Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, Europe

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, Europe

Hoofddorp is a town coming under the Haarlemmermeer municipality in the North Holland province in the Netherlands. It is the major town of the municipality holding a population more than 73,000, as of the recent census. The famous persons like Marly van der Velden (actress), Khalid Bouhlarouz (football player), Fanny Blankers-Koen (4-time Olympic gold medalist) and C. Joh. Kieviet (writer) were born in Hoofddorp.

 

Geography of Hoofddorp:

Hoofddorp coordinates with 52°18′ N latitude and 4°40′ E longitude and is situated about 22 km southwest of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.

 

History of Hoofddorp:

Along with the Nieuw-Vennep town, Hoofddorp was founded in 1853 following the draining of the Haarlemmermeer. Hoofddorp was the location of the first windmill in the Haarlemmermeer, founded in 1856 by Dirk David van Dijk.

 

Connectivity to Hoofddorp:

Hoofddorp is served by Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, situated around 8 km away from the heart of Hoofddorp. This airport handles flights from and to Delhi, Mumbai, Beijing, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and many other Asian cities and all the important European destinations.

There are taxis always gettable at the airport and also one can use public buses for inexpensive travel.

Also Hoofddorp houses many travel agencies offering cars and bikes for rent on day and weekly basis. Advance booking is preferred.

 

Culture, Shopping and Food in Hoofddorp:

There are two famous museums in Hoofddorp describing the culture and history of the region. The major festivals celebrated in Hoofddorp include Mystery Land, Concours Hippique, Hoofddorp Culinair and Meer Jazz.

There is a big shopping mall in the heart of Hoofddorp and the major food corners in Hoofddorp are listed below:

  • Eetcafe de Vaart
  • Restaurant Elders
  • Barista Cafe Hoofddorp
  • China Fantasy
  • Vork en Mes

 

Things to do in Hoofddorp:

  • Day tours
  • Bike riding
  • Hiking
  • Shopping

 

Places to visit in Hoofddorp:

Windmill in Hoofddorp:

Hoofddorp was home to the first windmill of the Haarlemmermeer municipality that was built by Dirk David van Dijk in 1856. Later that mill was displaced to another site near fort Hoofddorp and is now allowed for tourists.

 

Haarlemmermeerse Bos:

Being a largest public park in Haarlemmermeer municipality, the Haarlemmermeerse Bos is renowned for its large lake established for swimming purpose and Spotter’s Hill, a 40 meter artificial hill. It was also the venue of the International Garden Show Floriade (2002).

 

Museum De Cruquius:

The Museum De Cruquius is housed in a steam mill in Haarlemmermeer centered on the steam engine and other industrial equipments. There is a park near the museum.

 

Other places of interest in and around Hoofddorp include:

  • Stelling van Amsterdam
  • Rijksmuseum Schipol
  • Historisch Museum Haarlemmermeer
  • Royal Palace of Amsterdam
  • Natura Artis Magistra
  • Anne Frank House
  • Central Library
  • Amstelkring Museum
  • Koninklijk Theater Carre
  • Het Scheepvaartmuseum National Maritime Museum
  • Museum Het Rembrandthuis
  • Van Gogh Museum
  • Museum Het Schip
  • Museum of Bags and Purses
  • De Negen Straatjes
  • The Resistance Museum

 

Best time to visit Hoofddorp:

Between May and September is the best time to travel Hoofddorp while the weather remains pleasant.

 

Accommodation Options in and around Hoofddorp:

Within the Hoofddorp town, hotels are few, one can find more facilitated hotels near the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol which is not far from Hoofddorp. It is also recommended for tourists to drive towards Amsterdam city. Some of the fine hotels in and around Hoofddorp include:

  • Van der Valk Hotel Schiphol A4
  • Hampton by Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
  • Crowne Plaza Amsterdam Schiphol
  • Courtyard Amsterdam Airport
  • I Am Hotel Amsterdam Airport
  • Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam-Schiphol
  • NH Schiphol Airport
  • BEST WESTERN Amsterdam Airport
  • Hotel De Beurs
  • Bastion Hotel Schiphol
  • Radisson Blu Hotel Amsterdam Airport
  • Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
  • Hotel Aalsmeer
  • Hotel-Restaurant ‘t Schouwse Hof
  • Goedkoop Slapen bij Schiphol

Tourist Places to Visit in Hilversum, Netherlands, Europe

Tourist Places to Visit in Hilversum, Netherlands, Europe

Hilversum is a town as well as a municipality located in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It comes under the Randstad conurbation covering an area of 46.24 sq. km. Hilversum is popularly called “media city” as it is Netherlands’ centre for radio and television broadcasting.

