rooms. His Enlightenment ideals bequeathed the museum to the city.

Entry is €18.50 for adults, €9.25 for young adults 18-24, €2.50 for children 6-17. Free entry to children 0-5, I Amsterdam City Card and Museumkaart holders.

Open 10:00-17:00 Tue-Sun, closed Mondays. An audio tour is included.

Teylers Museum, Spaarne 16, 2011 CH Haarlem

Museum Van De Geest (Museum of the Mind)

Just north of Haarlem station is the Dolhuys, a former lepers/plague hospice and madhouse which was isolated from the city. It now houses the Museum of the Mind, which explores people’s state of mind through its historical collection and personal stories.

Entrance is €17.50 for adults, €10.00 for youths 18-22, €5.00 for children 5-17, free entry to children 0-4, I Amsterdam City Card and Museumkaart holders. Open 11:00-17:00 Tue-Sun, closed on Mondays.

Museum van de Geest | Dolhuys, Schotersingel 2, 2021 GE Haarlem

Haarlem Canal Cruise

From the other side of the Spaarne river opposite the Teylers Museum, you can take a cruise around Haarlem’s canals from local outfit Smidje’s Canal Cruises.

The cruises last about 50 minutes and you can see various landmarks including the Adriaan windmill.

Tickets are from €19.95 for adults, €11.50 for children 4-11. Book Haarlem cruise tickets here

Haarlemerhoutpark / Paviljoen Welgelegen

This is a 60 acre park on the south side of the city. It has a deer park, tea house, petting zoo and pancake restaurant.

Paviljoen Welgelegen is the North Holland provincial hall and in the past was a retreat for both Louis Napoleon and Princess Wilhelmina. Located in the smaller Frederikspark, it hosts exhibitions and is open 09:00-17:00 (Mon-Fri) with free entrance.

Paviljoen Welgelegen, Dreef 3, 2012 HR Haarlem

Getting to Haarlem from Amsterdam

The regular NS train service from Amsterdam Central (usually platforms 1 or 2) to Haarlem takes just over 15 minutes.

The trains are either Intercity services (directions Den Haag Centraal or Vlissingen) or Sprinters (directions Hoorn or Zandvoort-aan-Zee). A day return costs €11.00 (2nd class) or €19.80 (1st class) – 2026 prices. There is a €1.60 surcharge for disposable tickets. You can also buy e-tickets here

[RECOMMENDED] The 1-3 day Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (€23/€34/€44) is valid for Amsterdam-Haarlem-Zandvoort train travel. You can buy the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket online here.

It includes NS trains in the Amsterdam region, all regional buses (Connexxion, EBS and Arriva Keukenhof services) and all GVB Amsterdam buses, metro and trams.

Finally the Amsterdam Beach Tour ticket (€17) is valid all day for Connexxion bus 80 to Haarlem and Zandvoort from Amsterdam Elandsgracht.

This article was originally published in 2011. Last checked and updated 17 July 2026.

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Zaanse Schans has an open-air museum feel and has become a very popular tourist attraction with up to 2.5 million annual visitors. It is free to just walk around and take photos.

The Zaanse Schans area was actually set-up in 1963 as a reserve for historic buildings from the region. The buildings were transported here by land and water to be restored.

The Zaan region is well-known for its green houses. It is thought that the green paint made of copper pigment had good weatherproofing qualities.

Zaans Museum

The Zaans Museum is a principal attraction at Zaanse Schans and gives a concise historical overview of the people and industry of the area.

It has a varied collection of paintings, costumes, furniture as well as multimedia exhibits.

The museum also houses the Verkade Experience which is a history of the chocolate and biscuit maker including the old manufacturing machines which you can see in action.

There is a nice view from the panoramic lookout point upstairs.

In addition, the Zaans Museum includes two ‘living history’ museums – these are open during the March-October high season.

The Weaver’s House (Zeilenmakerspad 8) shows how sails were traditionally made using looms.

The Tiemstra Cooperage (De Kwakels 2) will show you the craft of making wooden barrels which were vital for transporting goods.

The Zaans Museum is open daily 10:00-17:00.

Admission to Zaans Museum costs €14.50, children 4-17 €7.50.

I Amsterdam City Card, Museumkaart holders and children 0-3 get free entry; the Zaanse Schans card also has entry included.

If you just wish to visit the Cooperage/Weaver’s House, then admission to costs €3.50/€4 for adults, €2 for children 4-17.

Zaans Museum, Schansend 7, 1509 AW Zaandam

There is a large car park at Zaans Museum which is where most of the coach tours arrive.

Not far from the Zaans Museum is a 2-level wooden watchtower (free entry) which gives an elevated panoramic view of the area.

