Haarlem is the little sister city of Amsterdam. Granted municipal status by Count Willem II of Holland in 1245, it was where Frans Hals, Jacob van Ruisdael, and Pieter Saenredam were living and painting their famous portraits, landscapes, and church interiors during the same years that Rembrandt was living and working in Amsterdam.
Belgium's French-speaking Walloons weren't left out of Haarlem's feast of Flemish history and culture, as may be seen in the 16th-century Waalse Kerk (Walloon Church), at the Begijnhof. Built by Walloon and French Protestant refugees so they could practice their religion in peace and in French, the church is surrounded by the Begijnhof, a cluster of little houses that started out as a Catholic foundation for pious laywomen. Its rooms have been put to use by less pious modern laywomen -- they host the minimally clad working girls of Haarlem's small rosse buurt (red-light district).
Haarlem counts one of the finest tallies of hofjes (almshouses) of any Dutch city. These charitable establishments around secluded courtyards were constructed from medieval times onward to house poor and retired persons. There are 20 of them scattered around town. Two worth visiting in the central zone close to the Grote Markt are the Hofje van Oorschot, in Kruisstraat; and the Bakenesserhofje, founded in 1395, in Wijde Appelaarsteeg.
The Grote Markt & Stadhuis -- The old center is a 5- to 10-minute walk from the graceful Art Nouveau rail station from 1908 (which is decorated with painted tiles and has a fine station restaurant), most of it via pedestrian-only shopping streets. First-time visitors generally head straight for the Grote Markt, the beautiful central market square, adjacent to the Sint-Bavokerk (Church of St. Bavo). Most points of interest in Haarlem are within easy walking distance of the Grote Markt. The monumental buildings around the tree-lined square, which date from the 15th to the 19th centuries, are a visual minicourse in the development of Dutch architecture. Here stands Haarlem's 14th-century Stadhuis (Town Hall), Grote Markt 2, a former hunting lodge of the counts of Holland rebuilt in the 17th century, and containing a magnificent tapestry of the Crusades (1629) by Josef Thienpont of Oudenaarde -- just one of Haarlem's many historical connections with the Belgian region of Flanders.
Canalboat Tours -- An ideal way to view Haarlem is by canal tour boat. Tours are operated by Smitdje Cruises (tel. 023/535-7723; https://smidtjecanalcruises.nl) from the Spaarne River dock next to the Gravenstenenbrug, a handsome lift bridge. From April to October, Tuesday to Sunday, boats depart hourly from noon to 4pm on a 45-minute cruise. Tickets are 14€. In addition, there are longer cruises that go outside of town, candlelight cruises, and more.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
