Discover Heemskerk: Hotels for your stay

Heemskerk combines nature and cultural experiences with walking routes of varying lengths. When planning your trip, you can choose between dunes, beach and parkland, as well as historic buildings and gardens. You can also plan your journey: by train, Heemskerk is about 15 minutes from Alkmaar and Haarlem; the journey from Amsterdam Central Station takes less than half an hour.

Dunes, beach and walking routes

The dunes and beach of Heemskerk are in the Noordhollands Duinreservaat, which stretches from Wijk aan Zee to Bergen. Everyone aged 18 or over needs a Duinkaart to enter the reserve. A Duinkaart vending machine is located at De Vlotter / Kraaiennest in Heemskerk. The sandy beach is accessible only on foot or by bicycle. The dunes have various walking and cycling routes, as well as a network of walking and cycling junctions.

A notable viewpoint is the Uitkijktoren Kruisberg on the 26-metre-high Kruisberg in the Heemskerk dune area. From there, you can look out over the dunes, beach and sea; on a clear day, visibility extends for several kilometres. The parabolic dunes in Heemskerkerduin are up to 1.5 kilometres long and are considered the largest in Europe.

Those who enjoy covering longer distances can take the 77-kilometre IJmondpad circular hiking route, which passes through Heemskerk, Beverwijk and Velsen in summer. The 12-kilometre Buitenplaatsroute passes historic country estates and old buildings in and around Heemskerk, and also leads through the town centre. Rondje Gezellig Heemskerk is a shorter option: this easy 2.1-kilometre circular walk has 25 stops focused on the town’s history and culture. The Pareltjesroute starts at Heemskerk railway station.

Local history and architecture

Kasteel Oud Haerlem was built by Simon van Haerlem in 1248. During the Hook and Cod Wars, the castle was besieged and destroyed in 1351; it has been hidden underground ever since. The Laurentiuskerk offers another way to explore local history: the present building was constructed in 1891 to a design by architect J. H. Tonnaer. The tower is 54 metres high, and the church has been protected as a Dutch Rijksmonument since 1976.

South of the church stands a replica of the stone obelisk that the painter Maerten van Heemskerck had erected for his father, Jacob Willemzn van Veen, in 1570. Maerten van Heemskerck was born in Heemskerk in 1498. The Mariakerk on Spoellaan is also architecturally notable: the complex is built in the Bosschen School style and features large areas of figurative, coloured leaded glass. The Historische Kring Heemskerk organises activities, walks and talks in the town.

Gardens and parkland

Kasteeltuin Assumburg is laid out in the style of French Classicism and occupies the same site as a garden from 300 years ago. Its features include a rose garden, an orchard, and herb and vegetable gardens. Kasteeltuin is open to visitors daily. The Koetshuijs offers extensive information about the garden, the castle, the surrounding area and activities.

Landgoed Marquette is a historic nature area where visitors can go for walks. The park retains features of an English landscape garden laid out in the 19th century, including a circular pond, winding streams, woodland and meadows with scattered oak trees. A 2-kilometre walk through the estate passes herbs, wild plants, spring-flowering bulbs, shrubs and trees. Fort bij Veldhuis is also part of the area’s history: it was used to defend the dike road coming from Heemskerk or Assumburg.

Getting there and planning your trip

If you’re looking for a hotel for your stay, Heemskerk’s routes and points of interest can help you plan your trip, from a short historical walk and park strolls to longer hikes through several municipalities. For train travel, it’s best to check the service for your travel date. If you’re planning a visit to the beach, bear in mind that it is accessible only on foot or by bicycle.

For the broader travel overview: Heemskerk.