“For the thoughtful traveler, there are no wrong turns, only unanticipated discoveries”. — Mark Graper

Once a major North Sea trading port due to its location on the Spaarne River, Haarlem is the capital of the Netherlands’ North Holland province, yet it also forms part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area. As the historical center of the flower bulb-growing district, tulip fields surround Haarlem, which appropriately carries the nickname Bloemenstad (flower city). Its actual name means “home on a forested dune”.

Haarlem became wealthy during medieval times through toll revenues collected from ships and travelers on the busy north-south trading route and was granted city status in 1245. Once surrounded by a defensive wall, the city retains a medieval character of cobbled streets lined with gabled houses.

The main square, Grote Markt, is Haarlem’s historic center and is now flanked by restaurants and cafés under shade trees or umbrellas. This beautiful urban space has remained unchanged for centuries, yet today’s pace is slower than the bustling former marketplace, but there is always something to see. Dominating the square and Haarlem’s skyline since 1520, across from the even older City Hall, the enormous and magnificent Grote Kerk St. Bavokerk with its 76 m (250 ft) tall steeple took 170 years to complete. The building, spire, renaissance artworks, and floor of gravestones have endured fire, lightning strikes, and the Reformation. Both Handel and 10-year-old Mozart played the famous Christian Müller organ, and Dutch Golden Age portrait painter Frans Hals is buried there.

Haarlem remains a hub of art and culture, from historic architecture and artworks to modern galleries and quirky museums. Housed in two locations a few minutes walk apart, the Frans Hals Museum shows contemporary art and photography in Hal on Grote Markt, and Groot Heligland 62 houses the most extensive collection of the Master’s portraits worldwide. The outstanding museum surrounds a beautiful hofje, and across the street, the former hospital St. Elisabeth Gasthuis, boats a typical step-gabled, ivy and flower-covered façade.

The Netherlands’ oldest museum, the Teylers, which opened its’ doors in 1784, has combined science and art with architecture since wealthy native Pieter Teyler bequeathed his fortune to spread artistic and scientific knowledge. While the Oval Hall is an attraction in itself, the exhibits of ancient fossils and minerals, instruments and books, as well as the Hague School and Dutch Romantics paintings, are fascinating.

Teyler also established a hofje, one of many beautiful green gardens surrounded by charitable houses for the poor. Well tucked away, most date to medieval times, though a few are modern. Some are public and accessible, others harder to find, with short opening hours or none at all, yet they are worth seeking out. Wandering the boutique-lined pedestrian streets near the Groete Markt is another unanticipated discovery- they are known as Gouden Straatjes or Golden Streets and have been voted the Netherlands’ best shopping district for independent, local clothing and crafts.

Since Haarlem is surrounded by water, and much of Dutch life happens on the water, a canal cruise is a must. So is a climb up the museum Windmill De Adriaan on the Spaarne River for a view over the countryside, almost to the ocean. For a walk on a wide sandy beach or a swim in the Atlantic Ocean, the seaside resort of Zandvoort Aan Zee, developed in the 1960s, is just a 20-minute train ride from Haarlem’s central station.

Don’t Miss:

Grote Kerk St. Bavokerk- stunning both inside and out.

Serendipity:

Locals along the way- when getting into a bus not knowing that cash isn’t accepted, and a young man both pays and offers a lovely conversation.

Lunch Tip:

Toast on Kleine Houtstraat for a wide variety of tasty warm or cold sandwich options on sourdough toast.

Dinner Tip:

DeDAKKAS rooftop bar over De Kamp parking garage for very good local food and a wonderful view of the St. Bavokerk. 

Bedtime:

Guesthouse One, a delightful boutique bed & breakfast on an in-town side street with a friendly, helpful host.

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*All photographs are mine, taken with my Nikon D5600 or iPhone 14 Pro.*