Haarlem News in English
Haarlem news in English — local headlines from Haarlem and the wider Kennemerland region (Heemstede, Velsen, Beverwijk, Zandvoort, IJmuiden), translated daily for expats and English-speaking residents.
Viewing tip! This Haarlem museum is coming to television
The Teylers Museum in Haarlem will be featured in the Avrotros television program Nu te zien! on November 3. Museum director Marc de Beyer will present the Zeker Weten? exhibition, highlighting the im...
Brutal violence and closed schools: violence that shook the IJmond region back in court
A wave of violence between youth groups in Haarlem and the IJmond region caused significant unrest in September 2025, leading to school closures and emergency police measures. Three suspects are curre...
Old biscuit factory in Haarlem becomes haunted hotel for Halloween
The former De Volharding factory in Haarlem-Noord is being transformed into the Haunted Transue Hotel from October 28 to 31. Architect Adam Transue designed the attraction using recycled materials to ...
Watch out for the Spanish! This walk takes you back centuries in Haarlem
Haarlem will host a StoryTrail theater walk on October 18, where storyteller Franciscus will bring local legends and history to life for participants. The tour features tales of historical figures lik...
Looking for a friendly chat? Step into the yellow square at the station on Wednesday
To promote social connection, the Week of the Chat initiative is launching in Haarlem on October 14, featuring a designated yellow zone at the train station where people can meet for casual conversati...
City of Amsterdam permanently ends subsidies for Weekend Academy Foundation
The City of Amsterdam has permanently cut ties and subsidies to the Weekend Academie following a fraud investigation into its founder, Oguz Dulkadir. The municipality took this action after the founda...
Haarlem traffic artery closed: Schipholweg shut to car traffic
The Schipholweg in Haarlem is closed to car traffic until October 12 to allow for the construction of a bicycle basement at the new Spaarnepoort bus station. While motorists must follow posted diversi...
Haarlem takes financial risk with new Spaarne Gasthuis construction
Haarlem is assuming significant financial risk by providing a 100 million euro guarantee and committing to purchase the current hospital site for 25 million euros to keep the Spaarne Gasthuis in the c...
Regional transport workers to strike one day a week until Christmas
Regional transport workers in the Netherlands are planning weekly strikes until Christmas to push for better working conditions, including lower work pressure and improved pay. Municipal city transpor...
Many students attend Pink Breakfast in Haarlem, but: "Purple Friday is under pressure"
On Purple Friday, students wore purple to support the LGBTI+ community, with a well-attended Pink Breakfast held at the Haarlem city hall. However, recent data shows a notable decrease in the acceptan...
Cameras return to troubled Haarlem neighborhood, but will it work? "They just pee on them"
Surveillance cameras have been reinstalled at Roerdompplein in Haarlem to combat a resurgence of antisocial behavior and harassment by groups of youths. Despite these security measures, local resident...
Autumn break in Haarlem: this is the weather forecast
As the autumn school break begins in Haarlem, the recent period of warm, sunny weather is coming to an end. Meteorologists predict a more unsettled week ahead with cooler temperatures, frequent shower...
Haarlem city treasury grew last year: nearly 380 million euros in cash
The municipality of Haarlem saw its financial reserves grow to nearly 380 million euros by the end of 2025, reaching its highest level since 2016. This growth is driven by higher-than-expected revenue...
Weekend tips: things to do in Haarlem (October 9-11)
Haarlem is hosting a variety of community activities from October 9 to 11, including artisan markets, nature walks, and early evening social events. The program also features family-friendly theater p...
Three Polish suspects released after leaving suitcases at Haarlem station
Three Polish suspects arrested for leaving unattended suitcases at Haarlem station in September have been released from custody, though the investigation continues. The incident previously led to a te...
Shoe belonging to famous Zandvoort dwarf turns up in England
A shoe belonging to the famous 19th-century Dutch performer Simon Paap has been discovered in a museum in Warrington, England. Researchers confirmed the artifact's origins, linking it to Paap's travel...
House prices exceed half a million, but buyers have more choice again
Dutch house prices reached an average of 503,000 euros in the third quarter, a slight increase amid a 24 percent rise in available housing supply. Despite more properties being on the market, sales re...
Sharp rise in homes for sale, but concerns over ‘mismatch’ and ‘shrinkflation’ in new construction
The Dutch housing market has seen a substantial increase in both existing and new-build home listings, offering buyers more negotiation room and choice. However, sales for new construction projects ar...
No trains between Amsterdam Sloterdijk and Haarlem due to power failure
A power failure has caused a suspension of intercity train services between Haarlem and Leiden. The disruption is expected to continue until approximately 08:00 as maintenance crews work to restore po...
Volunteers brighten up parking lot: 'Bringing the dunes into Haarlem'
Haarlem is increasing its urban greenery through several initiatives, including the creation of a new dune garden in the Waarderpolder industrial area. Volunteers are planting native species to boost ...
Woman (86) dies after swim in North Sea between IJmuiden and Overveen
An 86-year-old woman has died after going for a swim in the North Sea between IJmuiden and Overveen. Despite an immediate rescue effort by emergency services, she could not be revived, and police have...
Concerns in Haarlemmermeer as emergency care moves to Haarlem
The Spaarne Gasthuis will move its emergency and inpatient services from Hoofddorp to a new location in Haarlem by 2033 to better manage staffing shortages. Local officials in Haarlemmermeer are criti...
Adult children living at home? This happens less often in Haarlem than elsewhere in the country
Young adults in Haarlem are increasingly living with their parents for longer, with the median age rising to nearly 23 years old. This trend is largely driven by a challenging housing market that make...
Brazilians (22 and 23) who used extreme violence to rob men met via Grindr are now in the Netherlands
Two Brazilian men, aged 22 and 23, have been extradited from Portugal to the Netherlands to face charges for a series of violent robberies in Amsterdam and Haarlem. The suspects allegedly lured victim...
Spaarne Gasthuis maintains full-service hospital in Haarlem-South
Spaarne Gasthuis has announced it will maintain a full-service hospital in Haarlem-Zuid, providing 24-hour and emergency care while converting its Hoofddorp site into a day-treatment facility. The Cit...
Public Prosecution Service: ‘Child soldiers’ (18 and 19) flown in from Sweden to carry out contract killings in Amsterdam and Haarlem
Two teenagers from Sweden were apprehended after being flown into the Netherlands to execute contract killings in Amsterdam and Haarlem this July. While an attempted hit in Amsterdam failed, authoriti...
50 reports of demolition and tree felling in Haarlem last week
The municipality of Haarlem processed 50 permit applications last week regarding residential construction, structural renovations, and tree felling. The requests cover various projects across the city...
This is why the Schoterbrug section is completely detached
A mysterious pillar standing near the Schoterbrug in Haarlem is actually an unused decorative element from the bridge's original design. City officials confirm it remains in the grass because its inte...
High rents drive away candidates: private sector homes stay online longer
Rental interest in the Netherlands has dropped significantly as rising prices and decreasing housing supply make finding a home more difficult. Landlords are increasingly selling their properties due ...
Mountains of bulky waste on Haarlem street: "This has been going on for four weeks"
Residents in the Waddenstraat area of Haarlem are complaining about large piles of trash that have accumulated over the past month due to tenants vacating buildings slated for demolition. The housing ...