 

Geography of Hilversum:

Hilversum is geographically positioned between 52.23° N latitude and 5.18° E longitude, around 30 km southeast of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.

 

History of Hilversum:

Hilversum derives its name from the Hilversum culture which existed in this region in 800–1200 BCE and this name literally means “houses between the hills”. The Church of our Sweet Lady, the Hilversum Town Hall and the Great Church are some historical masterpieces of Hilversum.

 

How to reach Hilversum?

Hilversum has an airport but it is served by less scheduled flights, so the closest major airport to Hilversum is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol which is the most important airport of the country covering all the major European cities including London, Paris and Rome, and some American and Asian cities as well.

Railway and bus networks between Amsterdam and Hilversum are upgraded. The major bike rentals in Hilversum include:

  • Kiosk Sportpark
  • Kiosk Hilversum Noord
  • Fietspoint

The main taxi operators in Hilversum include:

  • Taxi HTC BV
  • C.H. Taxi

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Hilversum:

Hilversum is the site of many palatial festival celebrations of which Hilversum Media Festival and Hilversum Alive are most renowned.

Hilvertshof Shopping Centre is the main shopping option in Hilversum and other options include Gooische Brink Shopping Center, De Bunker and Duetz Menswear.

Some famous mid range restaurants in Hilversum are as follows:

  • Da Familia
  • Zilt & Zo
  • Chiang Mai
  • De Jonghe Graef van Buuren

 

Things to do in Hilversum:

  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Golfing
  • Watching movies
  • Festival celebrations

 

Tourist Attractions in Hilversum:

Hilversum Town Hall:

Hilversum Town Hall is the symbol of Hilversum, built from1928 to 1931, designed by Willem Marinus Dudok. Guided tours will be best to explore this masterpiece and generally the guided tours are offered every Fridays and Sundays at a cost of €7.50.

 

Saint Vitus Church:

The Saint Vitus Church is Netherlands’s tallest neo gothic tower measuring a height of 98 meters and it dates back to 1892. This historical church is dedicated to Saint Vitus.

 

Pinetum Blijdensteijn:

Located at Van der Lindenlaan 125, the Pinetum Blijdensteijn is a botanic garden known for its significant conifer collections. B.W. Blijdenstein was the founder of this colorful garden, founded in the late 19th century. A tree Sequoia Sempervirens is the highlight of the garden. Tourists can visit Pinetum Blijdensteijn between 9AM-4PM (Monday-Friday).

 

Other places of interest in Hilversum include:

  • Dudok Dependance
  • Gooiland
  • Former AVRO Studios
  • Landgoed Zonnestraal
  • Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision
  • RVU Building
  • Villa VPRO
  • Great Church
  • Saint Vitus Church
  • Bosdrift Cemetery
  • Boomberg Park
  • Dudok Park
  • Costerus Garden
  • De Hertenkamp Children’s Farm
  • Old Harbor Park
  • Sound and Vision Experience

 

Best time to visit Hilversum:

The best time to visit Hilversum is during the months of summer season while many grand festivals take place.

 

Accommodation options in Hilversum:

Hilversum is a pleasant and upgraded town housing many tourist favor staying options with all the modernized facilities and services including phone, television and private bathroom. The prominent hotels in and around Hilversum are listed below:

  • Tulip Inn Media Park Hilversum
  • Hotel Villa Trompenberg
  • Hotel Ravel
  • Amrath Grand Hotel & Theater Gooiland
  • Amrath Hotel Lapershoek
  • Hotel Hilversum – de Witte Bergen
  • NH Zoetermeer
  • Mercure Baarn Kasteel de Hooge Vuursche
  • Bastion Hotel Bussum Zuid
  • Restaurant Hotel De Kastanjehof
  • Villa Johanna
  • Heemskerk Suites
  • Grand Hotel Amrath Amsterdam
  • Nova Apartments Amsterdam
  • Hotel La Boheme

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Heerlen, Netherlands, Europe

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Heerlen, Netherlands, Europe

Heerlen is a city as well as a municipality belonging to the province of Limburg in the Netherlands. It is situated about 215 km southwest of the national capital, Amsterdam, at an elevation of 113 meters. Heerlen was the birth place of many renowned architects including Frits Peutz who was famous for his work for “Glass Palace”. Heerlen is also one of the leading cities in the country in hospitality and education fields.

