Harlem is one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands.
It attracts tourists as well as many travel bloggers who not only invest in advertising and buy Instagram followers but also contribute their time and energy to create vivid emotional content. This is a small city, because of its compactness you can easily visit all the interesting places in a day. In this article, we will look at the key attractions that will allow you to deeply immerse in the incredible atmosphere of one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands.
The first thing a tourist encounters in Harlem is an imposing station building that looks like a medieval fortress. It’s a real architectural masterpiece, built at the beginning of the XX century. Several scenes of the movie “Ocean’s Twelve” were shot here, where the main stars were George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon.
Windmill De Adriaan
Many tourists begin their visit to the city with a tour of the De Adriaan windmill with stunning panoramic views of Harlem. It is a historic but fully operational windmill, which starts grinding grain as an attraction for tourists. The windmill offers very informative tours, and a friendly guide will inform you about the centuries-old technology of using wind energy and tell you various interesting facts about De Adriaan. Without a windmill, a visit to Harlem will not be complete.
Amsterdam Gate
The official national monument of the city is the Amsterdam Gate, through which since the 15th century is laid the route Amsterdam – Harlem. In the Middle Ages, Harlem was surrounded by a fortress wall, which more than once saved the city from attacks and enemy sieges. The Amsterdam Gate is the only one of the twelve gates of the wall, preserved to this day. When you walk through it, you’ll feel like you’re a part of the great history of Harlem.
Grote-Markt
Going to the very center of the city, you will find one of the most beautiful squares in the Netherlands, Grote Markt. This is not only the center of urban life but also a real open-air museum, completely built up with beautiful historical buildings.
Twice a week there is a market, which is considered the best Dutch street market: on Monday Grote Markt offers visitors a huge range of various fabrics and clothes, and on Saturday the area is full of people who want to buy the freshest fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and other products.
Harlem has repeatedly been recognized as the best shopping destination in the Netherlands, and residents from all over the country are happy to go shopping in the boutiques and shopping centers of the city, and also at the Grote Markt market.
The St. Bavo Church
In addition to the lively market, the main decoration of the central market square is the church of St. Bavo. This is the largest Protestant church in the city and it’s recommended to take a look inside. Its most interesting feature is its magnificent organ, made by the famous master Müller in brown and burgundy tones and considered one of the most beautiful in the world. This organ was played by the brilliant Mozart. You can even go to a free concert and hear the sound of the organ.
Haarlemmerhout park
This amazing forest is located on the south side of the city and is the oldest public park in the Netherlands. Residents of Harlem and tourists come here for a walk among centuries-old trees, to breathe in the clean forest air and enjoy the quietness away from the city. In spring the park is transformed by tulips in bloom and becomes the center of attraction for many Instagram bloggers who constantly increase their ratings, buy real Instagram followers, and look for new ways to diversify their content with unique locations.
For children, there is a small farm with animals – goats, donkeys, rabbits, and sheep, which can be stroked and fed.
Several times a year there are concerts, music festivals, and folk festivals. The most popular event is the festival of popular music held on May 5 in honor of Liberation Day. It attracts many tourists from all over the world to listen to the music of local and foreign performers. This ancient and amazing park will delight both children and adults.
Harlem offers its guests a lot of opportunities for a full-fledged exciting vacation. One of the main advantages of the city is the abundance of shops and marketplaces, which will be interesting for every tourist to walk around. It is very pleasant to wander through the medieval streets of Harlem in spring and summer. The compact courtyards are painted pink, white, scarlet, and purple, with rose, lavender, rhododendron, and hydrangea blooming everywhere. In the Middle Ages, Harlem was known as the city of artists, now it is called the city of flowers. Around the square, there are many bars and restaurants: at the end of the day, it is not difficult to find a suitable place where you can have a delicious dinner, and good time absorbing the cozy city atmosphere.
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