Have you ever considered Haarlem as a place to discover?
Normally, the hotspots in the Netherlands include cities such as Amsterdam, The Hague and maybe Rotterdam.
Haarlem is barely mentioned in the same sentence, meanwhile there is much to do in the authentic city.
What is there to do in Haarlem, you ask? That is a good question.
To answer that question in depth, we have compiled a top 5 list of things to do in Haarlem – whether it is an activity to do or sights right in the middle of your view!
#1 Haarlem’s Great Market
The first thing on the list is most likely the first thing you see as soon as you make your way to Haarlem on Saturday. Unfortunately the Great Market is only hosted on Saturday.
If you are the lucky ones to witness the Great Market of Haarlem, have a stroll around the booths, scan around them and you will run into lots of things: picnic items, fresh produce of meat, cheese ready for you to pick up, fresh flowers waiting to brighten up your room and other interesting things you might find during your wander around the Haarlem’s Great Market. Stop by and see for yourself what you can encounter
#2 Grote of St. Bavokerk (Great Church of St. Bavo)
This beauty of a sight should firstly not be mistaken for the Haarlem Cathedral, despite the fact that it is named Cathedral of Bavo. The Great Church isn’t only known for its stunning looks, but also that it stems from the Middle Ages, quite the example of ‘an oldie but a goodie’.
The once Catholic but now-turned Protestant Church features the Haarlem organ with more than 5000 pipes, beautiful stained-glass windows and more than 400 gravestones. The best thing is that you can visit the Great Church of Haarlem yourself and have a custom experience with this giant piece of history. Please consider the opening times and the price per person for admission.
#3 Molen De Adriaan
On the edge of Haarlem’s old town there stands The Windmill of Haarlem called De Adriaan. It was used to crush stone, tobacco and grains. Till this day, at 34 meters tall it is a sight hard to miss, despite the fact that it had been rebuilt in 2002 due to a fire. After reconstruction it stands just as tall on the bank of the Spaarne River, being one of the top things to see in Haarlem. Nowadays it serves as a museum, where tours of the windmill are worth the visit, in our opinion. Also here, keep the opening hours and pricing in mind before paying a visit.
#4 Corrie ten Boom House
One sight not so giant as the former, but even more impressive is the Corrie ten Boom House. What makes it so special is the history behind it, in reference to World War II. The museum of today used to be a house which was inhabited by the ten Boom family, a Christian family who helped Jews and others who were trying to escape from the Nazis at the time. A false wall built inside Corrie’s bedroom helped the people remain hidden successfully. Corrie’s room and the hiding place are sights visited on the tour that you must see whenever you touch down in Haarlem.
#5 Jopenkerk (Jopen Brewery and Haarlem Craft Beer Bars)
Our top 5 of things to see or try wouldn’t be complete without any reference to the flavour of local craft beer. As Haarlem has a long history of beer brewing. Of the many bars the city has, Jopenkerk is the most popular brewery. Inside the former Jacob’s Church, the brewers use the classic Haarlem recipe which originates from the 15th and 16th centuries, next to their other unique and award-worthy brews.
Not a beer fan? No problem!
The Jopenkerk is a great place to take a break from seeing all the beautiful sights and grab.