Zandvoort, Netherlands - Introduction
Zandvoort is a thriving seaside resort in the Noord-Holland province of The Netherlands. After Scheveningen, it is the most popular of the Dutch coastal attractions. Situated on the North Sea coast it is just 24 kilometres west of Amsterdam and 7 kilometres west of Haarlem.
Zandvoort seems a very different place during the autumn and winter months but has the ability to attract large numbers of foreign and local tourists in the spring and summer. The fresh sea air, clean beaches and varied local landscape will always attract many Amsterdammers to the resort whenever the weather is fine. Once quite cosmopolitan in the heyday of beach holidays, Zandvoort is now - like seaside resorts the world over - a little brassy and brash.
Those who know and love Zandvoort will speak highly of its lovely wide beaches which seem to stretch out endlessly and whose expanse is dotted with 38 pavilions or temporary beach café-restaurants. They will mention its landscape of dunes adjoining the smooth sand which attracts large numbers of walkers and cyclists, even in the colder months. They will tell of the large number of hotels, restaurants, bed and breakfast facilities, camping sites, pubs and shops which cater for every taste, pocket and pleasure. They may even talk about the 3 kilometre long naturist beach area which is located to the south of the main beach, extending from paal 68 to paal 71 (paals are wooden stakes set along the beach at 250 metre intervals).
Zandvoort has had its own rail connection since 1881. It comes to a halt only 200 metres from the beach, shops and bus station. This makes it unique amongst Dutch coastal resorts. Trains now depart regularly from Amsterdam’s Centraal Station (twice hourly for the whole year and more frequently during the high season). Some of these trains are direct but others require you to change at Haarlem. The journey only takes about 30 minutes and stops at Amsterdam Sloterdijk (5 minutes), Haarlem (10 minutes) and Overveen (25 minutes) en route. There is also a bus service which departs from outside the Centraal Station, but they take longer; you can, however, use the strippenkaart on this service (the strippenkaart is the travel ticket most tourists will be familiar with that is used on the Amsterdam trams).
Alongside its wealth of natural beauty, Zandvoort has much to recommend it in the way of recreational facilities. Mention has already been made of walking and cycling, but there is also windsurfing and sailing, motor racing, riding, golf, a casino and many fine restaurants and eating places offering varied cuisines.