Hostels in HAARLEM, HOLLAND

City Haarlem in Netherlands

Situated on the banks of River Sparne, Haarlem draws thousands of tourists every year who are left astounded with its lovely sightseeing places dominating the skyline of Haarlem, Holland. Whether it is churches, museums or historic buildings, Haarlem seems to have a fair share of all of them well packed and well presented.

History:
Haarlem was originally a medieval court which was later transformed into a major beer brewing centre by the end of the 16th century. It became a city of great financial clout when several industries developed in the 16th and the 17th century. It emerged as the provincial capital of North Holland in the early 19th century.

Popular Places and Attractions:
Built of sandstone and brick and standing tall and proud, St. Bavo Protestant Cathedral is located on the historic main square of Haarlem. Locals prefer calling it ‘De Grote Kerk’ to distinguish it from Harlem’s other Catholic St. Bavo Cathedral. The Vroom and Dreesmann (V&D) department store stands out, among other such buildings, for its striking interiors and the panoramic view of Haarlem that can be seen from its seventh storey.

The ‘Stadhuis’, an elegant building popularly known as Town Hall, is the official residence of the Mayor of Haarlem. The Adriaan Windmill is a tall and picturesque landmark that offers a wonderful and fine view of the city. Other tourist attractions include Amsterdamse Poort, Haarlem’s Secret Gardens, Theater De Toneelschuur, Villa Wellgelegen, etc.

Number of museums in Haarlem such as Teyler’s Museum, Corrie ten Boom Museum, Frans Hals Museum, etc. offers a lot of variety to the tourists.

Getting Around in Haarlem:
For watching the best of Haarlem, walking by foot is a nice idea. However, bus is also a remarkable mode off getting around Haarlem, the best guide for walking or using the buses is to have a map.

Places for Entertainment:
There are endless opportunities for shopping in Haarlem and it is because of this reason that it has been voted as the “Best Shopping City” in the Netherlands. The Grote Houtstraat, Kleine Houtstraat, Gierstraat, etc are some of the major shopping areas of Haarlem.

Haarlem has a good number of discos, nightclubs and bars to take care of the nightlife and entertainment needs of the tourists. One can enjoy classical and modern music at Philharmonie and Patronaat respectively, the latter being the largest venue for live music. Some nightlife options at Haarlem include the Willie Wortels Sativa Coffeeshop, One Love Cafe, Cafe Van Stoffelen, Delirium, etc. One can also catch a play or an art movie at the Toneelschuur.

Accommodation Options:
Haarlem provides its tourists with splendid lodging and dining options in the form of luxury hotels, studio apartments, bed and breakfast, guesthouse, motels, youth hostels, large apartments and backpackers hostels.

Centre of flower-growing district, Haarlem has beautiful canals and streets and is therefore an ideal place for long nice walks in tranquillity.

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