Leiden is renowned for its university, the oldest in the Netherlands (1575) – and the large student population gives the place a lively atmosphere.

As you come out of Leiden Central station the VVV Leiden Tourist Information office (Stationsweg 26) is on your left-hand side – a good starting place to get information. You can pick-up a free map and guide and it also sells booklets with various themed self-guided walks.

It is open daily, 08:00-18:00 (Mon-Fri), 10:00-16:00 (Sat) and 11:00-15:00 (Sun).

De Valk Windmill

Continuing on foot down Stationsweg, cross over the canal – on your left you will spot De Valk windmill (Molen de Valk) which means ‘falcon’ in Dutch and is an old cornmill dating from 1743. The mill is now a museum.

It is open 10:00-17:00 (Tue-Sat), 12:00-17:00 (Sun), closed Monday – and entrance costs €6.00 for adults, €3.00 for children 6-15, free for children 0-5 and Museumkaart holders.

Molenmuseum De Valk, 2e Binnenvestgracht 1, 2312 BZ Leiden

Beestenmarkt / Canal Cruises

Walking a bit further south you will reach the Beestenmarkt square. Outfit Rederij Rembrandt offers canal cruises around the city from here. The cruises take about 50 minutes and an audio tour is available in 10 languages. Book a canal cruise in Leiden here

Rederij Rembrandt, Blauwpoortshaven 5, 2312 EL Leiden

It is also possible to do a 2 hour boat tour of the nearby Kagerplassen lakes which is just north of Leiden. This is offered from company Rederij Van Hulst and these depart from Leiden’s Haven on the eastern side. However they do not run daily and only operate in the high season.

Just round the corner from Beestenmarket is the Museumhaven Leiden (Museum Harbour) with its old boats. You can see the Rembrandtbrug (Rembrandt bridge) and De Put windmill in the background.

Wereldmuseum Leiden

The Wereldmuseum Leiden (formerly Museum Volkenkunde) is an ethnographic museum which showcases cultural items and artefacts from non-European people worldwide. The museum was opened in 1837 in a former academic hospital located just off Stationsweg.

It is part of the umbrella organisation National Museum of World Cultures which also includes Wereldmuseum Amsterdam.

Its permanent exhibition shows the collection highlights from China, Indonesia, Japan and Korea, Asia, Africa, North, Central and South America, Oceania and the Arctic. The presentations are first class with complementary audio visual components.

The museum is open 10:00-17:00 (Tue-Sun), closed on Mondays.

Entry prices are from €16.00 for adults (€18.00 at the counter). Free for children/youths 0-18 and Museumkaart holders. Book Wereldmuseum Leiden tickets here

Wereldmuseum Leiden, Steenstraat 1, 2312 BS Leiden

Rijksmuseum van Oudheden

Heading south down the Rapenburg canal you will come to the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (Dutch National Museum of Antiquities).

This is the principal archaeology museum in the Netherlands with antiquities from the Egyptians, Etruscans, Greek and Roman empires. You will find an assorted collection of mummies, statues, ceramics, jewellery etc including items from Roman-occupied Netherlands.

The main entrance hall houses the Egyptian Temple of Taffeh, one of the highlights. It is around 2,000 years old and was gifted to the Netherlands by Egypt in 1979.

The museum is open daily 10:00-17:00.

Entry costs €14.00 for adults, free entry for ages 0-18 and Museumkaart holders.

Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Rapenburg 28, 2311 EW Leiden

Japan Museum Sieboldhuis

On the other side of the Rapenburg canal is found the historic house which hosts the Japan Museum Sieboldhuis. It has an impressive array of Japanese objects collected by Bavarian physician Philipp Franz von Siebold during his stay in Japan (1823-1829).

This includes an assortment of Japanese prints, lacquerware, ceramics, fossils, herbaria, stuffed animals, coins, textiles and maps.

The museum is open 10:00-17:00 (Tue-Sun), closed on Mondays. Temporary exhibitions (often Japan-themed) are also held regularly.

