A First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Haarlem, Netherlands
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Haarlem promises an adventure of jaunting between narrow streets and along the windswept waterfront—all while cyclists dart past you.
While many debate whether Haarlem is better than Amsterdam, I think they’re both worth visiting. They’re only 20 minutes apart, and they each have their own vibe. Amsterdam is a capital city, while Haarlem feels much cozier.
Having said that, Haarlem is also worth a weekend in its own right if you’ve already been to the Dutch capital or live there and simply want more of a “staycation”.
I’ve been to Haarlem twice so far: once in 2018 and then again in 2023. Admittedly, the first time was when I was a naive 23-year-old who happened to be severely hungover on the day of that trip, so I’m glad I got to revisit and actually enjoy the city. With all of that “wisdom”, I’ve put together this guide to help you plan your own trip.
How to Get to Haarlem
By Air 🛫
Haarlem does not have an airport. If you want to visit for the weekend, the mighty Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is your best choice.
Schiphol Airport serves most major European cities and a large number of intercontinental destinations. Since it’s a popular place to transfer between connecting flights, you should have no problems reaching the Netherlands by air.
A direct bus will take you from Schiphol Airport to Haarlem in around 40 minutes. You can also get the train to Amsterdam Sloterdijk station before changing for an intercity service to Haarlem. Both trains combined should take you 30-40 minutes, depending on waiting times.
You can buy tickets for both the train and bus in the 9292 app (iOS and Android), which is available in English and Dutch.
By Train 🚉
Haarlem is easy to reach by train, and the journey from Amsterdam Central takes less than 20 minutes. If you’re coming from Germany, Belgium, or France, you’re better off taking the train to Amsterdam and then continuing to Haarlem. The same is true if you take the Eurostar from London.
You can reach Haarlem Central Station from several Dutch cities besides Amsterdam. Below are the typical journey times and number of changes required:
- Amsterdam: 0 changes, c. 15 minutes
- Leiden: 0 changes, c. 20 minutes
- Den Haag: 0 changes, 35-45 minutes
- Utrecht: 1 change, 50-60 minutes
- Rotterdam: 0-1 change, 60-70 minutes
Useful Tip: Consider Staying Overnight in Haarlem
Many people visit Haarlem on a day trip from Amsterdam. But having both done that and stayed overnight, spending more than one day here is a more rewarding experience IMO. You can enjoy the city with even fewer crowds in the evening, along with having a much more relaxed trip.
My girlfriend and I stayed at the Haarlem Apart Hotel, which is right on the main shopping street. As the name suggests, we pretty much had an apartment-size hotel room to ourselves and were also able to cook when we didn’t feel like eating at a restaurant. The hotel is around a 15-minute walk from the main train station, making it an ideal base for exploring other parts of the Netherlands as well—like The Hague.
Tips for Finding Accommodation in Haarlem
If the hotel that we stayed in isn’t your cup of tea, you can search for several accommodation options in Haarlem. The city can get quite busy in the summer and leading up to Christmas, and you should book in advance during the peak tourist season.
Despite staying on the main shopping street in Haarlem, our hotel was relatively quiet. However, we stayed there from Sunday to Tuesday; on the weekend, the surrounding area would probably have been noisier. So, if you aren’t a deep sleeper, consider staying on the outskirts of the city center instead. Haarlem is quite small, so you shouldn’t need to worry about significant walking or cycling times into the city each day. Try to stay somewhere that’s within walking or biking distance, though; even though Haarlem’s public transport is efficient, you don’t need to worry about waiting for buses each day.
Although accommodation normally costs less than in Amsterdam, it’s still quite expensive. So, if you want to visit both Haarlem and the Dutch capital, you should still look and see if you can find a solid deal in Amsterdam.
Places to Eat and Get Coffee in Haarlem
Haarlem’s small-town vibe has helped pave the way for countless cozy cafés and bakeries, plus some decent restaurants. Here are some of my top recommendations for grabbing a morning coffee or some food while you’re exploring this beautiful destination.
1. De Haerlemsche Vlaamse
Fries are popular throughout the Netherlands, and the best place I have tried them—in the entire country—was in Haarlem. De Haerlemsche Vlaamse is a small hole-in-the-wall shop that makes these potato goodies with the option to choose from all kinds of sauces.
De Haerlemsche Vlaamse is popular with tourists and locals alike, meaning that there’s often a long queue outside. Just as a warning: The large portion is *huge*.
Address: Spekstraat 3, 2011 HM Haarlem
2. Queen’s Tearoom
As any true Brit would be, I was delighted when my girlfriend and I discovered this spot for afternoon tea in Haarlem. With a cozy English-style interior and plenty of cakes to choose from, Queen’s Tearoom is a great place to spend a few hours when the Dutch weather doesn’t play fair. Naturally, you can pick from several tea choices as well.
My top tip? Get the scones. While we showed up and got a table with no problem, you may also want to book in advance online and have the full afternoon tea.