 

Geography of Heerlen:

Heerlen coordinates with 50°53′ N latitude and 5°59′ E longitude spanning over an area of 45.53 sq. km.

 

History of Heerlen:

The entry of the Romans gained more importance in the history of Heerlen as their establishments like Coriovallum, a military settlement, Thermae complex and a Roman bathhouse remain important historical landmarks in Heerlen.

 

Connectivity to Heerlen:

The closest airport to Heerlen is Maastricht Aachen Airport, located around 25 km away from the centre of the Heerlen city. This airport operates flights from and to Treviso, London, Alicante, Bergamo, Pisa, Antalya, Dalaman, Faro, Heraklion and many other important European destinations.

Heerlen hosts 4 railway stations and the major train station is located in the heart of the city. Bus transportation needs in Heerlen is served by Veolia.

Rental cars are generally available for local travel in Heerlen and in addition, bikes are also useful to get around.

 

Culture, Shopping and Food in Heerlen:

Heerlen is rich in culture as it was the hometown of many internationally renowned architects, artists and authors. Heerlen is also home to many significant museums and cultural centres showcasing the culture and tradition of the region. The Booch Festival in Heerlen is held in the month of August annually.

Some noted shopping areas in Heerlen include:

  • Hoensbroek Center
  • Woonboulevard
  • Car Boulevard
  • Heerlen Center

List of the prime restaurants in Heerlen is as follows:

  • Auberge de Rousch
  • Rhodos
  • Brasserie Bracke
  • Madame van Dam

 

Things to do in Heerlen:

  • Kinderstad
  • Snowworld
  • Booch Festival

Places to see in Heerlen:

Glaspaleis:

The Glaspaleis is a cultural centre as well as a distinct structure in Heerlen, constructed in 1935 next to the medieval church, designed by Frits Peutz. Earlier it was a fashion house, called Schunck Fashion House.

 

Thermenmuseum:

Thermenmuseum is a Roman bathhouse situated on the Coriovallumstraat 9 in Heerlen. It is allowed for tourists from 10.00 to 17.00 (Tuesday – Friday) and during weekends and holidays from 12.00 to 17.00. The admission fee is € 6,50.

 

Pancratiuskerk:

The Pancratiuskerk is a Romanesque style church dating from the 12th-century and the bell tower was erected in 1394. This is a great place for one who likes historical sites.

 

Other places of interest in and around Heerlen include:

  • Parkstad Theater
  • Dutch Mine Museum
  • Kinderstad Heerlen
  • Castle Hoensbroek
  • Oranje Nassau Mijnen
  • Statue of Jesus Christ
  • Chapel Savelberg Convent
  • Ambachtsschool
  • Pancratiuskerk
  • Former Heerlen city walls
  • Attractiepark Toverland
  • Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial
  • Basilica of St. Servatius
  • Pietersberg Caves
  • De Bisschopsmolen

 

Best time to visit Heerlen:

Probably the summer months are ideal to trip Heerlen, especially August, while typical Booch Festival takes place.

 

Accommodation Options in and around Heerlen:

Heerlen houses many standard accommodation centres for tourists’ stay visiting the place throughout the year. Other than basic and upgraded facilities and services, hotels in Heerlen serve guests with a variety of mouthwatering traditional dishes. Here are the some reputed hotels in and around Heerlen:

  • Van der Valk Hotel Heerlen
  • Hotel Kasteel Terworm
  • Tulip Inn Heerlen City Centre
  • Stadshotel de Paris
  • Tulip Inn Heerlen
  • Amrath Grand Hotel Heerlen
  • Bastion Hotel Heerlen
  • No 16 Guesthouse
  • Huize Passart
  • De Caumermolen
  • Golden Tulip Parkstad Zuid-Limburg
  • Hotel SnowWorld Landgraaf
  • Winselerhof
  • De Zevende Hemel
  • Hotel Wilhelmina

Haarlem Tourist Places to Visit in Haarlem, Netherlands, Europe

Haarlem Tourist Places to Visit in Haarlem, Netherlands, Europe

Haarlem is the capital city of the North Holland province in the Netherlands geographically positioned at 52°22′49″ N latitude and 4°38′26″ E longitude.

