Netherlands to remain in lockdown until at least 9 February inclusiveMartin Sanchez on Unsplash
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Dutch lockdown continues until at least 9 February

On the evening of Tuesday 12 January, prime minister Mark Rutte and minister Hugo de Jonge announced that the measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus would be extended for a further 3 weeks. The previous announcement in December…
Simpel Award Website of the year 2020!Simple
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Simpel voted Website of the Year 2020

On 26 November, 2020, Simpel was voted the 'Website of the Year 2020' by the Dutch public, making it the overall winner of the 20th edition of this exciting election. The Website of the Year election* is the largest online public award…
From December 1, face masks compulsory in all indoor public places in the NetherlandsUnsplash
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From 1 December, face masks compulsory in all indoor public places in the Netherlands

To reduce the spread of the coronavirus, it is compulsory to wear a face mask in all public indoor spaces for everyone aged 13 and older from Tuesday 1 December. Anyone not wearing a mask can be fined €95. The new law provides a legal…
Christmas wreathroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Haarlem happenings in December

December is here and the festive season is just around the corner! Things won’t be quite the same as usual – there is no annual Kerstmarkt* this year – though, there are still some festive (and non-festive) events happening, all the while…
Cabinet tightens up measuresMarkus Winkler
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Cabinet tightens up measures to tackle coronavirus

On the evening of 3 November, prime minister Mark Rutte and minister Hugo de Jonge announced new measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. In addition to extending the current measures, part of the package of new measures…
Major job losses are imminent at and around Schiphol due to coronaBen Koorengevel on Unsplash
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Major job losses imminent at Schiphol due to coronavirus crisis

Due to the coronavirus crisis, about half of the jobs at and around Schiphol are at risk of disappearing in the short term, the NOS national news website reports. There are about 35,000 job at Schiphol, says the FNV trade union. In addition,…
Tonight winter time 2020 started and clocks moved or have to be set one hour back again. Which means that until your system adjusts, it will feel like you can get up an hour later.
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Time change in the Netherlands: winter time 2020

It is official: winter time 2020 has started! Overnight our clocks went back an hour as daylight saving time came to an end. This means that today it feels like we have an 'extra hour' and no doubt your system will need to adjust. It also means…
autumn canalroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Haarlem happenings in October

The autumn agenda has some seasonal events taking place in October in Haarlem. The calendar is dotted with art, food, performance and perhaps some spooky happenings. Don’t forget to follow the guidance in compliance with RIVM guidance and…
STAD AMSTERDAM AT THE MARITIME MUSEUMTHE MARITIME MUSEUM AMSTERDAM
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Stad Amsterdam at the Maritime Museum

The clipper Stad Amsterdam will be moored at The National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam until the end of March 2021. The clipper Stad Amsterdam will arrive at The National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam at the beginning of September. After…
view from the cathedralroyalty free (photo is author's own)
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September events in Haarlem

Haarlem’s events agenda is slowly getting busier in certain areas. The calendar for September has food markets and open monuments, along with some morsels of history, healthy options and pop quiz questions. Is there something here that interests…
Hema leaves Kruisstraat and moves to the old Hudson's BayHema
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HEMA leaves Kruisstraat for good and moves to former Hudson's Bay in Verwulft

On 5 September, the HEMA store on the Kruisstraat will close its doors for good. The entire contents and all the staff will move from Kruisstraat to the former V&D and later Hudson's Bay building on Verwulft. The new store opens on 14 September. It…
Heavily pregnant cow walks into a busy Brabant restaurantDe Brabantse Kluis a
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Heavily pregnant cow walks into a busy Brabant restaurant

Imagine this happens to you ... you are having a nice dinner in a restaurant and suddenly a heavily pregnant cow walks in. This happened on Thursday evening in Brabant's restaurant Herberg De Brabantse Kluis. De Brabantse Kluis at Kloosterdreef …
The CoronaMelder coronavirus app is in an advanced stage of development trialled in several regions in the Netherlands and in multiple languagesGovernment of the Netherlands.Government of the Netherlands
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Dutch CoronaMelder coronavirus app to feature multiple languages

The CoronaMelder coronavirus app is in an advanced stage of development. CoronaMelder is currently being trialled in several regions in the Netherlands and will offer multiple language options, including English, German, Polish and Turkish,…
Beverwijk Bazaar open or partly closed?falco via Pixabay
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Concerns about coronavirus measures at Beverwijk Bazaar

The Veiligheidsregio Kennemerland (Kennemerland Region Security Organisation) has decided to close three halls that are part of the Beverwijk Bazaar, Hall 30 to Hall 33, for two weeks. However, Bazaar Beverwijk entrepreneurs refuse to close…
No ice skating in the summer in Haarlem anymoreIjsbaan Haarlem
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Summer ice skating causes environmental concerns

Friends of the Earth Netherlands called on the municipality of Haarlem to close the rink as soon as possible and let the ice melt. It sounded like a charming idea. Enjoy skating in the summer, on the semi-covered ice rink in Haarlem. However,…
Thermometers, hand gel, ordering by phone and long rows of chairs: this is what the sit down edition of Haarlem Jazz & More looks like this year.
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Haarlem Jazz Sit-Down Edition: thermometers, hand gel and long rows of chairs

