Haarlem

Walking past the charming hofjes (historic almshouse courtyards), and between the red brick gabled facades lining Haarlem's historic streets, it is easy to feel transported back to the Netherlands' Golden Age, especially around the central market square where the hulking form of Sint Bavo's church dominates the city skyline and evokes a bygone age. In fact, the intrusive motorized transport apart, much of Frans Hals' hometown appears unchanged for centuries. Yet despite its many picturesque monuments and rich supply of fascinating museums, Haarlem isn't a city rooted in the past. It is home to a lively population of students -- often the overspill who can't find lodgings in Amsterdam or Leiden -- who bring with them a youthful vibrancy, especially at night. With its close proximity to the dunes and the seaside resort of Zandvoort, Haarlem also attracts hordes of beach-going Amsterdammers and Germans every summer. The result is an intoxicating mix of old and new that makes the town well worth checking out.

Getting to Haarlem by rail is a simple matter. Around six trains make the 15 minute trip from Amsterdam's Centraal Station every hour during the day. Driving will take around 20-25 minutes -- you'll need to head west out of Amsterdam on the N200/A200. If you have the energy, you can bike.

Haarlem is a compact city and easy to cover on foot. From the main railway station it is about five minutes' walk south to the Grote Markt. The Frans Hals Museum is another five minutes beyond that. You may want to keep a street map handy when you explore -- most Dutch cities have locater maps posted at regular intervals, but they don't seem to have made it here yet.