Entry prices are €12.00 for adults. Free for children/youths 0-17 and Museumkaart holders.

Japanmuseum Sieboldhuis, Rapenburg 19, 2311 GE Leiden

Hortus Botanicus Leiden

The beautiful Hortus Botanicus in Leiden is the oldest botanical gardens in the Netherlands. Dating as far back as 1590, it is run by Leiden University. It has a collection of over 60,000 plants including endangered species, a Chinese herb garden, a giant water lily and 30 monumental trees.

The site includes a number of greenhouses and an old observatory. The popular Hortus Grand Café is a good place to have lunch.

The garden is open daily 09:00-18:00 in the spring/summer season (21 Mar to 20 Sep). Note, the autumn/winter opening hours are 10:00-17:00 (21 Sep to 20 Mar).

Entry prices are €14.00 for adults, €6.00 for children/youths 4-18. Free for kids 0-3 and Museumkaart holders. Book Hortus Leiden tickets here

Leiden historic centre

Take a walk around the narrow historic streets of Leiden’s city centre – there are a number of places of note.

The Gravensteen on Pieterskerkhof was originally a county prison and has a somewhat grim history. In the 17th century the square was used as a place for public executions.

The Gothic-style Pieterskerk (St. Peters church) has been a city landmark since the year 1121. Leiden uses the 2 keys of St Peter as its city symbol. The church has a memorial to the Pilgrim Fathers, who lived in Leiden for 12 years before departing to America on the Mayflower in 1620.

The Young Rembrandt Studio at Langebrug 89 is where Dutch Master Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) spent his formative early years learning how to draw, paint and make etchings. This was before he moved to Amsterdam.

There is a 7 minute video projection giving insight from the perspective of his art teacher Jacob van Swanenburgh.

Entrance to Young Rembrandt Studio costs €2.50, free for children 0-6. It is open 12:00-17:00 (Tue-Sun), closed on Mondays.

Continuing our tour around the centre, the Stadhuis (city hall) on Breestraat has a facade which dates from 1595. Several of the Pilgrims were married in the building.

One of the highlights of Leiden is just strolling around the canals of Nieuwe Rijn and Oude Rijn – these combine and continue back west as Stille Rijn. On Wednesdays and Saturdays there is a general market along the canal near the Stadhuis.

There are countless cafés, bars and restaurants around the centre to stop off for a coffee, sandwich or something more substantial.

As you would expect from a student city, Leiden has a decent nightlife with bars and clubs going on to the early hours. There are night trains running hourly back to Amsterdam.

De Burcht is a freely accessible medieval fortress which can be climbed. It has some nice views of the surrounding area including the large Hooglansekerk church.

Rijksmuseum Boerhaave

The Rijksmuseum Boerhaave is the National Museum of History of Science and Medicine. It is located in a former convent, plague shelter and hospital. Founded in 1928, it has an extensive collection of scientific and medical equipment from the 17th century onwards.

It is named after Dutch scientist and surgeon Herman Boerhaave (1668-1738) who taught at Leiden University.

It is open 10:00-17:00 daily. Entry prices are €17.50 for adults, €7.00 for youths/children 4-17. Free for children 0-3 and Museumkaart holders.

Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, Lange St. Agnietenstraat 10, 2312 WC Leiden

Museum De Lakenhal

Located on the Oude Singel canal further north is De Lakenhal, a museum which showcases fine art, history and crafts from Leiden.

The museum is open 10:00-17:00 (Tue-Sun), closed on Mondays.

Entry prices are €16.00 for adults, free for children 0-17 and Museumkaart holders.

Museum De Lakenhal, Oude Singel 32, 2312 RA Leiden

Naturalis Biodiversity Center

Just outside of the centre on the opposite side of the station, past the large academic hospital is Naturalis Biodiversity Center. This modern family-friendly museum focusses on the natural world and has 8 galleries featuring plants, animals, fossils and rocks.