Other museums/attractions at Zaanse Schans

The Albert Heijn Museum Shop (Kalverringdijk 5) is a reconstruction of the first ever Albert Heijn store from Oostzaan dating back to the late 19th century.

Today Albert Heijn is the biggest supermarket in Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands. Entrance is free, open 10:30-15:30 (weekdays) and 10:30-16:30 (weekends).

The Zaanse Time Museum at Kalverringdijk 3 – open daily 11:00-16:00 (Oct-Mar), 10:00-17:00 (Apr-Sep) – shows the history of Dutch timepieces with a collection of clocks that chime together on the hour.

Standard entrance is €12 for adults, €6 for children 4-17. Free entrance for I Amsterdam City Card, Museumkaart and Zaanse Schans card.

The Bakery Museum de Gecroonde Duyvekater (Zeilenmakerspad 4, daily 09:00-17:00) is where you can sample the Duivekater, a famous Zaanse sweet bread. Free entrance.

Honig Breethuis at Lagedijk 80 – open Fri-Sun 13:00-16:00 –  is a 19th century merchant family house on the west-side of the Zaan. Entrance is €7.50 for adults, children 12-17 €4, free for Museumkaart holders.

The Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm at Zeilenmakerspad 5 – open daily 08:30-17:00 (Oct-Feb), 08:00-18:00 (Mar-Sep) – is a replica of an old farm from Oostzaan. Cheese makers wear traditional costumes and offer daily demonstrations. Free entrance.

Ever wondered how the ubiquitous Dutch clogs are made? The Clog Workshop at Kraaienest 4 – open daily 08:00-17:00 (Nov-Feb), 08:00-18:00 (Mar-Oct) – gives you the chance to see a clog maker in action. Entrance is free and the onsite museum houses an impressive collection of wooden shoes.

Windmills at Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans is famous for its wooden windmills. The old industrial area of the Zaanstreek once featured more than 1,000 windmills.

The Mill Museum at Kalverringdijk 30 – open daily 12:00-17:00 (Nov-Feb), 10:00-17:00 (Mar-Oct) – houses an interactive exhibition about various aspects of mill life, culture and trade. The highlight is perhaps an 11 metre wide panoramic painting of the windmills in Zaandam around the year 1800.

Entrance is €16 for adults, €8.50 for children 4-17, free for I Amsterdam City Card and Museumkaart holders.

You also have the option of visiting some individual windmills. The following are open daily:

De Kat (The Cat) – paint and dye mill (1664)
Het Jonge Schaap (The Young Sheep) – sawmill (2007)
De Huisman (The Houseman) – spice mill (1786)

Individual entry to a windmill costs €7.50 for adults, €3.75 for children 4-17. Free for I Amsterdam City Cardholders. Museumkaart holders can freely enter The Houseman mill.

These other windmills at Zaanse Schans may have restricted opening hours or may be closed:

De Bonte Hen (The Brightly Coloured Hen) – oil mill (1693)
De Zoeker (The Seeker) – oil mill (1672)
Het Pink (The Yearling) – oil mill (1620)
Het Prinsenhof (The Prince’s Court) – hulling mill (1722)
De Koker (The Pipe) – flour mill (1866)
De Schoolmeister (The Schoolmaster) – paper mill (1692)
De Gekroonde Poelenburg (The Crowned Poelenburg) – sawmill (1867)
De Bleeke Dood (The Pale Death) – flour mill (1656)
De Jonge Dirk (The Young Dirk) – paper mill (1908)
De Ooievaar (The Stork) – oil mill (1622)

There are a number of cruises available which allow you to see the windmills from the water. in the summer season open boats run – book the Zaanse Schans Flower Boat Tour – as seen here below:

Getting to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam

There are a number of possibilities for getting to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam.

TOUR: The easiest way is to take an organised half-day Zaanse Schans tour with pick-up near Amsterdam Central station. Or take one of the combined tours which gets you to other places of interest like Volendam or Giethoorn.

In terms of public transport, there are 3 choices for reaching Zaanse Schans.

SHUTTLE BUS: You can book a handy round-trip shuttle bus from Amsterdam which departs from Overhoeksplein at Amsterdam North (access by free ferry). Book Zaanse Schans bus transport from Amsterdam

TRAIN: Take one of the NS Sprinter stopping trains from Amsterdam Central (direction Uitgeest, up to 4x hourly) to station Zaandijk Zaanse Schans.

From there it’s about 10-15 minutes walk to Zaanse Schans – just follow the signs. Walk up the road (Stationstraat) and then turn left towards the windmill and then right to cross over the bridge.

A day return (2026) on the train costs €8.40 and the trip takes just under 20 mins. There is a €1.60 surcharge for disposable tickets. You can also buy e-tickets for €5.20 each way in multiple currencies at Tiqets here.

