← Leiden Marathon·2 nights

Haarlem: A Market Square and a Beach Bus After Leiden

A small city with a large church on its market square, a museum of Frans Hals portraits and a short train to the North Sea beach at Zandvoort.

Duration2 nights
TransitNS train from Leiden Centraal to Haarlem, about 25 minutes
DepartsLeiden Centraal

After the Leiden Marathon: Haarlem

The Route: Leiden → Haarlem → Schiphol Airport Logistics: NS train, about 25 minutes. Haarlem station is about 10 minutes' walk from the Grote Markt, and Zandvoort aan Zee is a further 10-minute train. Marathon Month: May Duration: 2 nights

Leiden ──(about 25 min, NS)──> Haarlem ──(10 min, NS)──> Zandvoort aan Zee
                                  │
Schiphol Airport (AMS) <──(about 25 min, NS)──┘

The Grote Kerk of St Bavo in Haarlem dominates the Grote Markt the way a cathedral dominates a village, with a tower visible from kilometres away across the surrounding flat land. In its nave hangs a model ship, and in its organ loft sits the Müller organ, which Mozart is said to have played as a ten-year-old. It is a good-sized city, but the centre is walkable in a few minutes.

Dutch rail has no advance fares. Tap in and out with a contactless card or OVpay, and check the NS planner.

May in Haarlem: daytime highs are around 16°C to 18°C. The bulb fields to the south-west of the city, between Haarlem and Leiden, are past their peak in May, and in most years the tulips are over by the second week. Check the current season rather than counting on colour.

Night One: Haarlem

The Grote Markt is flat and paved, with terraces on all sides. Sit with a coffee and look at the church. The interior is open to visitors for a small fee, and check the opening hours.

The Frans Hals Museum, on the Groot Heiligland, holds the portraits of the militia companies that made the painter's name, in a former almshouse where he spent his final years. Entry is around €17, and prices vary, so use the figure as a guide only. It has a lift and a café. Check the current opening days.

Teylers Museum, near the river Spaarne, was founded in 1784 and is generally described as the oldest museum in the Netherlands. Its oval reading room and its collections of instruments and fossils are a pleasant seated stop. Check the current hours.

Amrâth Grand Hotel Frans Hals is a short walk from the centre and gives a calm base. Smaller canalside guesthouses are available too. Confirm lifts and breakfast times when booking.

Dinner suits the streets around the Spaarne, where cafés serve Dutch and international menus. Book ahead on weekends.

Night Two: The Coast

Take the 10-minute train to Zandvoort aan Zee, where a wide beach stretches along the North Sea. The promenade is flat, and in May the wind can be brisk, so bring a windproof layer. The Zandvoort circuit, the motor-racing track hidden in the dunes, can be seen from the dune paths. Check the schedule if you want to see it in use.

Return to Haarlem in time for dinner. Trains run frequently.

Getting to Schiphol Airport (AMS)

Haarlem to Schiphol takes about 25 minutes by train with a short change. Check the NS planner. Airport station is beneath Schiphol Plaza, with lifts to the terminal.