The museum is open daily 10:00-17:00. Entrance costs €18.00 for those aged 4 or higher. Free entry for children 0-3 and Museumkaart holders.

Naturalis, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden

Getting to Leiden from Amsterdam

Leiden can be easily reached from Amsterdam Central by direct train – there are regular Intercity services (direction Den Haag Centraal or Vlissingen) which run around 4x hourly. The journey takes just over 35 minutes via Amsterdam Sloterdijk and Haarlem.

An Amsterdam-Leiden day return costs €24.00 (2nd class) or €43.20 (1st class) – 2026 prices. There is a €1.60 surcharge for disposable tickets. You can also buy e-tickets here

If you wish to immerse yourself in centuries of history and a compact, picturesque city centre then a trip to Leiden is highly recommended.

This article was originally published in 2010. Last updated 8 September 2026.

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Middelburg can be reached by road or rail from Amsterdam and the 200km journey takes just over 2 1/2 hours. Zeeland is renowned for having excellent beaches and has the best climate of the country.

Arriving at the NS station, the medieval centre of Middelburg is a short walk across the swing bridge which dates from 1951.

Things To Do/See in Middelburg

Abdijtoren de Lange Jan

The Abbey Tower (nicknamed Long John) dominates the Middelburg skyline and at 90m high it is one of the tallest church towers in the Netherlands.

The tower can be climbed but note you should be reasonably fit to ascend the 207 steps – there are no lifts here! To reward your climbing efforts you get an excellent 360° panoramic view of the city through windows.

Entry to Lange Jan tower is €7.50, free for children 0-4. The tower is normally open daily 11:00-16:45 between April and November. It’s a great place to get a perspective on the city and the surroundings – although the windows make it a bit challenging to take great photos.

Abdij van Middelburg

The Abbey complex in Middelburg dates back to the 12th century and is freely open to visitors. It contains the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), Koorkerk (Choir Church) and herb garden.

Close to the abbey complex, don’t miss the Reigerstraat lane with its colourful hanging umbrellas and the Huis van Bloemen (house of flowers) on the corner.

Zeeuws Museum

This museum houses a mixed collection of Zeeland heritage items, from Roman artefacts and archaeological finds to paintings and traditional costumes.

The highlight is a room with the 6 Zeeland tapestries commissioned over 500 years ago – and depicting naval battles during the Eighty Year War against Spain.

The museum is located in the Abbey Square and entry is €16.00 (children 0-18 and Museumkaart holders get free entry). Opening hours are 11:00-17:00 Tue-Sun, closed Mondays.

Markt / Stadhuis

A few minutes walk from the abbey complex is Middelburg’s large market square (Markt). There is a mixed market here every Thursday and a fruit/veg market on Saturdays.

The impressive Gothic-style Stadhuis (town hall) is one of the most striking buildings in the country. Originally built in the 15th century, it was heavily damaged by German bombing in 1940 – but was renovated to its past glory after the war.

Canal Boat Trip

You can do a rondvaart open-top boat trip around Middelburg which costs €12.50, children 3-12 €5.50. Operates April to October from Achter de Houttuinen at the western end of town near the Kloveniersdoelen recital hall.

Shopping Streets in Middelburg

Middelburg has a fair number of independent stores and boutiques as well as the usual Dutch chains. The main shopping streets are Nieuwe Berg, Lange Delft and Langeviele.

Area Around Middelburg

Middelburg makes a great base to explore the surrounding area.

Veere – This small picturesque maritime town is just 8km north of Middelburg. It is located on the shore of the Veerse Meer, a large inland lagoon.

Vlissingen – A port city located 7 minutes south of Middelburg by train. It has a beach, port and an array of museums including the Maritime MuZEEum.

Beaches – Head north-west out of Middelburg to the excellent beaches nearby at Domburg (14km away) and Westkapelle (21km) – easily reached by bus 53 or by bicycle.

Another great location for a beach holiday is across the water in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen which has many caravan/chalet parks.