Address: Kruisstraat 31, 2011 PW Haarlem
Website: https://www.queenstearoom.nl/
3. Life of Yuna
Life of Yuna is a coffee shop located close to the main square, and it was one of my favorite places that we stopped by in Haarlem. The coffee was solid, and the interior looked like it’d be a great place to spend a few hours. While we didn’t try the breakfast and lunch menu, that’s very much on the list for next time 😋.
Address: Koningstraat 7, 2011 TB Haarlem
Website: https://www.lifeofyuna.nl/
Things to Do in Haarlem
Most of Haarlem’s main attractions are close together, making it easy to cover much of the city in a few days. The best thing you can do is go for a wander and enjoy the beautiful streets and canals.
Here are some of the best things to do in Haarlem that I particularly enjoyed.
1. Explore Haarlem’s Architecture and Waterways
Haarlem’s architecture is exactly what you would expect in a Dutch city, and the cute houses make it a delightful place to explore. The most imposing building in the city is Grote Kerk, which is the city’s largest church. However, Bakenesserkerk is the most beautiful in my opinion.
Haarlem has plenty of cute side streets, and I recommend spending an afternoon or so getting lost between these.
2. Visit Molen De Adriaan
The Netherlands is famed for its windmills—and while the most impressive sight that I’ve seen is Kinderdijk, De Adriaan is also quite cool. The original windmill stood from 1779 until it burned down in 1932. Despite attempts to rebuild it in the 1960s, the newest windmill wasn’t completed until 2002.
Today, Molen De Adriaan is accessible via a guided tour. You can book your tickets online. Even if you don’t want to enter the windmill, it’s quite nice to walk over there and around the bottom area. You can also simply admire it from the other side of the water if you’d prefer. Near the windmill is also a restaurant called Restaurant Zuidam.
Address: Papentorenvest 1A, 2011 AV Haarlem
Website: https://www.molenadriaan.nl/en/
3. Wander along Haarlem’s Waterways
Arguably, my favorite thing about the Netherlands is the network of canals that many of its main cities have. Haarlem is no different, and even though the canals here are nowhere near as extensive as Amsterdam, they’re still worth checking out.
The main area you should check out is around Bakenessergracht, which—in my opinion—is the most picturesque area in Haarlem. You can also capture some fantastic photos from Korte Jansbrug and Begijnebrug.
Burgwal and Korte Spaarne are two other waterfront areas worth visiting in Haarlem.
When to Visit Haarlem
Haarlem is a year-round destination, and its climate isn’t too different from Amsterdam’s. Summers feature long days and relatively warm temperatures, while winters are typically rainy and windy. Despite being quite far north, the winter temperature in Haarlem rarely drops below 0ºC (32ºF). However, the daylight hours are much shorter; you’ll have around eight hours to work with in December.
The best time to visit Haarlem will depend on what you want to do and whether you prefer warm weather or not. Personally, I much prefer cooler temperatures, and autumn is the perfect time to visit if you ask me. Below is a breakdown of the average month-by-month high/low temperatures in Haarlem, as per climate-data.org.
- Jan: 6ºC (42.8ºF) | 2.9ºC (37.2ºF)
- Feb: 6.1ºC (43ºF) | 2.5ºC (36.4ºF)
- Mar: 8.4ºC (47.1ºF) | 3.9ºC (39.1ºF)
- Apr: 12ºC (15.3ºF) | 6.7ºC (44ºF)
- May: 15.1ºC (59.2ºF) | 10.1ºC (50.2ºF)
- Jun: 17.7ºC (63.9ºF) | 15.4ºC (59.7ºF)
- Jul: 19.9ºC (67.8ºF) | 15.3ºC (59.5ºF)
- Aug: 20ºC (68ºF) | 15.5ºC (60ºF)
- Sep: 17.8ºC (64.1ºF) | 13.7ºC (56.7ºF)
- Oct: 14.2ºC (57.5ºF) | 10.4ºC (50.8ºF)
- Nov: 10ºC (50ºF) | 6.9ºC (44.4ºF)
- Dec: 7ºC (44.6ºF) | 4.1ºC (39.3ºF)
Meanwhile, here are the daylight hours for various parts of the year:
- Mar 21: 06:42 (sunrise)| 18:55 (sunset)
- Jun 21: 05:18 (sunrise) | 22:07 (sunset)
- Sep 21: 07:25 (sunrise) | 19:43 (sunset)
- Dec 21: 08:49 (sunrise) | 16:29 (sunset)
a Memorable Trip to Haarlem
Haarlem is well worth visiting, and you should also spend more than one day here. It’s one of the Netherlands’ most beautiful cities, and I would happily spend an entire weekend here. With cozy cafés, great museums, and picturesque streets, it’s a rewarding destination that’s a bit more low-key than Amsterdam.
Despite visiting on two separate occasions already, I’m looking forward to going back once more. Having read this guide, you should hopefully have a better idea of what to do when you’re in Haarlem.
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