Tours in Amsterdam

FOOD / RESTAURANTS

• Louisiana Lobster Bar
  A personal favorite of mine. Great Cajun and Southern US barbecue dishes and awesome bourbon and cocktails.
• Wilma & Albert
  This steakhouse is a classic, far beyond the city walls of Haarlem. Beware of peanuts shells on the floor!
• Bar & Kitchen Zocher
  This amazing restaurant cooks daring dishes with local ingredients all day round. Possible for a small bite as well as a long dinner.
• DeDAKKAS
  Literally translates to ‘The Roof Glasshouse’, this is  great restaurant with a beautiful setting.
• Bistrobar Indonesia
  Beautiful restaurant with modern style Indonesian food. They have a great
  selection of cocktails as well, perfect for a romantic night.

BREAKFAST / LUNCH

• The Yoghurt Barn
  This place serves excellent fresh and healthy food that will keep you going the entire morning.
• Fons Hof
  Classic Dutch cafeteria. They serve classic Dutch snacks like a ‘Broodje Kroket’ (bun with goulash croquette) or ‘Patatje Oorlog’ (french fries with peanut sauce & mayonnaise), but also a steak and salad. They have been doing it with class for around 50 years, my dad even used to work in this place!
• De Lachende Javaan
  Great Indonesian place. This is a great option for vegetarian or vegan food.
• Het Broodjeshuis
  The Dutch have made sandwiches into an art. We got a lot of shade thrown at us for having lunch with merely bread. However, if you’re here, you should try a lunch just like the locals!
• Syriously
  Located at the Botermarkt, this is a nice central lunch stop for people craving
  some Middle Eastern food. Good vegan options as well and budget friendly.

DUTCH SNACKS / TAKEAWAY

• Visch aan ‘t Parck
  A fishmonger’s stall locatd at the edge of the beautiful Frederikspark. Great
  herring but countless other options too!

Must-try Dutch delicacies:

• Broodje ‘Gerookte Paling’ (smoked eel)
• Poffertjes (mini-pancakes)
• Likkepot (liverwurst with onion and peppers)
• Berehap (fried meatball in peanut sauce)

BARS

• Café van Gunsteren
  This bar is a classic Dutch brown bar, with old fashioned friendly service but a
  modern selection. Billiards table included. A living room for many locals, and
  especially packed when Ajax is playing. The couple running the place serves
  some fingerlicking barfood as well.
• Cafe Koops
  Authentic Dutch brown bar. They serve my favorite pilsener on draught; Hertog Jan.
• Uiltje bar
  This place is a tasting room for ‘t Uiltje craftbeer brewery from haarlem. They
  serve a plethora of incredibly daring well rounded varieties. Any beer lover
  should not miss this place.
• De Volkslust
  Terrace at the waterfront. This trendy bar will you serve you your drinks pretty much IN the canal, where you’ll see Dutch people drifting by in their boats.

NIGHTLIFE

• De Patronaat
  Haarlem’s pop temple. Do check their schedule on https://patronaat.nl to see when there’s a show that suits your flavor.
• De Filmschuur
  For international arthouse films.
• Kokonoches
  Latin music in the centre of Haarlem. If you go earlier in the night around 22.30
  they will play Merengue, Bachata and Salsa and you’ll be sure to find a dance
  partner.
• Cafe Stiels
  Live music bar. Usually the program is Rock & Blues orientated. Has a large smoking area from where you can still see the band.

SHOPPING

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

For shopping, the entire city center will pretty much suit you well. The large clothing stores can be found on and around the Grote Houtstraat.

Reinhard Frans in the Barteljorisstraat sells artisanal gentleman’s shoes,
handmade in Italy. You can buy a pair of the shelf or have a pair tailormade.

NERD CULTURE SHOPS

The Toyboys
Shop for toys and board games for (big) boys.

The Game Shop
For buying/selling retro games, systems and movies.