Like the island of Texel, it is very popular with Dutch and Germans but is little known to other international visitors – despite its proximity to Bruges in Belgium.

This region can be reached by road tunnel or taking the train to the port of Vlissingen and then hopping on the Westerschelde passenger ferry to Breskens.

Getting There: Amsterdam to Middelburg

The train trip from Amsterdam Central to Middelburg costs €33.30 (2nd class) or €59.94 (1st class) each way – 2026 prices. There is a €1.60 surcharge for disposable tickets.

Purchase online at the official NS (Dutch Railways) site here.

The Intercity train runs up to half-hourly (direction Vlissingen, travels via Haarlem, Leiden, Den Haag HS, Delft, Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Roosendaal and Bergen op Zoom). The journey time is around 2 hours 45 minutes.

If making a day return trip then consider the Holland Travel Ticket which is valid for 1 day on all public transport in the country including trains (2nd class), buses, trams and metro. It costs €79 for anytime use or €54 for use outside the 06:30-09:00 weekday rush hour or anytime at weekends.

If you are in a group then the NS Group Ticket allows 2-7 people travel to make a single journey between any 2 stations on the Dutch rail network. This costs €38.50-€56.50 and can only be purchased online here – you cannot buy it at the station.

This article was originally published in 2010. Last updated 8 September 2026.

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Maastricht is chic, classy and has a very different feel to the northern cities – it lies very close to the Belgian and German borders. It’s a great place for a day trip or weekend visit and is reached by a 2 1/2 hour train journey from Amsterdam. This brief overview will give you a flavour of the city.

Maastricht can be easily explored on foot in a few hours. From the train station – which is located east of the centre – walk out and down Stationstraat in a westerly direction.

Within 10 minutes walking you reach the Saint Servatius bridge (Sint Servaasbrug) which has sweeping views over the river Maas.

The city centre lies just across the bridge on the western side with the Maastricht Store nearby in the ‘Dinghuis’ building at Kleine Straat 1. Here you can buy official souvenirs and get tourist information.

City walls – Take a stroll along the old city walls at Helpoort near the Maas river bank. There are more walls running west along the smaller river Jeker.

De Hoge Brug – This modern bridge for pedestrians and cyclists also offers lovely views over the river Maas.

Squares – The 2 main city squares are Markt which has the City Hall (Stadhuis) and the Vrijthof with the churches Basilica of Saint Servatius and St Janskerk and the 16th- century Spanish Government House.

On Onze Lieve Vrouwenplein square stands the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek (Basilica of Our Lady), an impressive Romanesque church parts of which date from the 12th century.

A highlight for many is the Kapel van de Sterre der Zee (Chapel of the Star of the Sea) with its candles and 15th century Virgin Mary statue.

Shopping – Maastricht has lots of interesting independent shops as well as the usual Dutch chains. There is an antiques and flea market each Saturday near the station along Stationstraat.

The main shopping street is Grote Staat. Be sure to drop by the Boekhandel Dominicanen bookstore – one of the world’s most beautiful book shops, housed in a 13th-century Dominican church.

There is a café at the back where you can enjoy the architecture and ambience. Open daily and located at Dominicanerkerkstraat 1 just off Grote Staat.

Maastricht Museums

Bonnefanten Museum

A few minutes walk south along the river Maas you reach the Ceramique quarter – home of Maastricht’s most famous museum. The Bonnefanten has interesting post-modern architecture and a distinctive cupola, designed by Italian architect Aldo Rossi.

The museum has various art exhibits including old Dutch, Flemish and Italian paintings as well as some modern art.

The museum is open 11:00-17:00 Tue-Sun, closed Mondays. The address is Avenue Ceramique 250.

Admission costs €22.00 for adults and free entry for children 0-18 and Museumkaart holders. Special exhibitions can attract a small supplement.

Natuurhistorisch Museum

Of interest to kids, there is the Natural History Museum (Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht) at De Bosquetplein 7 in the centre. The museum houses a collection of items documenting the geology, palaeontology, flora and fauna of the Limburg region.

