Visit Haarlem to experience a beautiful and historic town that makes for a perfect day trip from Amsterdam.
Haarlem is a stunningly beautiful medieval city that is only a 15 minute train ride from Amsterdam. The cobbled streets of its old town reveal ancient buildings that make it one of the Netherlands most photogenic cities.
How To Get To Haarlem From Amsterdam
Getting to Haarlem from Amsterdam couldn’t be easier. There are almost 150 trains every day with a journey time of under 20 minutes. With tickets costing just over 5 Euros, there really is no excuse to not take time out of your Amsterdam trip to visit this charming town. All of the major attractions are within a short walk from Haarlem station. For further information on how to get to Haarlem, visit https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/plan-your-trip/day-trips/haarlem/getting-to-haarlem.
Where To Stay In Haarlem
As the cost of accommodation in Amsterdam continues to rise to unaffordable levels, travellers on a budget are increasingly looking to Haarlem as a cheaper alternative. With excellent transport connections, it makes sense for those on a budget to stay in Haarlem and commute into Amsterdam. This is encouraged by the Amsterdam council who seem to be doing all they can to reduce the number of tourists visiting the increasingly popular city.
The problem is, as more people opt to stay in Haarlem, this can only mean that the prices are also going to rise.
These are some of the best budget hostels in Haarlem, according to user reviews. These are affiliate links to the Agoda web site. I receive a small amount for any bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.
Day Trip To Haarlem
Like thousands of other tourists, I took a day trip from Amsterdam. I had visited Amsterdam many times before I actually did this so I was surprised how easy it was. No need to book a train ticket. Just turn up at the station, buy a ticket and head for the next available train. You won’t have to wait long and within 20 minutes you will be arriving at Haarlem.
Haarlem Main Square
I headed to ‘Grote Markt’ which is the central main square and was immediately wowed by the sight of ‘The St. Bavo Church’ (map). This huge gothic church is home to a Muller organ that was played by both Handel & Mozart. It’s simply mind-blowing.
The St. Bavo Church in Haarlem
At the opposite side of the square is the ‘Town Hall’ (map).
Town Hall Haarlem
The square is surrounded by beautiful buildings, including the ‘De Hallen Haarlem’ (map) which is an art gallery which focuses on modern and contemporary art.
De Hallen Haarlem
After just a few minutes, I was already massively impressed by Haarlem and I hadn’t even left the square.
Grote Markt
Binnen Spaarne
I headed away from the square to explore more of the town. Pretty soon, I was at the Binnen Spaarne river.
Boats on the Binnen Spaarne
Gezelig Times In Haarlem
I was loving my day in Haarlem so far. I had plane to visit a museum but I had to wait an hour for it to open. It was time for an afternoon beer.
Afternoon beer in Haarlem
This was turning into a wonderful day!
Corrie Ten Boom House – The Hiding Place
Ten Boom Juweliers
Haarlem is the home of the ‘Corrie Ten Boom House’ (map). Corrie and her father were Christian watchmakers and, during WWII, they helped save many Jews from the Nazis by hiding them in their house.
Hiding place lounge
Nowadays, the house is a museum that offers guided tour of the house and you can see where the Jews were hidden.
The hiding place
It is a fascinating glimpse into an incredible story. At one point, all the visitors sat in a circle and listened to a talk about the family and the museum. We were asked questions and the answers were a bit preachy. Christian values are still very strong here. That aside, it is definitely worth visiting. You now have to book at least 5 days in advance. For more information, visit https://www.corrietenboom.com/en/home.
Jopen Bar
After the museum, it was time for another beer and I discovered a restaurant/craft beer bar in an old church called ‘Jopen’ (map). With plenty of choice on draught beer, I went for the second strongest. It was delicious.
Jopen
Is Haarlem Worth Visiting?
I had a fantastic day in Haarlem and would definitely return. It is the kind of place I would be happy visiting for a few days and the fact it is so close to Amsterdam is a real bonus. Do not miss a visit to this charming old city.
For more informatin, visit https://www.visithaarlem.com/en