The major landmarks in Haarlem include:

  • City Hall
  • Cathedral of Saint Bavo
  • Teylers Museum
  • Grote Markt

 

Geography of Haarlem:

Haarlem is spread over an area of 32.09 sq. km, situated on the River Spaarne, about 20 km west of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.

 

History of Haarlem:

It is believed that, the name Haarlem is composed form of 3 different local language words haar, lo and heim and its total meaning is ‘house on a forested dune’. Haarlem gained city status in 1245.

 

How to reach Haarlem?

Haarlem is served by the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, located about 20 km away from the heart of Haarlem. This airport covers all the major European cities and few Asian and American cities like Vancouver, Mumbai, New York, Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur.

There are taxis always available at the airport and also one can use bus or train to save money. By train, it takes around 15 minute and costs €3.80 from Amsterdam to Haarlem.

For local travel, buses, taxis and rental vehicles like cars and bikes are useful options in Haarlem.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Haarlem:

The major festivals or events held in Haarlem are as follows:

  • Bloemencorso
  • Haarlem Jazzstad
  • Haarlemse Stripdagen
  • Bevrijdingspop

The major shopping streets in Haarlem include the Grote Houtstraat, Kleine Houtstraat and Gierstraat.

List of the fine food corners in Haarlem are listed below:

  • Vis & Ko
  • De Lachende Javaan
  • De Kloosterkeuken
  • Eetcafé de Linde

 

What to do in Haarlem?

  • Festival celebrations
  • Shopping
  • Walking

What to see in Haarlem?

Teylers Museum:

Founded in 1778, the Teylers Museum is Netherlands’s oldest public museum devoted to natural history, science and art of the region. It is open for public from 10:00-17:00 (Tuesday-Saturday) and the entrance fee is €9.

 

Cathedral of Saint Bavo:

The Cathedral of Saint Bavo is a historical church dating back to early 20th century and is situated in the heart of the Haarlem city. A small museum within the church describes the complete history of the cathedral with historical artifacts.

 

Windmill De Adriaan:

The Windmill De Adriaan is a special tourist attraction in Haarlem, located on the banks of the River Spaarne. This beautiful windmill was once destroyed in 1932 by fire and it regained its glory in 2002. The admission fee is €3.

 

Other places of interest in and around Haarlem include:

  • City Hall
  • Hoofdwacht
  • Meat Hall
  • Saint Bavo Church
  • Grote Markt
  • Ten Boom Museum
  • Haarlem Historisch Museum
  • Frans Hals Museum
  • Staddschouwburg
  • Het Dolhuys Museum of Psychiatry
  • Castle ruin Huis ter Kleef
  • The Janskerk
  • Amsterdamse Poort
  • Haarlemmerhout park
  • Villa Welgelegen

 

When to visit Haarlem?

Haarlem can be visited throughout the year, especially the summer months are ideal for sightseeing in Haarlem.

 

Where to stay in Haarlem?

Being a famous tourist destination, Haarlem houses many renowned accommodation centres categorized as hostels, hotels, vacation rentals, BB and inns. Price for hotel rooms depends on the facilities and services provided by such hotels, generally mid range hotels charge around €60 per night. Lit of the hotels in Haarlem include:

  • Carlton Square Hotel
  • Haarlem Hotelsuites
  • Amrath Grand Hotel Frans Hals
  • Stempels Hotel
  • Golden Tulip Lion D’Or
  • Van der Valk Hotel Haarlem-Zuid
  • Ambassador City Centre Hotel
  • Die Raeckse Hotel
  • Park Tower Suite
  • Hotel Carillon
  • Bed and Breakfast Mya
  • Bed and Breakfast L’Anders
  • Lambermon’s Suites
  • Bot Bed & Breakfast
  • B&B Malts Hotel
  • Isis Bed and Breakfast
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