Alkmaar
Discover Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a historic city in the Province of North Holland in the Netherlands, about 10 km inland from the coast, and 40 km north-west of Amsterdam. The city's population is about 95 000, the whole urban area has about twice that number. Alkmaar is the regional center for the northern part of the province, serving about 600 000 people. The city center preserves the 17th-century pattern of canals and narrow streets, and has many historic buildings (and some ugly new ones). The nearby beaches and dune reserves are easily accessible from Alkmaar. Inland is a historic agricultural landscape, with 17th century polders: one (De Beemster) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Alkmaar is on the 'peninsula' of Holland, north of Amsterdam and Haarlem. In the Middle Ages, this was a region of lakes and marshes, lying behind the coastal dunes. (The medieval coastline was different: the sea began north of the line Medemblik - Schagen - Petten). In the last 800 years, the region behind the dunes was reclaimed from lakes and the sea - often several times, as land was flooded again and again. The polders around Alkmaar are among the oldest in the Netherlands. The small Achtermeer, south of Alkmaar, was the first recorded drainage of a lake by windmills, in 1532.
What to Experience in Alkmaar
Taste of Alkmaar...
Almost all bars serve food and the town offers a wide range of restaurants, almost all of which in walking distance from the city center. varying from Dutch to Thai, from Chinese to Russian and Eastern European, from Spanish to Indonesian and from Greek to Scotch. Restaurants are typically open from around 17:00 to 23:30. Smaller shoarma and kebab places have longer hours, operating from mid-afternoon to as late as 03:00. Alkmaar also has two McDonald's, a Subway, and a Burger King. Alkmaar has many bars, which are mostly centred around the Waagplein and Platte Stenen Brug (Mient). Bars are open until 02:00 on weekdays and until 02:30 or 03:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. The main music venue of Alkmaar is Podium Victorie, Pettemerstraat 5. +31 72 - 303 37 00, which is slightly outside the center. Find out what's playing on their website. Most accommodation in the region is on the coast, especially in the seaside villages, and in the dunes. In Alkmaar, there is one small hotel opposite the station, a larger hotel in the city center, two larger chain hotels, and several bed and breakfasts. There is a StayOkay hostel (affiliated to Hostelling International) just south of Egmond aan den Hoef. Open all year, low season weekday bed rate €21. Herenweg 118, 1935 AJ Egmond. Tel +31 72 506 22 69, fax +31 72 506 70 34, e-mail egmond@stayokay.com. Many of the coastal campsites are intended for families with young children.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsAlkmaar is served by Intercity trains from Amsterdam, 4 trains per hour, journey time 35–40 minutes. These Intercity trains start in Nijmegen or Maastricht, stop at Utrecht and end in Den Helder. At Amsterdam-Sloterdijk station, on the western edge of Amsterdam, they connect with trains to Schiphol Airport, Leiden, The Hague, Rotterdam, Dordrecht and Breda. Alkmaar is also on a train route from The Hague via Haarlem and Alkmaar, to Hoorn, every 30 minutes. At weekends, you must change trains in Haarlem. Alkmaar is served by train through 52.63814.74061 Station Alkmaar NS , which is serviced with Sprinter (stopping train) and Intercity (fast train) services to Amsterdam, Utrecht, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Haarlem, Hoorn and Maastricht. The station's bus station is served mostly by Connexxion, for which it is a local hub, with buses to Egmond aan Zee ( 165 ), Heerhugowaard ( 160 ), Bergen aan Zee ( 166 ) and Broek op Langedijk ( 169 )....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The old city of Alkmaar is approximately an oval, south-east of the station. It is about 1 km from east to west, so everything is within walking distance. Shops and public buildings are concentrated in the western part, nearest the station, the east and south are residential. There is one shopping centre just outside the old city, Noorderarcade, accessible by footbridge across the North Holland Canal. The old city contains most of the historic buildings. From the station: turn right as you leave the station, along Stationsweg. Turn right along Scharlo, cross the bridge over the Singelgracht (the old moat), and you are in the old city. The bridge is 5–10 minutes walk from the station. The bridge into the old city is called the 52.6344.74181 Bergerbrug, the old route to Bergen. The city gate here (Bergerpoort) was demolished in the 19th century. On the corner just after the bridge, at Zevenhuizen 13-23, is the 52.633444.741782 Hofje van Paling en van Foreest.
Where to Stay
Most accommodation in the region is on the coast, especially in the seaside villages, and in the dunes. In Alkmaar, there is one small hotel opposite the station, a larger hotel in the city center, two larger chain hotels, and several bed and breakfasts. There is a StayOkay hostel (affiliated to Hostelling International) just south of Egmond aan den Hoef. Open all year, low season weekday bed rate €21. Herenweg 118, 1935 AJ Egmond. Tel +31 72 506 22 69, fax +31 72 506 70 34, e-mail egmond@stayokay.com. Many of the coastal campsites are intended for families with young children. Category, address, and some details of campsites are available at the recreation association website. As of July 2022, Alkmaar has 5G from all Dutch carriers. Most non-local visitors to Alkmaar go back the way they came - Amsterdam. Otherwise, to onward destinations:
Money & Budget
Almost all bars serve food and the town offers a wide range of restaurants, almost all of which in walking distance from the city center. varying from Dutch to Thai, from Chinese to Russian and Eastern European, from Spanish to Indonesian and from Greek to Scotch. Restaurants are typically open from around 17:00 to 23:30. Smaller shoarma and kebab places have longer hours, operating from mid-afternoon to as late as 03:00. Alkmaar also has two McDonald's, a Subway, and a Burger King. Alkmaar has many bars, which are mostly centred around the Waagplein and Platte Stenen Brug (Mient). Bars are open until 02:00 on weekdays and until 02:30 or 03:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. The main music venue of Alkmaar is Podium Victorie, Pettemerstraat 5.
Safety Information
Glimpses of Alkmaar
A canal with a clock tower in the background
a windmill on a hill next to a body of water
a group of people riding bikes down a street
a group of people walking down a sidewalk next to a river
calm body of water and house
a street with a no parking sign on the side of it
a street lined with parked cars next to tall buildings
a street with cars parked on the side of it
a view of a city street from a window
a sidewalk in front of a building with trees
A canal with a clock tower in the background
a windmill on a hill next to a body of water
a group of people riding bikes down a street