Located just 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam, Haarlem offers a distinctly different pace for travelers seeking a Haarlem city break. While the capital draws crowds for its red lights and coffee shops, this neighboring Dutch city provides a more traditional glimpse into the Netherlands. Cobblestone streets, gabled houses, and a network of canals define the landscape, creating a cozy atmosphere that locals describe as gezellig.
Frans Hals Museum and Dutch Golden Age Art
The cultural highlight of the current season is a major exhibition at the Frans Hals Museum, running until 28 February 2027. The show brings together works by local native Frans Hals and his contemporary Rembrandt van Rijn. Although historical records do not confirm whether the two masters ever met, their paintings are displayed side by side, offering a powerful look at the Dutch Golden Age.
The museum itself is housed in the Oudemannenhuis, a former retirement home where Hals spent his final years in poverty. The exhibition features commissioned portraits of 17th-century merchants, tronies depicting ordinary people, and significant group portraits. Visitors can view Hals’ stirring civil guard portraits alongside Rembrandt’s De Staalmeesters, which has been loaned from the Rijksmuseum. The display also includes historical depictions of Haarlem that show streets virtually unchanged from today.
Historic Streets and Hidden Courtyards
Exploring the city on foot reveals its intricate layout. A short walk leads to Peuzelaarsteeg, a street where Hals is believed to have had a studio. Nearby on Gasthuisstraat, visitors can see the former home of the Cloveniers, the citizen militia painted by Hals, identified by two crossed muskets above the gate. The Vijfhoek neighborhood features ivy-draped streets and the Proveniershuis, which opens onto a grand hidden courtyard once used by another militia group.
The Grote Markt serves as the central hub for navigation. The square is flanked by cafes and restaurants and dominated by the Grote Kerk. This vast Gothic space houses one of the world’s largest baroque organs, historically played by figures such as Handel and Mozart. Hals is buried within the church, which stands as a testament to the city’s artistic heritage.
Other key sites include the Corrie Ten Boomhuis, where a family hid Jews and resistance fighters during World War II, and Teylers Museum. Teylers claims to be the oldest museum in the Netherlands, featuring fossils, crystals, and scientific instruments in a wood-panelled interior.
Dining and Local Culture
Haarlem’s streets are refreshingly free of global chains, favoring independent stores and local eateries. The Grote Markt hosts an excellent market on Saturdays. Food options range from La Maru bakery on Koningstraat to Meneer Frans, which serves sandwiches and flammkuchen. Traditional pickled herring is available at stalls on the main square.
For drinks, In den Uiver on Riviervismarkt offers a selection of gins and beers in a former fish shop. The Jopenkerk brewery tap is located in a former church. Dinner options include DeDakkas, a restaurant situated in a greenhouse structure on top of a multistorey car park, serving locally sourced meals with views of the river.
Accommodation options include the ML hotel near the Grote Kerk, the Amrâth Grand Hotel Frans Hals, and the Staats Hotel near the train station. The city is also highly cycle-friendly, with Green Bikes available near the station for trips to the Zuid Kennemerland national park and the North Sea coast.
Source: The Guardian