BUS: EBS runs bus services from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans.

Industrial Heritage bus line (391) runs from the bus station (IJ-side) at Amsterdam Central to Zaandam and the Zaanse Schans windmills. It runs up to 4x hourly and the trip takes about 40 minutes.

Bus line 800/801 runs from Amsterdam (IJ-side) to Zaanse Schans and then onto Volendam.

The 1-3 day Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (€23/€34/€44) is valid on all regional transport – including the bus and train between Amsterdam and Zaanse Schans. Book Amsterdam & Region Travel Tickets online here

It is well worth getting out of Amsterdam to have a look around Zaanse Schans, a picture postcard version of a traditional Dutch village in a water and country setting.

This article was originally published in 2011. Last updated 15 July 2026.

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The house occupies a unique position on the small bend of the Herengracht canal. You can see its curved façade which follows the line of the canal.

Huis Bartolotti was originally commissioned by the wealthy merchant Willem Bartolotti and was designed by prominent Dutch architect Hendrick de Keyser.

Construction was completed in 1620 and it became one of the grandest merchant houses in Amsterdam during the so-called Golden Age. It is built from distinctive orange bricks in Dutch Renaissance style with ornate stone carvings and a stepped gable.

Three generations of the Bartolotti family lived in the house although the house was split into 2 sections in the late 17th century. An entire rear house was added during the 18th century.

Both parts of the house were effectively acquired in the 20th century by Hendrick de Keyser Monumenten, a charitable organisation which oversees around 480 historic buildings throughout the Netherlands.

It has carried out a number of extensive restorations on the building over the years. It was the organisations’s headquarters for some time and in 2018 the Huis Bartolotti was opened as a museum.

The museum is spread across 3 floors. Much of the house is furnished from the 18th and 19th centuries and features Louis XIV and Louis XV decoration with extensive use of mahogany.

On the ground floor is the beautiful front room which hosts the museum reception desk. The room is adorned with landscape wall paintings by Isaac de Moucheron and two grisaille paintings by Jacob de Wit.

Side note: de Wit paintings can be seen in other canal houses in Amsterdam: Art Zoo, Huis Marseille and Willet-Holthuysen House

A detailed scale model of the house in the front room shows the layout of the building.

Step through to the classy and exquisite back room which has some Bartolotti family portraits hanging on the wall.

Heading further on to the rear, the attractive Garden Room (tuinkamer) has a centrepiece indoor marble wall fountain. Try to find the concealed hand pump which operates the water.

Downstairs is the large period kitchen where complimentary tea and coffee are available for visitors to enjoy around the kitchen table.

From here you can access the enclosed garden, where the resident cat is often found relaxing in the shade of ancient trees. Unlike the Museum Van Loon, there is no coach house at Huis Bartolotti.

The upper floor contains the elegant reception room which was used for entertaining guests and the more sparse servants’ quarters.

A handheld audio tour is included in both Dutch and English. Volunteers are also available throughout the house to answer questions and provide additional information about its history and former residents.

Families can pick up a children’s scavenger hunt (speurtocht) from reception which encourages younger visitors to explore the rooms.

The house can also be hired for private events and functions. Note, being a 17th century house with steep staircases means the building is not wheelchair accessible.

Huis Bartolotti offers one of the more informal canal house visits in Amsterdam. With its impressive architecture, richly decorated interiors and hands-on approach it makes for an enjoyable alternative to some of the city’s larger museums.

Hus Bartolotti Amsterdam Essential Info

This article was first published on 13 July 2026.

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Spread across three attractions – a modern museum, a working historic shipyard and the impressive replica of the 17th-century VOC ship Batavia – it offers one of the Netherlands’ most unique maritime experiences.

It makes an excellent day trip from Amsterdam and can easily be combined with Batavia Stad Fashion Outlet.

Batavialand Museum was founded in 2017 as a merger between the Batavia Yard (Batavia werf) which reconstructed historic ships and the Nieuw Land Erfgoedcentrum, a former museum about the origins of the Flevoland province.

Batavialand Museum also manages the Dutch National Ship Archaeological Depot including many shipwrecks.

Batavialand Museum building

Start your visit at the museum building which focuses on the history of Flevoland and maritime archaeology – before continuing outside to the working shipyard and the Batavia replica.

The modern museum building has 3 floors spread over 4,000m².

Perhaps the highlight of the collection is the Flevowand, a magnificent 60m long tapestry which tells the complete history of Zuider Zee region in pictures – from the ice ages to the creation of Flevoland.

Inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry in France, it was embroidered over 14 years by some 25 women using a variety of stitching. The work shows the struggle between man and water over the centuries in the Netherlands.

