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Located about 20km, just 15 minutes from Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam, Haarlem is one of Holland''s most attractive cities. It is a place of historical architecture, culture and outstanding modern facilities. Haarlem is also close to the coastal dunes and many areas of natural beauty, including the world-famous Dutch bulb fields.
Haarlem’s history goes back to the second half of the Middle Ages, but like most of the Dutch cities the flourished from on the late 16th century. The town saw the rise (and fall) of various industries. Textiles, brewing and printing have all left their marks on the town''s buildings and street names. The once-famous city defenses, in the form of walls, ramparts, gatehouses and look-out towers, have largely disappeared but remnants, like the Amsterdamse Poort, do still survive and the magnificent cathedral on the main square is testimony to the power and financial clout once enjoyed by Haarlem.
In the early 19th century Haarlem became the provincial capital of North Holland and was soon linked to Amsterdam by a new steam railway. By mid-century many new industries had been founded, helped by the new trade from the North Sea canal. The Waarderpolder, situated to the northeast of the city, became the new industrial hub.
Nowadays, Haarlem is a quiet, mainly residential town with beautiful old buildings, green parks and picturesque canals and waterways winding through town. Yet life still very much revolves around the oldest part of town, with its cafes, bars and shops: the main square or Grote Markt, once a clump of higher ground near the coastal dunes where a nobleman of old chose to build his home.
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