Noordwijk Aan Zee: Beaches, Dunes and History

Noordwijk Aan Zee combines beaches along the North and South Boulevards with a dune landscape and a layered past. Its seaside resort heritage of spa treatments, trade and fishing sits alongside the history of the lighthouse and the bunkers from the Second World War. The beach also offers a range of activities, from a yoga session to learning to surf or kitesurf. To get your bearings, it is worth considering the coast, access to the dunes and history as different aspects of the destination.

Beach, Dunes and Activities

A Thalasso relaxation platform is located at beach entrance 10, a specific landmark on the coast. There are various ways to stay active on the beach: in Noordwijk, you can take part in a yoga session; north of beach entrance 21, you can learn to surf or kitesurf at Beach Break. The two offerings have distinct focuses—a yoga session on the beach on the one hand, and learning water sports on the other.

Duindamseslag has a special access requirement: the beach can only be reached via a footpath or cycle path through the dunes. This is relevant to your plans if you want to visit this beach. The peaceful Noordvoort beach reserve is also nearby on the coast, between Zandvoort and Noordwijk. The surrounding area therefore includes both a beach with clearly described access and a neighboring reserve with its own peaceful character.

Seaside Resort History and the Lighthouse

Noordwijk aan Zee has a rich past as a seaside resort, where spa treatments, trade and fishing played important roles. The distinctive white Vuurtoren Noordwijk on Koningin Wilhelmina Boulevard dates from 1923. It has six floors and 108 steps, with each floor designed around a theme. The themes cover the history of the lighthouse and its former important connection to the rescue service. The details about its construction date and layout give the striking building a concrete historical context.

Bunkers and the History of the Second World War

Batterij Noordwijk is located at Verlengde Bosweg 1, 250 meters from Bosweg, beside the cycle path through the dunes. The site includes a fire-control bunker, gun bunkers, ammunition bunkers and living bunkers, connected by a tunnel system. The different bunker types and their connection through tunnels give the site a distinctive form within the dune landscape.

The Atlantikwall Museum Noordwijk consists of a series of bunkers from the Second World War. Visiting the exhibition and tunnel system gives an impression of life in the bunkers during that period. This shifts the focus beyond the structures themselves to everyday life, as illustrated by the exhibition and tunnel system.

Noordwijk was one of the Dutch beaches from which the Engelandvaarders set off directly across the North Sea. The Museum Engelandvaarders tells the story of young men and women who fled the occupied Netherlands during the Second World War to continue the fight against Nazi Germany and Japan from England. This story places the coast in a broader historical context: it was not only a seaside resort, but also a departure point for an escape across the North Sea.

Discover more destinations: Noordwijk (first destination), Noordwijk (second destination).

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