On the reverse side of the Flevowand is a photo exhibition Land in Water. This covers the Zuider Zee works, a construction of dams and dikes under the direction of Cornelis Lely (1854-1929).

The Old Land exhibition shows how the area developed in prehistoric times under the Swifterbant people.

Because Flevoland was reclaimed from the former Zuiderzee, archaeologists have uncovered around 450 shipwrecks dating from the Middle Ages and the Dutch Golden Age through to the 20th century.

The museum displays many of these finds alongside exhibits explaining how the wrecks were excavated and preserved.

There is a hands-on exhibit (good for kids) demonstrating the principles of water management.

Note, the Binocular panoramic room on the 2nd floor is currently not open to museum visitors. It is used for functions and offers good views over the water towards Antony Gormey’s Exposure sculpture.

Batavialand Shipyard

Adjacent to the main museum just across the road is the Batavialand shipyard.

This is an active heritage site dedicated to preserving traditional Dutch shipbuilding skills. You can see sail and rope making, blacksmithing, wood carving and ship model building.

The entrance building includes some ship models with a 1:10 scale model of The Seven Provinces (Zeven Provinciën), the flagship of Dutch naval hero Michiel de Ruyter.

The back wall has a full-size replica of the ship’s stern carvings.

Climb up to take a look at the Watership, a reconstruction of a ship based on a 15th century wreck. The ‘water ships’ could carry fresh and salt water as well as live fish on board.

There is an onsite restaurant De Taveerne and a museum shop at the shipyard location. Note, the Batavia Stad outlet also has a good number of restaurant options.

Batavia Ship

Exit the shipyard and walk down to the waterfront. Enter the museum jetty through the turnstile and step aboard the Batavia ship reconstruction.

The original ship Batavia was built for the VOC (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie) – or Dutch East Indies Company. The ship departed Texel on its maiden voyage in October 1628 – however the ship struck a reef and was wrecked off the coast of western Australia in June 1629.

Although only around 40 people died in the wreck itself, the disaster became infamous after a brutal mutiny among the survivors left around 120 more people dead.

The Batavia reconstruction was started in 1985 to recreate an East Indiaman, the largest merchant ship of the 17th century. Hundreds of young people were involved in the process using traditional skills.

The construction took 10 years and the ship was officially named by Queen Beatrix in a ceremony in 1995. It is one of the finest ship reconstructions in Europe and to this day many volunteers maintain the ship.

Climb up the steep steps and have a wander on board the ship – taking in the decks, the great cabin, the hold and the gun room. Mind your head!

Walking around the ship gives an insight into life aboard a VOC merchant vessel and the cramped conditions experienced by most of the crew.

While Amsterdam’s National Maritime Museum (Scheepvaartmuseum) has the replica Amsterdam East Indiaman, Batavialand offers a broader experience with a working shipyard and exhibitions on Dutch land reclamation and archaeology.

An online audio tour (here) is available in Dutch, English and German and covers highlights of all 3 venues.

Note, the ship and shipyard are not fully accessible.

Whether you’re interested in Dutch maritime history, engineering or simply looking for an interesting day trip from Amsterdam, Batavialand is one of the country’s most underrated museums.

Allow at least half a day to explore the museum, shipyard and Batavia replica at a relaxed pace.

Looking for other things to do in Lelystad? The Aviodrome aviation museum at the city’s airport has an excellent collection of planes and offers many activities for children.

Batavialand Lelystad Essential Info

How To Get to Batavialand Museum by Public Transport

Intercity trains from NS Dutch Railways run half-hourly between Amsterdam Central station and Lelystad Centrum. The journey takes 38 minutes with a change at Almere Centrum.

Alternatively, from Amsterdam Zuid you can take the comfortable Eurocity Direct/Intercity Direct services to Leystad Centrum.

From Lelystad Centrum station you can take EBS RRReis bus 3 (half-hourly) which reaches Batavia Stad in 11 minutes. Pay €2.27 for a single trip or check-in and out with a contactless debit/credit card or OV-chip card.

The 1-3 day Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (€23/€34/€44) is valid on all regional transport – it includes the Amsterdam-Lelystad train but NOT bus 3 to Batavia Stad. Book Amsterdam & Region Travel Tickets online here

On the train journey between Almere and Lelystad you will pass the large (and controversial) nature reserve Oostvaardersplassen. It is an amazing sight, looking something like an African savannah – the 5,600 hectare park contains wild horses, deer and migratory birds.

Because of a lack of natural predators, a proportion of the herbivore animals were known in the past to starve to death in the winter. The population is currently managed by culling.

If you wish to drive, you can book a rental car with Discover Cars here which checks all the main rental firms. Batavia Stad Fashion Outlet has a large parking facility.

This article was first published 10 July 2026.

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