Sometimes you just need a change of rhythm
I live on the west side of Amsterdam. It’s a beautiful city, and I love it… but I don’t always want to be in it. The center can feel intense. Crowds, bikes, noise, trams, more bikes — sometimes it’s just a bit much. 
On those days, I head somewhere quieter. Usually Zaandam or Haarlem. Both are close, easy to reach, and offer something that’s getting harder to find in the city: space to breathe.
This post is about Haarlem — and why I often suggest it to friends who are visiting Amsterdam. Not because it’s a replacement, but because it’s the perfect complement. A slow, charming side trip where things feel a little more local and a little more comfort.
Travelglaze Moment: The street gardens
Here’s something I love about Haarlem: The green little doorways. Because many homes don’t have gardens, residents remove a couple of sidewalk tiles in front of their houses and plant tiny gardens right in the street. Lavender, tomatoes, roses, even apple trees.
Fun fact: Haarlem has been encouraging residents to plant geveltuintjes (facade gardens) for years. Some streets now have official signs asking people to “adopt a tile” — turning one square of sidewalk into green space. It’s a small act, but together they add up to entire streets that feel softer and more alive.
Many other cities are now encouraging geveltuintjes as a way to green public space and reduce water runoff.
A city with breathing room
Haarlem feels different as soon as you arrive. You don’t need to dodge crowds. The station is walkable to everything. The pace shifts. It’s still a city — with museums, shops, and energy — but it moves with less urgency.
I usually walk straight from the station and turn left at the Spaarne. From there, I just follow the water or duck into whatever side street looks interesting. Gierstraat, Kleine Houtstraat, Koningstraat — they’re all good for wandering. Fun fact: Many of these small shops are family-owned and have been there for decades — especially in Gierstraat.
Practical info
Train from Amsterdam Central: ~15–20 minutes
The city center is about 10 minutes on foot from the station
Museum time
Teylers Museum: This is the oldest museum in the Netherlands — founded in 1784 — and it still feels a little like stepping into another century. There are fossils, books, scientific instruments, and paintings, all displayed in light-filled rooms with creaky floors and beautiful glass ceilings. It’s the kind of place that rewards curiosity, not speed.
Small story: The museum began as part of a legacy left by Pieter Teyler van der Hulst, a wealthy banker who believed knowledge should be shared freely. His vision still shapes the building — it doesn’t feel like a gallery, more like a cabinet of wonders.
Practical info
Location: Spaarne 16
Open: Tue–Sun, 10:00–17:00
The Frans Hals is known for its portraits — full of life and movement — but it’s also a quiet place to reflect. The building itself is a former almshouse with an old courtyard garden. It’s a good place to walk slowly. I like how you can hear your own footsteps in the galleries.
Fun fact: Frans Hals was known for painting people as they were — laughing, slouching, mid-conversation. It was unusual at the time, and it still makes his work feel surprisingly modern.
Practical info
Location: Groot Heiligland 62
Open: Tue–Sun, 11:00–17:00
A boat tour with space to think
If the weather permits take a morning boat tour through Haarlem’s canals: calm water, quiet streets, a breeze that smelled faintly like pastries. Unlike Amsterdam’s busy canal cruises, these are slower and smaller — more space, more comfort.
You float past old warehouses, sleepy bridges, and unexpected houseboats. You see parts of the city you wouldn’t find on foot.
Fun fact: Haarlem’s canals are older than Amsterdam’s. Some of them were originally part of the city’s defense system.
Practical info
Many tours leave from the Spaarne River or near the Grote Markt
Booking ahead is smart on weekends and in summer
Molen de Adriaan – a windmill on the water
This windmill has become one of my quiet favorites. It stands along the Spaarne like it’s always been there — and in a way, it has. The original mill was built in 1779, burned down in 1932, and lovingly rebuilt in 2002. You can visit the inside, but honestly, just sitting nearby is enough.
