Things to do and see in Hoorn

1. Private guided tour Hoorn

The first thing you should do is take a tour with local guide Alette. Guests and participants rate Local Guide Hoorn with five stars at Google and five stars at Tripadvisor!

‘Meet The Local’ is the highest rated tour by guests from abroad. I will show you the most beautiful places of Hoorn during this tour and you will get acquainted with everyday Dutch customs and our peculiarities. What is typical Dutch food? What does a Dutch House look like on the inside? Do they really pay tax in the Netherlands for keeping a dog? During this tour we will visit my house to have a coffee break and a peek inside a typical Dutch House.

2. The historic steam train

Forget the futuristic time machines and space travel, the most exciting journey through time is made in an original steam tram through the historic triangle Hoorn – Medemblik – Enkhuizen. Immerse yourself and experience history. The journey through time begins in style. See how the stoker throws the coals on the fire, step on the steam train and wait for the whistle of the steam locomotive. Fun for children, but also for adults. The steam train ride takes you through a few old villages and the vast West Frisian landscape. The Museum and starting point is located behind the train station of Hoorn Centrum.

3. Watertaxi Hoorn

Watertaxi Hoorn offers not only the possibility to move from one destination to another, but also longer trips. From an hour-long cruise through the port and the canals of the city to a longer trip offshore to the Oranje Buiten beach pavilion or to Volendam. All trips can be booked with catering and of course each trip is carried out by an experienced skipper and guide. A trip by water taxi can easily be combined with a tour in the city. Boarding can be done at different locations.

4. Hoorn bike tour

Discover the picturesque town of Hoorn and its beautiful surroundings in a unique and personalized way. A private guided bike tour Hoorn allows you to enjoy the local sights, breathtaking landscapes and historical sites at your own pace. And you don’t have to worry about headwinds. If desired, you can use electric bikes. You will discover why our country is called the Netherlands. The itinerary is tailored to the specific needs of your group and the guide is fluent in English.

5. Museum of the 20th Century

The Museum of the 20th Century in Hoorn tells about life in the last century in the Netherlands through hundreds of objects and dozens of interiors. How did our parents and grandparents live? What toys did children play with? What kind of shops were there? How was cooking done? What did people do in their spare time? What was there to see on radio or television? The Museum has changing exhibitions and is fun for young and old. It is located in an old prison on Oostereiland. The building alone is worth a visit.

6. Hoorn – Enkhuizen

If you are in Hoorn a bit longer, a trip to Enkhuizen is worthwhile. By train you can travel in exactly 26 minutes from the centre of Hoorn to the centre of Enkhuizen. In Enkhuizen you can take a nice walk and there are several nice restaurants for lunch. Enkhuizen is a city that is less extensive than Hoorn, but just like Hoorn it has a beautiful centre and beautiful monumental buildings. Look for more information: Enkhuizen info.

7. Westfries Museum

The Westfries Museum displays the wealth of the Golden Age in more than 25 furnished period rooms featuring painting, porcelain, glass and silverware. You step through the gates of the 17th-century monument and enter Hoorn’s heyday. PLEASE NOTE: the museum is closed due to renovations! But there is a very nice alternative: read the additional tips below. Also, the museum will be temporarily open from June 30, 2024 for four months. Then the museum will be transformed into a museum with etchings by Rembrandt.

8. Bonck Museum House

House Bonck has a special history as a merchant’s house, linen weaving mill, city farm and house: for almost 400 years people have lived and worked here. Taste the unique atmosphere of this house. House Bonck has a small hanging room that is literally ‘hung’ from the attic beam, hence the name. The room feels almost like a ship, with the wooden paneling all around, a low ceiling and the view of the water. It is the only room in the house with only one clearly defined function: the office. The house is located at Binneluiendijk 3. A visit to the house is easy to combine with a city walk.

9. Hoornse straatjes (shopping)

Between the two churches, towards the Roode steen and the harbour quarter is a unique shopping area located: the ‘Hoornse straatjes’. In these streets you will find a wealth of special things from creative entrepreneurs that make the city centre of Horn unique! These are the streets: Nieuwe Noord, Kruisstraat, Lange Kerkstraat, Nieuwstraat, Kerkplein, Kerkstraat and Wisselstraat. These streets have special and traditional businesses. No large shops, but precisely those small self-employed people with an understanding of business and passion for their profession with excellent service.

On the southern tip of the Oostereiland are several historic ships belonging to “Stichting Varend Erfgoed”. There is also a small exhibition area. Even if you are not interested in boats, a walk on the Oostereiland and along the monumental ships on the southern point is an absolute must to do in Hoorn. After all, you are walking along one of the most beautiful parts of Hoorn.

