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Haarlem Culture & history

Our most recommended Haarlem Culture & history

From Amsterdam: Haarlem Private Day-Trip

1. From Amsterdam: Haarlem Private Day-Trip

Along with your friendly, local guide, enjoy an authentic Haarlem experience on a personalized tour. Explore this picturesque city’s history, culture, and fantastic food scene as you’re led down quaint streets (those off the well-trodden tourist trail) flanked by grand architecture. You'll be paired with guides that are passionate about the place they call home and who choose to spend their free time sharing it with like-minded travelers matched to them. Meet your host at Amsterdam Station (or directly in Haarlem) and begin to explore this university town, an enchanting hub of leafy courtyards, gabled houses, and monuments dating back almost 800 years. Walk along tranquil canals and explore Haarlem’s quaint cobbled streets, straight from the pages of a storybook, while marvelling at grand gothic-style churches and turning down the lesser-known streets and exploring hidden gems. Peer into cosy bars, fine cafes, and the unique stores that have given Haarlem a reputation as one of the world’s best shopping cities. Visit Molen de Adriaan, a traditional windmill and a striking feature of Haarlem’s skyline for centuries. See the monumental Grote Kerk, a Protestant church in the city center that’s home to a world-famous gilded organ and a treasure trove of medieval art. Join locals browsing stalls selling fresh produce, local cheeses, clothes, and antiques at Grote Markt, an authentic taste of the day-to-day life of Haarlem’s people, and admire the grand buildings lining even the quietest of streets. Of course, in a city famed for having the best museums in the Netherlands, it would be a crime not to explore them. The Frans Hals Museum is always an excellent choice. Your itinerary can be personalized according to your preferences. Once you’ve booked, someone from the local partner's team will be in touch so arrange any preferences or special requirements.

From Amsterdam: Rotterdam and Zaanse Schans Private Day Trip

2. From Amsterdam: Rotterdam and Zaanse Schans Private Day Trip

Start this tour with a pick-up from your hotel. From here, drive to the countryside of the Netherlands and explore Zaanse Schans, a must see when visiting the Netherlands. Explore these beautiful windmills and also see the original wooden houses, barns and shops. Your guide will take you inside one of these windmills. You also get the option to visit a cheese-making factory and stroopwafel factory. Here you can see how the Dutch cheese and waffles are made. From there, you will drive to the beautiful Rotterdam, the second Dutch city you will visit on this tour. Discover how the destruction of World War II led to an intensive rebuilding process and to Rotterdam becoming one of the most daring examples of modern architecture in the Netherlands. First, you will explore the city center of Rotterdam, here you will find many architectural sights like the new Markthal, the famous Cube Houses, the Erasmus Bridge and the Town Hall of Rotterdam. When going inside the Martkhal, you are able to take a break to eat and drink something. After, the guide will drive you to a more historical part of Rotterdam called Delfshaven, this is one of the few parts of the city that wasn't destroyed by the bombing. After Delshaven, your guide will drive you to explore the port of Rotterdam. Rotterdam houses the biggest port in Europe and until 2004 it was the biggest port in the world. After your visit to Rotterdam, your guide will drive you back to your hotel or any other desired location in Amsterdam.

Frequently asked questions about Haarlem Culture & history

What are other things to do than Culture & history that are worth visiting in Haarlem?

The other unmissable things to do in Haarlem are:

Which Haarlem Culture & history are taking additional COVID-19 precautions?

These Haarlem Culture & history are taking additional COVID-19 precautions:

Other Sightseeing Options in Haarlem

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What people are saying about Haarlem

Overall rating

5.0 / 5

based on 1 reviews

Our son lives in Harrlem and it was a must to go to see the Windmill. Our guide on the 1pm tour was such a delightful pleasant lady and very enthusiastic about the workings of this incredible windmill. We arrived a little early and was encouraged to watch the video in English to see the full history of the windmill, which again was fascinating.

It was amazing how this museum, with the extraordinary experts work here, can united people and can make the time stop. For me it was moment of turning to myself and also to open my mind for the important things. The power of the knowledge and the wisdom of the memory.

You can also see sides of Haarlem that you otherwise only get to see to a limited extent as a tourist and can get a first impression. However, if you want to experience the sights of Haarlem, you should do the Haarlem Boat Tour.

A nice and informative tour. You could tell that our guide is very attached to windmills, especially De Adriaan, with heart and soul.

Excellent tour. Very informative. And received great recommendation to go to Jopen (Beer church) in Haarlem for lunch.