The Most Flemish City

By Linda Tancs

Sometimes referred to as “the most Flemish city of the North,” Haarlem is one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands, its historic city center boasting hundreds of listed monuments. Many of them surround Grote Markt (great market), the oldest part of the city in the shadow of St. Bavo Cathedral. Situated along the river Spaarne, one of the locale’s icons is the functional and imposing De Adriaan windmill, where guided tours are offered in English. An easy day trip from Amsterdam, Haarlem has two railway stations and a bus connection with Schiphol Airport.