TravelGlaze tip: Molen de Adriaan is a great spot to start or end a short walking loop. From the windmill, follow the riverbank toward the Droste factory building — an old chocolate factory with a cool industrial look. You’ll also pass the Kweekcafé, a relaxed café inside a city greenhouse, perfect for a break with coffee or soup. It’s just far enough from the center to feel peaceful, but close enough to be easy.
Practical info
Location: Papentorenvest 1A
Guided tours available (check their website for current hours)
A quiet surprise: the Dutch Barrel Organ Museum
Haarlem is full of quiet corners, but this one might be the most unexpected. Just outside the city center, there’s a small museum that keeps a unique part of Dutch heritage alive: the barrel organ (draaiorgel).
These colorful instruments were once a familiar sound on the streets — playing music in markets, parks, and festivals. Some are simple and sweet, others huge and ornate, with dancing figures and deep, rich tones that fill the air. Today, you mostly see them on special occasions — but in Haarlem, you can still hear them up close.
The museum is small and run by volunteers who love what they do. They’ll tell you the stories behind the instruments, how they work, and why this tradition matters. It’s not a place for crowds — it’s a place for people who like to listen.
Fun fact: Dutch barrel organs were originally inspired by church organs, but adapted for the street. Some had built-in percussion or singing dolls — and a few were so big they needed to be pushed by a small truck instead of a person.
Practical info
Location: Küppersweg 3a, Haarlem
Open: Sundays from 12:00–18:00 (check the website for updates)
Entrance: Free! (that’s another nice surprise)
A museum of the mind
Museum van de Geest is not what you expect when you think of a museum. It’s quiet, yes — but also very human. Set in a former care house from the 14th century, it explores how we’ve thought about mental health through time.
The exhibitions are gentle and smart. You’ll see things that surprise you. Not because they’re loud, but because they make you pause.
Fun fact: The building was once used to house people with leprosy and later became an asylum. Now, it’s a museum that invites conversation — not just observation.
Practical info
Schotersingel 2
Tue–Sun, 11:00–17:00
A quiet bookshop worth knowing
If I have time, I always stop at Boekhandel De Vries — not just for the books, but for the feeling. The building has a fireplace, tall shelves, and soft lighting that makes you want to stay. It feels more like a reading room than a shop.
The bookshop has been part of Haarlem since 1905, and you can feel that history in the woodwork and the silence. It’s not trying to be trendy — it just is what it is. A place where time moves slowly.
Fun fact: De Vries is one of the most common surnames in the Netherlands. It simply means “the Frisian” — someone from Friesland (a region in the Netherlands).
Practical info
Gedempte Oude Gracht 27
Open daily
Eating well and sleeping easy
Haarlem isn’t short on food, but some places feel better than others — like they’re set up for comfort, or have something special.
Jopenkerk is a brewery in a former church, with stained glass, wood beams, and a calm buzz of locals. In Den Swarten Hondt is smaller, older, and good for a cozy meal. It’s a place where people with intellectual disabilities can gain experience working in hospitality — in a supportive, real-world setting. And Locael Centraal, situated near the train station, is a place where you can come all day, to do some work, relax and enjoy good food in a lively, but comfortable atmosphere.
If you decide to stay the night, you’re in luck.
Boutiquehotel STAATS is stylish, playful, and just outside the rush.
Hotel ML is elegant but not stiff — right near the Grote Markt.
Brasss Hotel Suites is quieter and more spacious than you’d expect in a city hotel.
Comfort tip: Haarlem is made for walking — so no matter where you stay, you’ll be close to everything.
Final thoughts
Haarlem isn’t a secret. But it feels like one — especially when you’ve just come from the full buzz of Amsterdam. It’s close (only 15 minutes by train), easy (you can reach all the places by foot), and calm in a way that doesn’t try too hard. You don’t need an itinerary. You just need a train ticket and some comfortable walking shoes.
Whether you go for the museums, the windmill, or just to sit with a coffee — Haarlem gives you space to notice things.
Have you been to Haarlem? Or found comfort in another place just outside a busy city? I’d love to hear your story.
