Haarlem Canal Cruise: Scenic Spaarne River Journey from Mill to Mill

Embark on a scenic canal cruise along the Spaarne River in Haarlem. Discover the beauty of Dutch windmills, historic landmarks, and charming houseboats. Suitable for all ages.

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Molen De Adriaan Museum - In 1778 the Amsterdam businessman Adriaan de Boois bought an old defense tower. He received permission from the city of Haarlem to build a windmill. Adriaan built his windmill on top of the old Goê Vrouw tower. As a result, the mill blades rise high above the Spaarne and catch every breeze possible.

On 19 May 1779 the Adriaan smock mill is put into use. For years Adriaan de Boois ground tuff, a sort of volcanic stone, into trass. Trass is a special additive added to mortar to make walls waterproof.

  • Waag - The building was designed by Lieven de Key around 1597 and is built with Namense steen from Namur, Belgium. It is the only building in Haarlem that was built this way, and was designed in its day as a landmark that befits an authority. The weigh house masters needed to be able to judge the correct measure of a shipload of grain that was delivered in Haarlem. Inside the large cast iron balance can still be seen. The location of the weigh house was strategically located where the Spaarne river joins the beek, a small canal that according to tradition was used to carry fresh water from the dunes to serve the brewers of Haarlem. Haarlem was known for its beer brewing in the 15th-17th centuries. A large wooden crane operated by wheels driven by manpower was used to hoist the grain on ships into the Waag building and back into other ships or carts for further transport. The wooden crane can be seen on most historic pictures of the Spaarne up until 1872.
  • Teylers Museum - Teylers Museum is an art, natural history, and science museum in Haarlem, Netherlands. Established in 1778, Teylers Museum was founded as a centre for contemporary art and science. The historic centre of the museum is the neoclassical Oval Room (1784), which was built behind the house of Pieter Teyler van der Hulst (1702–1778), the so-called Fundatiehuis (Foundation House). Pieter Teyler was a wealthy cloth merchant and banker of Scottish descent, who bequeathed his fortune for the advancement of religion, art, and science. He was a Mennonite and follower of the Scottish Enlightenment.
  • Heemstede - Heemstede formed around the Castle Heemstede that was built overlooking the Spaarne River around 1286. Before 1296, Floris V, Count of Holland, granted Heemstede as a fiefdom to Reinier of Holy. During the 14th century, a village formed near the castle, which was destroyed and rebuilt several times in this period. A resident of this castle was Adriaan Pauw, who bought it in 1620. In 1653, Bennebroek split off from Heemstede, becoming a separate fiefdom.
  • Spaarne - The Spaarne is a river in North Holland, Netherlands. This partially canalized river connects the Ringvaart to a side branch of the North Sea Canal. It runs through Haarlem, Heemstede, and Spaarndam.

The historic canals of Haarlem’s moats are connected to the Spaarne. A lock at Spaarndam separates it from the North Sea Canal.

According to Sterck-Proot, a historian, the name Spaarne probably comes from Spier, which means reed in old Dutch.

What's Included
  • On-board WiFi
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • All fees and taxes included
  • On-board restrooms
Additional Information

Hop aboard our Mill to Mill boat trip and experience the beauty of the river Spaarne in Haarlem! Cruise off the beaten track and discover the charm of typical Dutch windmills along the way. It’s a sight that’s sure to impress both adults and children alike!

Our skipper will guide you from the heart of Haarlem past iconic landmarks like Mill the Adriaan, the Waag, and the Teylers Museum. Then, we’ll head towards Heemstede, a picturesque route lined with charming houseboats. Along the way, you’ll catch a glimpse of the majestic “Unicorn” mill, surrounded by lush greenery and stately homes along the Spaarne.

Enjoy the cruise with tasty snacks and refreshing drinks, that are provided at our boarding location. Our experienced crew has been navigating Haarlem’s canals for years. Whether it’s summer or winter, we’ve got you covered with open or heated boats, ensuring a comfortable cruise in any season.

Please note that except for service animals, pets are not allowed on board.

  • Please note that except for service animals, pets are not allowed on board.
Location
Spaarne 11A
Spaarne
The tour starts at our floating Boathuys! Check in, buy tickets or get a drink, its all possible.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.3
(31 Ratings)
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1 star
Maylinn22
Jul 8, 2024
Fun and interesting boat tour - Great trip! The captain gave lots of information, told us about the history of Haarlem, added some jokes while we got to enjoy the scenery. The admin team at this company is great too. Earlier we had to cancel due to a scooter accident, the ladies were very friendly and understanding. Re booked us on a trip weeks later. Your service is much appreciated!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yvette
May 23, 2024
We felt welcome and were helped very enthusiastically. - Smidtje helped us very kindly and quickly when another activity was cancelled. The cruise was a beautiful and pleasant start to our afternoon. The guide was nice to listen to and there was all the help and cooperation at check-in. Thank you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scotlanddutchy
Nov 26, 2023
Haarlem Mill to Mill cruise. - We had a great trip with smitje canal cruise. We decided to do the longer Mill to Mill tour. We booked ahead and were warmly greeted on arrival. The captain was friendly, knowledgeable and very entertaining. We also had beers and snack along the way. I would definitely recommend this trip as an alternative to Amsterdam.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y5469sychristines
Nov 4, 2023
Fun tour on a rainy day - Very friendly service. Good coffe and beer on board. Nice tour on a rainy day! Liked it. Infos on German, English an Dutch. Toilet on board and at the ticket store.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Silas
Aug 14, 2023
Haarlem canal boat trip - Lovely, really nice apple pie with cream and coffee, chilled open boat ride, nice captain with interesting factoids, good way to orientate for exploring later
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shadrachfly
Aug 7, 2023
Good times - Great trip! We had our own seat and table, it was nice that the boat was covered due to the rain. We were able to go out nqck on the deck and take some nice pictures. The captain was nice, he accommodated with us english speakers. Would do it again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Heather_c
Jul 26, 2024
Nice to be on the canals. - Unpleasant check in staff, very busy location. Basic recorded information. Pleasant time on water. Best captain of all canal cruises. Loved Haarlem overall. Nice to see windmills.
Review provided by Viator
Paulwl4646yd
Jun 1, 2024
Fun cruise - Great cruise. But, the captain, and narrator for the cruise had a very heavy accent and it was difficult to understand his english.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V2620bojanv
Jun 22, 2024
Wrong navigation but it was well executed - We booked for a Mill till Mill sailing, but in retrospect we got the cruise Haarlem. This without any prior information. The two stars were earned by the inspired skipper which made it an interesting trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lorene_a
Oct 23, 2023
Watered down cruise! - Getting off. It was difficult to understand the person who was speaking, it was boring monotone difficult to understand his accent & Im a veteran ESL teacher and often the things he mentioned we had passed or they were just not visible.
Review provided by Viator
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September 2024
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