Haarlem things to go: city guide

Visit the beautiful city of Haarlem is located just 15 minutes away from Amsterdam. It’s a must-see if you like art, history, culture and shopping. In our guide we’ve selected the best things to do in Haarlem.

Haarlem is also way less crowded than Amsterdam and it’s easier to find a good accommodation at a reasonable price here. It is also conveniently located between Amsterdam and Keukenhof and Amsterdam an the beach. So many travellers choose Haarlem as their main place to stay in the Netherlands.

Visit Haarlem: where to start

Haarlem Grote Markt

Haarlem city guide:

How to get to Haarlem from Amsterdam?

Direct trains from Amsterdam Central station to Haarlem run every 15 minutes. One-way ticket in 2025 costs €6,20 (online is €1 cheaper), travel time is 15 – 19 minutes. Book train tickets online.

Travel from Haarlem to Amsterdam

Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket is also valid on NS trains in the Amsterdam Area (which includes Haarlem) and all metro, tram and bus lines operated by GVB, Connexxion, AllGo and EBS, including night buses.

With ARTT ticket you can also travel to Keukenhof, Zaansce Schans, Volendam and many other famous places in the Amsterdam area.

How to get to Haarlem from Schiphol?

You can take a direct bus line 300 from Schiphol airport to Haarlem (€ 6,50, travel time 36 minutes. Round trip costs € 11,75).

If you prefer travelling by train you’ll have to change train at Amsterdam Sloterdijk station (one-way ticket costs € 8,10, travel time is 30-40 minutes).

Where to stay in Haarlem

Haarlem has a good choice of 2 – 4 star hotels, which are generally cheaper than accommodations in Amsterdam. There are plenty of hotels located in the city center. Our choices are:

Haarlem hotel near the station

Hotel ML in Haarlem

Unique accomodations near Haarlem:

  • Fabulous B&B Elswoutshoek located in a mansion, previously owned by Borski, one of the richest families in the Netherlands of their time.
  • Duin & Kruidberg hotel in the National park near the dunes.

Duin & Kruidberg hotel in Santpoort-Noord

Landgoed Duin & Kruidberg restaurant

Landgoed Duin & Kruidberg

Photos: hotel Duin & Kruidberg

Things to do in Haarlem

Visit the Windmill De Adriaan

A famous windmill is located on the Spaarne river. Join a guided tour to learn more about how windmills work. And enjoy the sight of the old city from the platform above the river.

Windmill De Adriaan in Haarlem

Address: Papentorenvest 1a, Haarlem.

Opening hours depend on the season, check the official website.

Entrance tickets in 2025:

See the organ that young Mozart was playing at St Bavokerk

The wooden tower of the Grote of St. Bavo church on the central square (Grote Markt) reaches 78 meters into the sky, which makes it one of the largest in The Netherlands.

haarlem-st-bavo-church, things to do in Haarlem, the Netherlands

The church has an impressive interior and a unique atmosphere: wooden ceiling, stained glass windows and 400 gravestones, including that of a famous Dutch artist Frans Hals.

The church also has a famous organ by Christian Müller. Many world-known musicians played this organ, including Mendelssohn, Händel and the 10-year-old Mozart.

Things to do in Haarlem

Address: Grote Markt 22, Haarlem (North side).

Opening hours: Monday till Saturday, 10:00 – 17:00. In July and August also open on Sundays 12:00 – 17:00.

Tickets:

  • adults – € 4
  • children 12-16 – € 2
  • children 0-12 free (accompanied by an adult)

Guided Tours

Every Saturday there is a guided tour starting at 14:00. From May 15 till October 1 there is also an extra guided tour starting at 14:30. The tours take about an hour. No reservation required. Price is € 7 for an adult and € 2 for children (0 – 16 years old).

Drink a cup of coffee on Grote Markt

Make a short break for a cup of coffee at Haarlem’s main square and observe the daily life of the locals.

Haarlem (the Netherlands) attractions

On Saturdays there is a big market at the Grote Markt. Here you can buy cheese, sausages, waffles, flowers, eat a broodje haring (Dutch herring in white bread) and enjoy the atmosphere.

Haarlem Saturday market

Saturday market in Haarlem is open every week from 8:30 to 16:00.

Visit Teylers museum, the oldest museum of the Netherlands

Opened back in 1784, today Teylers museum has collections of art and books, instruments and scientific objects, coins and medals, fossils and minerals. One part of the museum – The Fundatiehuis – is the former family home of Pieter Teyler van der Hulst, a wealthy Dutch merhant and banker whose collection led to the formation of Teyler’s Museum.

Address: Spaarne 16, Haarlem.

Tickets in 2025:


If you like art, visit the Frans Hals Museum. It is one museum in two locations: Hof (Groot Heiligland 62), where you can find the 16th and 17th century masters and Hal (Grote Markt 16), with exhibitions of modern and contemporary art.

Tickets in 2025:

Frans Hals Museum Haarlem

Take a canal cruise

Take a cruise around the historic city center of Haarlem. The Smidtje Canal Cruises departure point is easy to find – it is located across the canal from Teylers Museum, on the river ‘t Spaarne. Tickets online >>

Haarlem, things to do: canal cruise tickets

Tip! This canal cruise is also free with I amsterdam city card.

Visit Haalem hofjes

Haarlem has a lot of  hofjes – small hidden gardens surrounded by old houses grouped around a community garden with a water pump. Find out more about the history of Haarlem hofjes and try to find all 21 of them.

Hofjes Haarlem, things to do in Haarlem

Here is full list of Haarlem hofjes: https://www.haarlemsehofjes.nl

Visit a rooftop restaurant DeDAKKAS

DeDAKKAS restaurant (De Witstraat 1A, 2011 DV Haarlem) located on the roof of the parking garage de Kamp is one of the most spectacular places for lunch in Haarlem. You can sit on the outside terrace or inside and enjoy the view.

Rooftop restaurant DeDAKKAS in Haarlem the Netherlands

Taste local beer in Jopenkerk, a former church in Haarlem

Address: Gedempte Voldersgracht 2, Haarlem

Jopenkerk is a beer brewery, restaurant and a pub in the building of a former church be a pub. Local Jopenbier is very famous in the Netherlands. The brewery has a wide selection of traditional and seasonal beers. And at the restaurant you can order meals combined with matching sorts of beers.

We recommend to make a reservation in advance.

Jopenkerk Haarlem, Gedempte Voldersgracht 2

Explore the Haarlem Station

We hope you’ve liked Haarlem same as we do! One more tip before you go back: don’t take a train as soon as you come to the railway station. Take some time to explore its unique building.

Haarlem train station

Its one of the oldest train stations in the Netherlands and it’s also often used as a film scene for movies. Some episodes of the Hollywood’s Ocean’s Twelve movie were also filmed here.

Haarlem train station

Have a nice time in Haarlem!

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About the author:

Amsterdam Explorer travel guide, Anastasia Dudina

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