Haarlem

Haarlem is the perfect day trip for anyone who wants to experience Amsterdam in a smaller scale and without tourists. The capital of the province of North Holland is only 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam Centraal and offers: canals, gabled houses, a first-class museum, cozy cafés, and the charm of a city that doesn't cater to tourists.

Highlights

• Grote Markt: Haarlem's central square with the Grote Kerk (St. Bavokerk) — a Gothic church housing the famous Müller organ, on which Mozart played as a ten-year-old (1766). Admission: 4€. On Saturdays: a large weekly market on the square.
• Frans Hals Museum: The life's work of portrait painter Frans Hals (1582–1666) in a beautiful 17th-century courtyard. Hals' group portraits of the civic guards are precursors to Rembrandt's Night Watch. Admission: 16€.
• Teylers Museum: The oldest museum in the Netherlands (1784) — science, art, and natural history in original preserved showcases. Like a time warp to the 18th century. Admission: 16€.
• Canals and Hofjes: Haarlem has its own canal belt and over 20 hofjes (most accessible for free). A walk through the old town is like a mini-Amsterdam without the crowds.
• Beach: From Haarlem, it's only 30 minutes by bus to the North Sea beach of Bloemendaal — Amsterdam's favorite beach with beach clubs, surf waves, and sunsets over the sea.