Day trip from Amsterdam to Haarlem
Haarlem combines medieval character and beauty with tulip fields aplenty
Haarlem is very close to Amsterdam, so is an ideal destination for a day trip. Here you will discover cobblestoned streets, gabled houses, art museums and a city full of medieval history. You’ll also find the famous tulip fields on its outskirts, so dont forget your camera.
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What is Haarlem famous for
Haarlem is a bulb growing district of the Netherlands. During the season (March-May) you’ll find many fields covered in a riot of colour, a spectacle well worth witnessing. In the compact city itself you’ll find a charming, relaxed atmosphere with much to discover as you walk around. And at just 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam, it really is the easiest day trip from Amsterdam.
Grote Kerk
This is a 14th century cathedral that has experienced its fair share of history. Surviving lightning strikes, fire and being passed between different Christian denominations to name a few. This makes visiting the cathedral even more fascinating. Inside it has a luxurious gothic design which is beautiful to behold. Frans Hals the famous painter is buried here. Grote Kerk dominates the skyline and overlooks the famous Grote Markt which hosts the well-known Saturday market, as well as festivals and concerts.
Frans Hals Museum
This is a large gallery celebrating the work of the Golden Age portrait painter Frans Hals. His life is entwined with Haarlem, which you’ll discover as you explore the beautiful city. At this museum you’ll find the largest collection of his portraits in the world.
Teylers Museum of Wonder
This is the oldest museum in the Netherlands and has an eclectic mix of art and science on show. It is aptly called Teylers Museum of Wonder, here you’ll find work by Michelangelo and Raphael alongside fossils, books, drawings and instruments. The Oval Room, part of the interior of the museum is a well-known attraction in its own right.
Molen de Adriaan
This is a historic windmill that offers wonderful views across Haarlem. You can enjoy a guided tour of the iconic windmill, which is often used as a wedding venue, for conferences and parties. This however is not the original windmill, which tragically burnt down in 1932, but is a rebuilt version on the same site. The residents of Haarlem came together decades later to rebuild the windmill, so that the iconic sails of a windmill were once more present on Haarlem’s skyline.
Haarlem shopping
The shopping streets round Haarlem are affectionately called ‘the streets of gold’. This is due to there being so many opportunities to discover that perfect gift, new outfit or hidden gem. The streets offer boutique style shops, big brands, independent labels, antiques, craft and vintage shops. Of course there are lovely cafes to wind down within too. The most famous shopping streets are Barteljorisstraat, Grote Houtstraat and Zijlstraat. There are many more to discover though, so shopping in Haarlem is a wonderful way to spend your time.
Haarlem Canals
Haarlem is another Dutch city with beautiful canals running through its heart. Relax and explore the city by water on one of the many canal cruises available, capturing wonderful pictures as you sail by. This is also a great way to get a sense of the city and where the sights you are most interested in are located.
Visit the beach
Hire a bike and cycle to one of the stunning beaches just outside the city. These beaches are easily reachable by bike, using the cycle paths that have the natural dunes as their backdrop. Bloemendaal and Zandvoort beach are both nearby, so you can enjoy the sea, sunshine and watersports in the summer months and beautiful winter exploration too.
From Amsterdam’s Centraal Station you can be in Haarlem in around 20 minutes. Enjoy the Golden Streets shopping, beautiful canals and museums.
How to get to Haarlem from Amsterdam
Haarlem is very close to Amsterdam, making it a very easy day trip.
Amsterdam to Haarlem using NS Direct Intercity train
There are lots of direct trains from Amsterdam to Haarlem throughout the day. These take between 15-20 minutes and run from Amsterdam Centraal arriving at Haarlem. Some of these trains stop at Amsterdam Sloterdijk station, so if you are staying in that area, it would be easier to pick up the train to Haarlem from that station. At Amsterdam Centraal the trains usually leave from platform 1 or 2.
You can check and buy tickets with Rail Europe.
Amsterdam to Haarlem by bus
The bus to Haarlem from Amsterdam takes 28 minutes. The service is run by Connexxion. Bus No.80 takes you from G.v. Ledenberchstraat twoards Zandvoort via Haarlem, Prins Bernardlaan.
Day trip by coach to Haarlem
Haarlem has plenty of attractions of its own and the route to Haarlem from Amsterdam is very simple and quick. It can therefore be a good option to consider an organised day trip that includes Haarlem in its itiniary.
If you are looking for a combined day trip from Amsterdam to Haarlem, the most common other city to visit is The Hague. You could also choose to visit Rotterdam or the Keukenhof gardens and castle (best in spring), perhaps visit Utreich or stop at the Windmills at Kinderdijk. As with everything there is a limit to what you can see and do in the time at each place, so we recommend choosing carefully which areas really interest you and focussing on them.
On an organised day trip you’ll get the benefit of a knowledgeable guide, entry tickets to attractions included and no worries about planning how to get from each attraction to the next.
One of the benefits of an organsied day trip to Haarlem shows up when you want to also visit the bulb growing region, which is outside of the city. A guided tour will take you to the city and to the bulb growing region highlights, so you do not have to worry about the logistics of days journey.
Day trips from Amsterdam are incredibly popular and varied, so you’ll have no problem finding the right trip to Haarlem or one that includes Haarlem as part of the itiniary.
The best day trips from Amsterdam to Haarlem
Booking an organised day trip from Amsterdam to Haarlem is a great option to make the most of your time. There are a wide variety of trips running all year round featuring Haarlem in their itiniary.
Below are some of our favourite day trips from Amsterdam by Get Your Guide:
Day trips to Haarlam from Amsterdam
