The 10 Best Things to do in Centrum, North Holland Province

June 30, 2021 Matilde Konrad

Though often overshadowed (especially for tourists) by its much larger and more famous neighbor Amsterdam about ten miles east, Haarlem’s history actually goes back further. And with about 150,000 people, it’s the capital of the Noord-Holland region. The Teylers Museum, with its unique collection of art and artifacts, is the oldest museum in the Netherlands. The fantastic Frans Hals Museum has many works by the artist and other Haarlem schoolers. Grote Markt, the main town square, is a must-see.
Restaurants in Haarlem

1. Raaks Halle

Drossestraat 2, 2011 XW Haarlem The Netherlands +31 23 303 3454 [email protected] http://www.raakshalle.nl
Excellent
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5.0 based on 18 reviews

Raaks Halle

Raaks Halle is a shop-in-shop in the citycenter of Haarlem and contains 40 small shops of local entrepreneurs. The range of products in Raaks Halle is therefore very diverse and unique. Thes products vary in the range of design, gifts, fashion, house and living, art and food. There is also a coffee corner. They serve high quality coffee and often homemade pastry. In the spacious basement is a art gallery called Kunst Kelder. The store organizes several cultural events, workshops and live-performances . Finally they also have two escape rooms. Altogether Raaks Halle is a must see in Haarlem.

2. Frans Hals Museum - Hof

Groot Heiligland 62, 2011 ES Haarlem The Netherlands +31 23 511 5775 [email protected] http://www.franshalsmuseum.nl/
Excellent
58%
Good
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Satisfactory
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4.5 based on 1,097 reviews

Frans Hals Museum - Hof

The Frans Hals Museum and De Hallen Haarlem came together to form the renewed Frans Hals Museum: one museum at two locations. Where old meets new. Historical works hang alongside contemporary installations, and the Golden Age sits alongside the modern day. The meeting of Old Masters and contemporary art lets you look in a different way and see more.

Reviewed By JohnH881 - Shelburne, United States

The Frans Hals Museum is worth the short travel from Amsterdam. There are two sites, The Frans Hals Museum about five minutes walk from the Great Market Place and the "De Hallen Haarlem" Museum on the Market Place. Both are accessible with the same ticket. The first contains many of Hals' masterpieces as well as a supporting cast of other Dutch Masters which are related in some way. The museum is seasonally decorated with flowers (23.5-2.6.19) which are particularly beautiful and add immensely to the artistic atmosphere of the museum. The De Hallen Museum, is housed in a beautiful Dutch building on the Market Place and contains a variety of contemporary artists' works. An effort has been made to tie these works to those of Hals and his contemporaries. The inside has been artfully modernized and is worth a visit just for its architectural merits.

3. Teylers Museum

Spaarne 16, 2011 CH Haarlem The Netherlands +31 23 516 0960 [email protected] http://www.teylersmuseum.nl
Excellent
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4.5 based on 1,049 reviews

Teylers Museum

Anyone who opens the museum's heavy door on the bank of the River Spaarne sees at a glance what it is that inspires such enthusiasm. The museum breathes the atmosphere of the 18th and 19th centuries - the Age of the Enlightenment - when people were busily gathering knowledge about the world. Teylers Museum, museum of wonder, is a world in itself, one that you will never forget. Teylers Museum is the best-preserved 18th-century public knowledge institution for the arts and sciences in the world. It has been open to the public since 1784, welcoming all those who are eager to look at paintings and drawings by the Old Masters, magnificent minerals, ingenious scientific instruments, precious books, and centuries-old fossils. The museum's interior alone, with the monumental Oval Room as pièce de resistance, is a truly remarkable attraction. It is the only authentic 18th-century museum interior in the world.

Reviewed By Yolalindsay - Brooklyn, United States

Definitely worth a stop if you have some time in Haarlem! Lots of natural history here, as well as major scientific advancements - really a cool little museum with a GREAT audio guide. I think if you were very interested in geology or archaeology, you could spend a very long time here.

4. Sint-Bavokerk (Church of St. Bavo)

Grote Markt 22, 2011 RD Haarlem The Netherlands +31 23 553 2040 http://www.bavo.nl
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4.5 based on 1,085 reviews

Sint-Bavokerk (Church of St. Bavo)

Reviewed By Buddy_from_Oz - Greater Adelaide, Australia

If you're in Haarlem, don't miss a visit to St Bavokerk. Stunning architecture, fascinating history and a visually impressive organ played by both Mozart and Handel - and, surprisingly, mentioned in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. This was also the local church of Corrie ten Boom who, with her family, secretly helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust. The ten Boom museum is a few minutes walk away.

5. The Corrie ten Boom House

19 Barteljorisstraat North Holland, 2011 RA Haarlem The Netherlands +31 23 531 0823 [email protected] http://www.corrietenboom.com/en/home
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4.5 based on 969 reviews

The Corrie ten Boom House

Reviewed By Dahlke8 - La Vernia, United States

The Ten Boom family’s incredible sacrifice to help the Jewish people and the Dutch Resistance during WWII is carefully preserved and retold by passionate and caring guides! Dina introduced us to the Ten Boom’s, their incredible faith in Christ, and then walked us through their home, to include the Hiding Place. This is a must visit, as is the beautiful town of Haarlem, if you are in Amsterdam.

6. Grote Markt

Grote Markt, Haarlem The Netherlands http://visithaarlem.org/haarlem-markets
Excellent
51%
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4.5 based on 1,190 reviews

Grote Markt

Reviewed By springlering - Marietta, United States

We have been in Haarlem for several days, and have visited the Square each day. Our own home has a classic town square, and we’ve grown to appreciate how they change character each visit, as does this one. Surrounded by excellent shopping, quaint streets and alleys, with a stunning church and historic buildings, there are nice restaurants to hang out at, a bustling Saturday market, and for those of you who might share our secret vice, lots of Pokestops to hold your interest. The VVV (tourist information) on the square has several nice brochures featuring historic or memorial walks. Or (and this is the nuttiest tourist tip you’ll ever get) download Pokemon (a free app). Real world locations (or “Pokestops”) are points of interest that locals have added to the game. Particularly in Haarlem, we’ve found all kinds of local buildings, small statues, architectural features and more unique and easy to miss features and oddities we never would have noticed had other players not flagged them on the easy to follow 3D map that is part of the game. Pop into St Bavo’s and see if you are lucky enough to catch an organ rehearsal or concert. The little visitors center next to the big visitors center has a beautifully produced film with a history of Haarlem that is worth seeing.

7. Hofje van Bakenes

Bakenessergracht and the Wijde Appelaarsteeg, Haarlem The Netherlands
Excellent
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4.5 based on 38 reviews

Hofje van Bakenes

8. Proveniershof

Grote Houtstraat 140, 2011 SV Haarlem The Netherlands http://www.hofjesinhaarlem.nl
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4.5 based on 21 reviews

Proveniershof

9. Teylers Hofje

Koudenhorn 64, 2011 JE Haarlem The Netherlands http://www.hofjesinhaarlem.nl
Excellent
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4.5 based on 16 reviews

Teylers Hofje

10. Hofjeswandeling in Haarlem

Grote markt, Haarlem The Netherlands http://www.haarlemsehofjes.nl/haarlemse-hofjes-wandeling/
Excellent
65%
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4.5 based on 43 reviews

Hofjeswandeling in Haarlem

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