The Grote Markt
At the historic heart of Haarlem, this vast square is located underneath the imposing Grote Kerk, and is the image of the city that many people will recognise. Hosting regular festivals, concerts and markets, the Grote Markt is the hub of daily life in Haarlem and just happens to be one of the prettiest city squares in the country. Go there on a Saturday when the Netherlands’ finest street market rolls out its wares.
Museums
Teylers Museum in Haarlem There are several museums in Haarlem. The Teylers Museum lies on the Spaarne river and is the oldest museum of the Netherlands. Its main subjects are art, science and natural history, and it owns a number of works by Michelangelo and Rembrandt. Another museum is the Frans Hals Museum of fine arts, with its main location housing Dutch master paintings, and its exhibition halls on the Grote Markt housing a gallery for modern art called De Hallen. Also on the Grote Markt, in the cellar of the Vleeshal is the Archeologisch Museum Haarlem, while across the square on Saturdays, the Hoofdwacht building is open with exhibitions on Haarlem history. Other museums are Het Dolhuys (a museum of psychiatry), the Ten Boom Museum (a hiding place for Jews in World War II) and the Historisch Museum Haarlem, across from the Frans Hals Museum.
Festivals
Every year in April the bloemencorso (flower parade) takes place. Floats decorated with flowers drive from Noordwijk to Haarlem, where they are exhibited for one day. In the same month there is also a funfair organised on the Grote Markt and the Zaanenlaan in Haarlem-Noord. Other festivals are held on the Grote Markt as well, in particular the annual Haarlem Jazzstad, a jazz festival, and Haarlem Culinair, a culinary event, as well as the biannual Haarlemse Stripdagen (Haarlem comic days). Bevrijdingspop is a music festival to celebrate the Dutch liberation from the Nazis after World War II. It is held every year on 5 May, the day that the Netherlands were liberated in 1945, at the Haarlemmerhout. At the same location, the Haarlemmerhoutfestival is also held every year, which is a music and theatre festival.
Climb a landmark windmill
There are few sights more quintessentially Dutch than that of a windmill looming over a river, and the Molen (windmill) de Adriaan is one of the finest examples in the region. The imposing wooden tower has been a definitive feature on Haarlem’s skyline since the 18th century, although the existing windmill is actually a reconstruction (the original sadly burnt down in 1932). The mill is open for guided tours that include spectacular views across Haarlem’s rooftops from its riverside platform. Molen de Adriaaan, Papentorenvest 1A
The beach
With the Noordzee, Bloemendaal’s beaches and the coastal town of Zandvoort easily reachable by bike, the seaside is just a short trip outside of Haarlem and makes for an enjoyable cycle through kilometres of wild dunes. You might even spot some highland cattle as you meander through the winding cycle paths. In the summer months the beach clubs of Zandvoort and Bloemendaal throb with activity, whilst the winter months offer a serene escape and lovely walking routes.
Go beer tasting in a former church
All that sightseeing and shopping is thirsty work, so be sure to drop by this former church to worship at the altar of beer. Now converted into a brewery, grand café and tasting room, the beautiful church building is home to Haarlem’s famous Jopen beer, which is created using medieval local recipes.