Thermometers, hand gel, ordering by phone and long rows of chairs: this is what the sit-down edition of Haarlem Jazz & More looks like this year. Haarlem Jazz & More is a unique multi-day event in the old town of Haarlem. Due…
Schools start again in North HollandVeilig Verkeer Nederland
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Schools start again in North Holland

The primary schools will start again on Monday 17 August. This means that many children go to school by bicycle and on foot. Coinciding with the opening of primary schools after the summer break, the Veilig Verkeer Nederland (VVN) (National…
Info face masks mandatory in parts of AmsterdamCity of Amsterdam
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Face masks mandatory in parts of Amsterdam

Since Wednesday 5 August, it has been mandatory for anyone the age of 13 and above to wear a non-medical face mask in parts of Amsterdam city centre. These designated areas have been selected due to there being limited space and where it…
End of heat in sight: showers and thunderstorms and cooler weekendKNMI
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End of heat in sight: showers and thunderstorms and cooler weekend

In a few days, the heatwave that the whole country has been dealing with for a week will end. According to KNMI, after some thunderstorms and rain showers, it will be 'only' 25-28 degrees from Friday.  Today was another hot day in the…
There is recurrent car vandalism in the Vijfhoek in Haarlem. Local Municipality and Police are aware of the situation but do nothing. The citizens pay the fee of this uncontrolled vandalism.
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Car vandalism in the Vijfhoek

Last Friday morning my car was damaged in de Vijfhoek. The perpetrator has fled. Local residents say that trucks very regularly do not easily make the bend in the Gedempte Raamgracht, damage a car and flee. The Municipality of Haarlem and the…
The Netherlands officially has the first national heat wave of the yearGerd Altmann via Pixabay
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First official national heat wave of the year

The Netherlands officially has the first national heat wave of the year. Around 10 a.m. a temperature of 25 degrees was measured in De Bilt. To be classed as a nationwide heatwave, the De Bilt weather station must record a five-day period…
Connexxion: This weekend extra buses from Haarlem to Zandvoort beachCreative Commons CC0 1.0 Universele Public Domain Dedication
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Connexxion: This weekend extra buses from Haarlem to Zandvoort beach

Connexxion will run more buses this weekend from Haarlem to the beach at Zandvoort. The transport company says that they learned a lesson from last Friday, when it was overcrowded in the buses on the way to the sea. This weekend there…
Greenjoy Boat Renting Summer 2020: Special € 20 Discount for expatsHaarlem readers
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Greenjoy Boat Renting Summer 2020: Special € 20 Discount for expatsHaarlem readers

Wow, it’s amazing.. SUNNY WEATHER IN THE NETHERLANDS! Can you believe it? Why not making the most of it then? The weather forecast seems to be pretty awesome for the coming week! Let's hope even weeks! Are you – like many others – eager…
New wine bar Zuid Noord
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Zuid Noord: Now open for Friday & Saturday lunch!

Our new favorite wine place Zuid Noord Natuurwijnbar & Bistro, is not only open in the evening (Wednesday–Saturday, 17:00–22:00), but is now open for Friday & Saturday lunch, from 12:00–14:30. Warm seasonal soups, fresh salads,…
haarlemroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Things to do around Haarlem during July

As July rolls in, more restrictions are eased and more events will hopefully start happening. From 1 July, many – but not all – places can now welcome more visitors while everyone needs to remember to keep 1.5 metre distance rule and to…
cyclingroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Get on Your Bike for Rondje Haarlem: The Most Stunning Cycle Route

Hey you! Are you, like me, feeling the wanderlust growing as days pass by? Have you, too, reached that uncomfortable point, where you really need to get out and about for some kind of adventure, even if just for an afternoon, but don’t quite…
bison in netherlandsroyalty free (photo author's own)
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Bison in Haarlem’s backyard

Did you know that there is a herd European bison roaming a stone’s throw from the centre of Haarlem? Next to the largest dune lake of the bison area Kraansvlak in Zuid-Kennermerland National Park, you might have chance to spot them – and,…
social distancingroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Things to do in Haarlem and beyond during June

The start of June brings with it new possibilities for physical outings to take place. Museums and some cultural institutions have opened their doors from 1 June, keeping in mind the restrictions that come along with that. Be prepared to keep…
Yellow heartsHaarlem Marketing
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Yellow heart markings in Haarlem

Now that the city is reviving and more people are on the move, the message to keep 1.5 meter distance from other persons and avoid crowds will continue. That is why yellow heart markings have been applied in Haarlem to remind visitors this message…
terrace open June 1Afbeelding van Markus Distelrath via Pixabay
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Terraces in Haarlem open on 1 June with ten golden terrace rules

The terraces may open again on 1 June. That is good news for the catering industry and the city. The municipality of Haarlem has drawn up ten golden terrace rules to enable the necessary expansion during the current restrictions. With the golden…