Haarlem is cultural and is just a stone's throw away from our lovely Dutch coast. What makes Haarlem even more special is its huge range of shops and boutiques, unique hotels and delicious restaurants with a green edge. In this blog, I, Eliane, share my tips to make your midweek in Haarlem unforgettable.
3x Cafés and restaurants in Haarlem - Vegan and organic hotspots
Fine places with a healthy mindset to pamper the inner man. During a weekend or midweek culinary trip to Haarlem, there is no shortage of restaurants: the choice seems endless. That's why I like to list my favourites. Piece by piece places that are a bit more responsible when it comes to food.
1. Mama Gaia
Mama Gaia is much more than just a vegan restaurant. But let's be honest, you mainly come to Mama Gaia for the food. And that's not just any food. Everything on the menu is plant-based. And that makes for a tasty feast on your plate. Once you've been here once, you'll come back. And apart from eating, you can also get a co-working spot here.
2. The Culture Café
The Kweekcafé is an inspiring place in a city park, in the equally cosy Kleverpark neighbourhood just behind the station. This café is a good base to go shopping in the Kweekstraat after a delicious lunch and a good cup of coffee. There, young and sustainable entrepreneurs have gathered with inspiring offerings.
3. By Lima
In the middle of Zijlstraat, on a cosy corner, you will find By Lima. On the menu you will find the most delicious dishes, made of seasonal organic produce from local suppliers. The portions are large, so it is easy to get your daily dose of vegetables.
6x Conscious shopping in Haarlem - Unique ECO shops
Besides culinary, Haarlem is also the ideal shopping city. Everything is within walking distance and Haarlem itself is easily accessible by train. The most beautiful shops are hidden in the cosy streets around the Grote Markt. A large number of these shops also offer sustainable products. Shopping without guilt! You can shop sustainably at these unique ECO shops in Haarlem:
1. Concept store NYHAVN
At first glance, NYHAVN looks like a supermarket. Shopping baskets at the entrance and stocked shelves everywhere that seem to bulge. The shop is spacious and there is so much to see that it's best to sit down with a coffee first. Every product in this shop is chosen for a reason. Whether it is handmade, sustainable or from a local designer: everything is personally selected by the owner. At this shop, you are guaranteed to find the most beautiful gifts, not only for yourself but also for your loved ones.
2. VIND Lifestyle
A few metres down the road, walk into VIND. VIND stands for vintage and a hairdresser all in one. While you complete your look with a new haircut at the hairdresser's at the back of the shop, you also score a new sustainable vintage outfit with ease. You will also find VIND on the Honeyguide second-hand shop route through Haarlem.
3. Huijsing Books
During a midweek in Haarlem, visit one of our country's cosiest bookshops. Huijsing Books is filled to the brim with books. And yes, that includes a classic book ladder to get to the top shelf. No matter which books you like to read: they have it. And all second-hand for a very reasonable price.
Honeyguide Maxim wrote a blog about unique bookshops with a story. Read more about Huijsing Books in her blog.
4. Concept store Drifter
Drifter is a beautiful design shop full of sustainable brands and products made of high-quality materials. Think of the well-known design brand HAY, but you can also find sustainable clothing (by Ganni, among others) and trainers by VEJA, for example.
5. Jansje's World
Step into Jansje's World: a world full of the most beautiful gifts. Jansje is an elongated shop with a café at the very back. Here, people with a distance to the labour market serve delicious food and good coffee. The shop is filled with sustainably developed gifts such as stationery, candles, accessories and beautiful items for your home. You'll also find great maternity gifts here, and during the holidays the shop transforms into an atmospheric setting.
6. Sûr Atelier
The distance from makers to shop has never been so short. At Sûr, you physically step into the atelier. In the shop, you see people drawing patterns, sewing and designing. Shelves in the shop are full of handmade clothes and the label bears the name of the maker. A personal way of buying clothes with which Sûr is fighting against mass production. And when you see the beautiful handmade garments, you understand that they come at a price. Made with love and you can feel it.
Boutique Hotel Staats - Spend the night in style
To be perfectly honest, one day in Haarlem is not enough. So turn a day in Haarlem into a midweek or weekend in Haarlem and discover even more of the city. And when it's time to recharge, Haarlem knows no better place than Boetiek Hotel Staats. A stone's throw from Haarlem Station, you'll find this former school building. You can still see it when you walk through the long corridors and by the high windows that used to be the classroom.
At Hotel Staats, each room is more beautiful than the next. And every room looks different. There is a bee hive in the courtyard garden where you get honey from it at breakfast and in the room you will find toilet rolls from The Good Roll. That's how this hotel tries to contribute to sustainability wherever possible. That makes me happy!
Nature around Haarlem - Escape from the city
Haarlem is surrounded by nature. Are you looking for a fun activity during your weekend or midweek break from the hustle and bustle of the city? Then hire an e-scooter or fatbike at Hartje Haarlem. This will get you out of the city centre in a flash and you will be surrounded by greenery within five minutes. With the IZI app, you can easily download one of the routes created by Visit Haarlem. Click here for more information about the app and the routes!
We discovered the South route and passed through green parks and imposing country houses. We shopped in country shops and once again drank good coffee in one of Haarlem's lesser-known neighbourhoods. A delightful and sustainable way to discover the rest of Haarlem and its surroundings during a weekend break.
Visit a museum - Cultural outing
Another good idea during your weekend or midweek in Haarlem is a visit to one of the beautiful museums the city has to offer. A visit to the completely renovated Museum of the Spirit is a fine tip. This museum interactively introduces you to all facets of the mind. The best way to do this is to choose from one of the many audio tours the museum has to offer.
The museum has many photogenic corners and is a must for young and old. What also comes highly recommended? The museum café. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and be sure to order one of their brownies. These are perhaps the tastiest brownies ever. See which other museums Haarlem has here.
Are you already looking forward to discovering the streets of Haarlem? Hopefully I have been able to inspire you for a sustainable weekend or midweek in Haarlem! For more information about your midweek to Haarlem, take a look at the website.
Do you know of any unique, sustainable spots in Haarlem? Share them with us on Instagram via @honeyguide.nl/en and don’t forget to tag us #heyhoneyguide!
Love,
Eliane
This blog was made possible by our partner Haarlem Marketing.
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