Nedgame
Slightly bigger and more modern video game store.

The Boardroom café
Place that sells boardgames, carddecks, you name it. They also have tables
where groups can play games from cards to Magic the Gathering.

COMIC BOOK SHOPS

Haarlem is known in the Netherlands for being the birthplace of many cartoon artists and characters alike. You might not find any titles you’ve ever heard of before. Jopo de Pojo is a friendly shop, where you browse for the best comics from Holland.

SMARTSHOPS

A smartshop is something typically Dutch. You probably know that some
stores sell marijuana in the Netherlands. Smartshops, however, sell all natural
drugs BUT cannabis. A good choice in Haarlem is State of Mind. Be careful,
fly safely ;)

COFFEESHOPS (no coffee, marijuana!)

Be careful where you buy your herb! Many coffee shops will scam you. Take a tip!

• Coffeeshop Regine
  This coffeeshop smack dab in the centre of Haarlem is a partner of the world famous Amsterdam Genetics group. This shop is for takeaway only, but has superior products and awesome staff.
• Smartshops
  A smartshop is something typically Dutch. You probably know that some stores sell marijuana in the Netherlands. Smartshops, however, sell all natural drugs BUT cannabis. A good choice in Haarlem is State of Mind. Be careful, fly safely ;)

MUSEUMS 

• Teylers Museum
  Founded in 1784, the Teylers Museum in Haarlem is not only the oldest museum in the Netherlands, but it is also one of the oldest museums in Europe. Visitors are invited to explore the museum’s impressive collection of art, science, and history, spanning several centuries. The museum’s vast collection includes fossils, minerals, scientific instruments, drawings, paintings, and rare books. In addition, the museum’s stunning architecture, featuring a neoclassical facade and a charming garden, adds to the visitor’s experience. The Teylers Museum is an excellent destination for those looking to delve into the rich cultural and scientific heritage of the Netherlands.
  
• Frans Hals Museum
  Two charming and historic buildings serve as the home of the Frans Hals Museum. It boasts the most extensive collection of Frans Hals’ portraits worldwide, which includes the world-famous Schutterstuken.
• Corrie Ten Boom Huis
  The story of the Ten Boom family bears witness to their deep affection and unwavering dedication to the Jewish community. Today, their residence has been restored to its former state as an “open house,” just as it was during the time when the Ten Booms resided there. The museum serves as a tribute to the family’s legacy.

PARKS

• Frederikspark
  Centrally located, clean and peaceful. Located next to the former palace of Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother. Often the gardens of the palace are open to visitors. On the other side of the palace the park continues as ‘Haarlemmerhous’, which is a lot shadier because of the many trees.
• Kenau Park
• Parnassia
  Resort located in a national park in the sand dunes, right off the coast. Easily accessible by car and bicycle. These are paths leading through the national park. There is also a beach favored by dog owners, since they can run free on this beach.

THINGS TO DO IN HAARLEM 

• MASSAGES
  Go for a massage at Royal Thai Wellness & Spa. Traditional Thai massages in
  a range of varieties and durations. Get recharged after a long day of exploring
  the city!
• SPOTTING BISONS
  If you’re lucky, you might be able to see some European Bisons (“Wisenten”).
  There’s a one-hour hike to a place (type: “wisentenuitkijkpunt” in any maps
  app) in National Park Kennermerduinen where a viewpoint is created to spot
  bisons. They’re pretty shy, but if you are lucky you can spot one. There’s also
  other wildlife in the area, but the hike alone is worth it!
• ARCADE
  Go play some videogames at the Game Box. Great for children too.
• CINEMA
  The old prison doem building has been converted in an amazing mixed
  building, which hosts a cinema in the basement, with an excellent bar. Go
  watch the big screen at the Filmkoepel.
• BARBERSHOP
  Get a haircut and beard trim Carribean style at Wilson’s Barbershop. Good
  reggae riddims guaranteed while your (facial) hair gets the best care!