A tour of Haarlem and surroundings

You will discover a surprising amount of natural beauty around Haarlem. In the city itself you will find a pleasant atmosphere and many beautiful characteristic buildings. You start the cycle route at Brasserie Halverwege, where you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee with the famous, homemade apple pie. From the brasserie you leave for Spaarndam, a village divided in two by the Spaarne river. Along the banks of Beautiful Nel you have beautiful views over the water. Haarlem is a charming town where cycling is wonderful thanks to its rich cultural history. Further on you cycle through the Haarlemmerhout, the oldest urban forest in the Netherlands. After this forest was cut down during the Eighty Years' War, it was replanted in 1603 for the wealthy traders who had built their country estates in the area.