1. Guided unicorn hunt

Especially for groups and families with younger children, Local Guide Hoorn has developed the “Family friendly tour Hoorn”; Fun for children, parents and grandparents. Part of this tour is a treasure hunt for the unicorns in Hoorn. Everywhere in the city you see these unicorns. On gable stones, as statues, on signposts and in many more places. While the children search for Unicorns at each special place, guide Alette tells beautiful stories about the ancient and modern history of the city.

2. Sam City + City playground

It’s nice to visit a museum, but sometimes it can be quite boring for children. So do yourself a big favor and let them run wild in a controlled environment. For the youngest there is the ‘city playground’, a small paradise in the green where parents can also sit quietly. For more information visit: City Playground Hoorn. For the older kids, Sam City is the place to be. This is a brand new indoor trampoline and activity center including an excellent lunch restaurant! Click here for more info!

1. Julianapark swimming beach

In Juliana Park, behind the fire station is a nice little beach. This is a perfect swimming spot for families. Not least because of the presence of the small but cozy beach kiosk ven Sydney Groot and Joost van der Want. You can get delicious artisanal pizza and much more. For me, this is still the #1 picnic spot within walking distance of the historic center of Hoorn. More about Slijs, click here!

2. Rent a silent boat

In Hoorn you can also rent silent boats from Watertaxi Hoorn and tour the old harbors independently. The silent boats are suitable for up to 8 people and a license is not required. The electric boats do not go fast, but they do go silently, which is exactly what they are meant for. So you can fully enjoy the beautiful harbor area. It is important to book in advance. For more information click here!

3. Oranje Buiten

Just outside the center is “Orange Outside. This is a nice beach club near a nice and safe swimming spot. You can have great food and enjoy a cocktail there. Also in winter it is a nice destination for a walk from the center. Walking along the Westfriese Omringdijk you are there in 15 minutes! For more information, click here!

4. Sup Spirit: stand up paddle

Hoorn is one of the few places where you can paddle into the city center with a sup relatively easily. At Sup spirit you can rent a sup and paddle a fun route through the historic harbors independently or under supervision. The starting location is at the harbor of the water sports club in the beautiful Julianapark. For more information click here!

Recently (2023), a beautiful city beach was built right near the center of Hoorn. This new beach is the largest city beach in the Netherlands. Nice for a walk or to swim in the fresh and controlled swimming water of the Markermeer. The beach includes several areas with playground equipment, an outdoor gym and a soccer cage. The swimming area for the youngest visitors is well and clearly marked.

1. Main Tower

My favorite sight is without doubt the Main Tower. And it’s not only the tower itself but also the surroundings. The tower itself was built in 1532 and originally intended as a defensive tower.

2. Roode Steen

The Red Stone (Roode Steen) is the central square of Hoorn and is surrounded by a collection of monuments. On the square you’ll find the weighhouse from 1609 and the Statencollege from 1632.

3. Oostereiland

Among my favourite sights Hoorn, the Oostereiland should not be missed. When I take a walk through the city myself, I almost always walk around the Oostereiland.

4. Oosterpoort

The Oosterpoort was built in 1578 and is the only remaining city gate of Hoorn. In 1601 a house was built on top of the Oosterpoort that is still inhabited.

5. Oude Doelenkade

From the ‘Oude Doelenkade’ you have a nice view over the inner harbour, the big sluice-gate and the Hoofdtoren. In the summer the inner harbour is full of pleasure craft, sometimes up to five rows thick! At nos. 17 and 19 there is a couple of beautifully restored 17th century mansions.

6. Bossu houses

At the Slapershaven on the corner with the Grote Oost are three beautiful houses that were built around 1612. Across their entire width, these buildings are fitted with facing bricks that together form a kind of comic strip about the battle of the Zuiderzee.

7. Mariatoren

The Mariatoren (also called ‘Kruittoren’) was built in 1508 as a defensive tower and gunpowder storage. The tower still stands proudly on the old city wall and with its feet in the city canal (the Draafsingel).

8. St Jansgasthuis

The St. Jansgasthuis was built in 1563 and was part of a monastery complex. Monasteries took care of the sick at this time and set up guest houses (hospitals). The St. Jansgasthuis is a well-preserved example of the spatial layout of a medieval guesthouse.

9. Oosterkerk

The Oosterkerk has its origins in 1450 and was built as a Roman Catholic church for fishermen and skippers. The choir of the present stone church was built in 1519 and subsequently expanded and adapted. Since 1616 the church has had its present form.

10. Baatland

The Baatland is the first large artificial peninsula that was built in Hoorn. The island had to shield the city from the open Zuiderzee. Between 1500 and 1700 it was busy here with houses, workshops and shipyards. Nowadays it is a beautiful green space and part of the Juliana Park.