North Holland
The Gothic Grote Kerk, on the southern outskirts of town, is renowned for its triple nave, tower galleries and a dazzling oak choir screen dating from the…
Must-see attractions in North Holland & Flevoland
Texel
See beer being made at the island's brewery, housed in a former dairy, on an informative 45-minute guided tour (in English and Dutch). Tour prices include…
North Holland
Along Westerstraat you'll spot the remarkable Westerkerk, a 15th-century Gothic church with a removable wooden belfry. The ornate choir screen and…
North Holland
The Vestingmuseum brings context to the vast star-shaped fortress, which is the only one in Europe featuring a buffer of two walls and two moats. You can…
North Holland
The impressive Zaans Museum traces windmill history from the very first mills and covers Dutch culture and costume; there's also a painting by Monet, who…
Haarlem
The visitor centre of the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park has nature displays and is a good source of information, with a range of detailed walking and…
North Holland
Almost as tiny as the boats in its collection, this enchanting museum contains an astonishing collection of ships in bottles carved by seamen through the…
North Holland & Flevoland
Urk's 18.5m-high lighthouse was built in 1845, replacing a small stone tower where a coal fire guided ships into port. Climb 295 steps to the top for…
Texel
This small dairy between Den Hoorn and Den Burg is a terrific place to taste and buy rounds produced from the local cows, sheep and goats. A glass viewing…
Haarlem
Off Grote Houtstraat southwest of the Grote Markt is one of Haarlem's prettiest buildings, the Proveniershuis. It started life as a hofje (almshouse) and…
North Holland
Built in red brick between 1423 and 1458, the Zuiderkerk's copper-capped bell tower was added in 1524. Highlights include its 16th-century organ, and the…
North Holland
Overshadowing surrounding historic buildings, the massive defensive gate Hoofdtoren (1532), topped by a tiny belfry, now houses an atmospheric restaurant.
Texel
The emphasis at this beach immediately west of De Koog is on lounging with good food and drink while watching kite-surfers in action.
North Holland
Sample 30 different cheeses at the wonderful and barely commercial Gestam, a warehouse for regional producers established in 1916.
Texel
Texel's party beach, 3km south of De Koog, has lots of day- and night-time activities, including wind-surfing and kite-surfing.
North Holland
Located between the Buitenhaven and the Oude Haven, the Drommedaris was built as a defence tower as part of the 16th-century town walls. Once a formidable…
North Holland
In the 16th century Willem van Oranje bestowed on Edam the right to hold a Kaasmarkt, which was the town's economic anchor right through to the 1920s. At…
North Holland & Flevoland
Opposite the church by the water's edge you'll spot the Vissersmonument, a lonely statue of a woman in a billowing dress gazing seaward where her loved…
Haarlem
Inside the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park, the WWII cemetery Erebegraafplaats Bloemendaal is the resting place of 372 members of the Dutch Resistance…
North Holland
Local culture is covered at Volendam's history museum with traditional costumes, prints, paintings of harbour scenes and even a cramped ship’s sleeping…
Haarlem
At the western end of the Grote Markt is the florid 14th-century town hall, which sprouted many extensions, including a balcony where judgements from the…
North Holland
On the town's central canal, the Waag (weigh house) was the focal point of local economic life. In 1905 it was given grand Tuscan columns, a common trick…
Haarlem
The striking Bakenesserkerk is a late-15th-century church with a lamplit tower of sandstone. The stone was employed here when the Grote Kerk proved too…
Haarlem
On the main square north of the Grote Kerk is the bronze Laurens Coster statue, installed in 1856. Haarlemmers believe that Coster has a claim, along with…
North Holland
Housed in the former weigh house the Waaggebouw, the Dutch Cheese Museum has a reverential display of cheese-making utensils, photos and paintings…
North Holland & Flevoland
The supports of the village church are made entirely out of masts of VOC (Dutch East India Company) ships that brought back exotic goods from the East…
North Holland
In de Bonte Os is the only house that's left in its original 17th-century state. In the days before proper glass, the curious vertical shutters at street…
North Holland & Flevoland
Urk's former town hall now contains a small museum covering the history of the one-time island through traditional clothing, model ships, re-creations of…
North Holland
Enkhuizen's classical town hall was modelled after the Amsterdam town hall that once stood on the Dam. You can peek through the windows at the lavish…
Haarlem
Walk down charming Korte Houtstraat to find the 17th-century Nieuwe Kerk; the ornate tower by Lieven de Key is supported by a rather boxy design by Jacob…
North Holland
A local landmark, Alkmaar's Stadhuis was built between 1509 and 1520 in Gothic style. Additions over the ensuing years include a Dutch Classicist wing in…
North Holland
On the western side of Edam's Kaasmarkt stands the 1778 Kaaswaag, the cheese weigh house, which has a display about the town's chief product.
North Holland
Completed in 1904, Marken's Grote Kerk has a barrel-vaulted ceiling strung with ship models designed to attract grace to local seamen.
North Holland
Leaning over Kleine Kerkstraat about 100m south of Grote Kerk, the Speeltoren is all that remains of the 15th-century Kleine Kerk.
North Holland
At the east end of Westerstraat, the 16th-century Waag (weigh house) overlooks the old cheese market.
