Day Trip: Amsterdam to Haarlem, the Netherlands

Last month, when I visited Amsterdam, I did something different from my previous two visits: Instead of staying in Amsterdam’s center, we stayed in a smaller city called Haarlem. While we originally started looking at Haarlem because finding a hotel/Airbnb there was cheaper than in Amsterdam, we actually felt excited about getting the chance to explore a new city And it turns out that getting from Amsterdam to Haarlem and back is really easy!

If you’re spending time in Amsterdam and are interested in checking out another nearby city, even if you only have a day, I’d really recommend Haarlem. It is smaller and quieter than Amsterdam, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to do or see there! And some people find it even more beautiful than Amsterdam. So here’s what you need to know about taking a day trip from Amsterdam to Haarlem, the Netherlands.

Haarlem, The Netherlands

Distance from Amsterdam: 18 km/11 miles

Haarlem is the capital of the Dutch province of North Holland, but it’s only the 13th-largest city in the Netherlands with a population of about 162,000. But Haarlem, with its Golden Age history and pedestrian-only zones, makes it a charming place to visit — especially if you want to get out of the hustle and bustle of big-city Amsterdam.

One of Haarlem’s most iconic sights is the Molen de Adriaan, or a giant windmill located at the convergence of two canals. Do you know why windmills are such an important part of Dutch history and culture? With most of the country lying below sea level, windmills helped drain the wetlands for agriculture and settlements. Inside the de Adriaan windmill, you can join a guided tour for €7.50, which lasts about 45 minutes and will share more about how windmills were used in the Netherlands.

So, did you notice how I mentioned canals in the last paragraph? Haarlem has plenty of canals, just like Amsterdam, and they’re also extremely photogenic. Because we stayed a little bit outside Haarlem city center, we frequently walked along the Leidse Vaart canal and saw so many interesting birds, like Egyptian Geese, Gray Herons, and Eurasian Coots. (I’m 31 so I guess it makes sense I’m a birder now.)

Near the Leidse Vaart canal, as we walked to our Airbnb on the first day, we came across a building that stopped me in my tracks. The St. Bavo Cathedral has to be one of the most fantastic pieces of architecture I’ve seen in a while. I was blown away by how big and grand it was. It looks more like a castle than a cathedral, and I was getting Hogwarts-meets-gingerbread-house vibes. Even if you don’t go inside, you have to see the outside.

Haarlem is also home to another cathedral. Okay, well technically it’s an ex-cathedral — Grote Kerk (big church) is a Protestant church these days though it was a Catholic cathedral from 1559 to 1578. Grote Kerk has a prominent place as another icon of Haarlem thanks to its location on the central market square, Grote Markt. Each Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Grote Markt is full of vendors in market stalls selling flowers, bread, chocolate, cheese, and other fresh products.

Apparently, the square is taken over by a carnival every weekend in April, so it was an interesting juxtaposition between this medieval old church and the garish lights and colors of the carnival rides. But also, one weekend in April, the Dutch Flower Parade passes through, and floats are on display in Grote Markt as well as throughout other parts of the city. (The whole purpose of our trip to Holland was to see the tulips, so that was perfect!)

The market isn’t the only place to shop. In fact, Haarlem is an amazing city for walking and shopping because the majority of the city center is made up of pedestrian-only streets. Grote Houtstraat is one of the major ones, and keep a lookout for the adorable Korte Annastraat.

Did you know that the Netherlands is home to more museums per capita than any other country in the world? While Amsterdam has 92 museums, Haarlem has several as well, including:

• Frans Hals Museum
• The Corrie Ten Boom House
• Teylors Museum
• Draaiorgelmuseum

We did not visit any museums in Haarlem, but if you check any of them out, let me know how they are! One museum that we did see, from the outside at least, was Villa Welgelegen in the Haarlemmerhout park. I’m pretty sure it’s mostly just a government building, but it is really pretty and stately on the park lawn. Haarlemmerhout sets on 114 acres and is known for being the oldest public park in the Netherlands. We enjoyed our evening stroll through the park, even making friends with some deer in the park’s petting zoo, De Kleine Hout.

Okay, speaking of animals… if you love cats like we do, be sure to visit Jippies Cat Café in central Haarlem. Just be sure to make a reservation!

How To Get From Amsterdam to Haarlem

The fastest and easiest way to get from Amsterdam to Haarlem is by train. From Amsterdam Centraal Station, it only takes 14-19 minutes depending on which train you catch to Haarlem Centraal Station.

Inside Amsterdam Centraal, head to one of the yellow and blue ticket machines. Select your destination, Haarlem, which should cost €5.90. Next, take your ticket and scan yourself through the turnstiles — be sure to keep it because you’ll need to scan out as well when you arrive in Haarlem.

Check out the overhead train information screens to find which platform your train is leaving from. If it’s available, you’ll want to take the Intercity train as it’s the most direct, with only one stop between Amsterdam and Haarlem. (Amsterdam Sloterdijk — don’t get off there!) And remember that the best travel app ever, Citymapper, is available to help you on your journey. Also, make sure you sit in one of the train cars marked with the number 2, unless you bought a first class ticket.

When you’re ready to go back to Amsterdam, you just have to do the whole thing in reverse. 🙂

So, there you have it: How to plan your very own day trip from Amsterdam to Haarlem. What else do you want to know? Let me know in the comments!

-Cathy

This site contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.