Open 11:00-17:00 Tue-Fri, 13:00-17:00 weekends. Admission costs €11.50 for adults, €7.50 for ages 5-11 and free entry for children 0-4 and Museumkaart holders.

Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof

The Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof (photography museum) is located in the Spanish Government House at Vrijthof 18. It features 17th- and 18th-century period rooms and hosts regular photo exhibitions.

Open 10:00-17:00 Tue-Sun, closed Mondays. Admission costs €15.00 for adults, €7.00 for ages 8-18 and free entry for children 0-7 and Museumkaart holders. Special exhibitions can attract a small supplement.

Museum of Illusions

The fun but compact Museum of Illusions features installations of optical illusions, holograms, games and puzzles. It is located at Mosae Forum 12-18 between the Markt square and the Wilhelminabrug. Open daily 10:00-18:00 (last entry 17:00).

Admission costs €16.50 for adults, €13.50 for ages 5-18. Book Museum of Illusions tickets here

Maastricht Museum

In the Ceramique district can be found the Maastricht Museum which offers a complete overview of the city’s history.

The museum is in the modern Centre Ceramique building (which also houses the city library) and is open 10:00-17:00 (Tue-Sun).

Admission costs €11.50 for adults, €7.50 for ages 5-17 and free entry for children 0-4 and Museumkaart holders.

Side trips from Maastricht

The Maastricht area is known for its landscape of green rolling hills, unlike the rest of the country which is flat. An easy short trip to make by Arriva train is to Valkenburg, a small touristy town with a castle.

The Maastricht-Valkenburg journey takes just over 10 minutes and costs €8.28 return. If you are coming from Amsterdam you can buy Amsterdam-Valkenburg tickets and combine with a visit to Maastricht.

In December, Valkenburg is renowned for its Christmas market held in the municipal caves.

The Drielandenpunt (3 country point) is located at Vaalserberg (near Vaals) and is the border meeting point of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The area has been converted to a tourist attraction with the Wilhelmina Tower panorama, labyrinth maze and small theme park. It is probably best to visit with a car.

The picturesque town of Gulpen is home to the local Gulpener brewery which is open to visitors Tue-Sun.

TEFAF Maastricht

Maastricht hosts the annual TEFAF event, a world leading art and antiques fair. It is held at the MECC (Maastricht Convention Bureau) usually in March.

Getting There: Amsterdam to Maastricht

Maastricht can be conveniently reached from Amsterdam by direct Intercity trains which normally run every 30 minutes.

The journey which goes via Utrecht, Den Bosch, Eindhoven, Roermond and Sittard will take just under 2 1/2 hours. A single costs €33.30 (2nd class) or €59.94 (1st class) – 2026 prices. Purchase online at the official NS (Dutch Railways) site here.

If making a day return trip then consider the Holland Travel Ticket which is valid for 1 day on all public transport in the country including trains (2nd class), buses, trams and metro. It costs €79 for anytime use or €54 for use outside the 06:30-09:00 weekday rush hour or anytime at weekends.

If you are in a group then the NS Group Ticket allows 2-7 people travel to make a single journey between any 2 stations on the Dutch rail network. This costs €38.50-€56.50 and can only be purchased online here – it’s not possible to buy it at the station.

Maastricht-Aachen airport is located about 9km north-east of Maastricht city centre. The main airline at the airport is WizzAir which serves the East European market. The airport can be reached easily by taking Arriva bus 30 which runs between Maastricht station and Sittard.

Places to Stay in Maastricht

If staying overnight in Maastricht here are a few hotel recommendations.

Kruisherenhotel Maastricht – A beautiful 5-star design hotel sited in a former Kruisheren monastery and adjoining Gothic church. Book Kruisherenhotel here

The Dutch – A quirky full-service hotel located in a townhouse on Wilhelminasingel not far from the station. Book The Dutch here

Also see: Our guide to the Dutch city of Nijmegen

This article was originally published in 2010. Last updated 28 August 2026.

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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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