Zandvoort Beach

Zandvoort is the main seaside resort of the Netherlands' central coast, a short train ride from Amsterdam and Haarlem, and its beach is one of the longest and busiest in the country. The sand stretches for kilometres along the North Sea, backed by dunes that form part of the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park, and on a sunny summer weekend the shore is crowded with sunbathers, swimmers, surfers and families. The town, whose name means sandy ford, was a small fishing village in the Middle Ages, and it grew into a resort in the nineteenth century, helped by the arrival of the railway from Haarlem in 1881.

The war left a strong mark. During the German occupation, the coast was fortified as part of the Atlantic Wall, and the people of Zandvoort were evacuated in 1942 so that the town could be used for defence, with many buildings demolished. After the war, the town was rebuilt, and it has become a busy resort once more, with tourism a major source of employment. Today the long promenade, the hotels and apartments and the busy centre are the result of that rebuilding.

The beach is easy to enjoy. Beach pavilions line the shore and serve food and drinks, with some open year-round, and in summer they are lively with music and events. Water sports are popular, particularly surfing, kitesurfing and stand-up paddleboarding, and there are schools and rental points. The beach is gently sloping, with lifeguards on duty at marked areas in the season. A stretch south of the main area is set aside for naturists, with its own pavilions, and the rules on dogs vary by section and season. Public art and murals add colour in the streets behind the beach.

Zandvoort is also known for motor racing. Circuit Zandvoort, in the dunes behind the town, hosts the Dutch Grand Prix and other events, and on race weekends the town fills with fans and the beach becomes part of the festival. The dunes are good for walking and cycling, and the Zandvoortse Duinen, the dune landscape, is reached by paths from the town. Museum Zandvoort, the Kerk van Zandvoort, Park Zandvoort and the Voorstraat, the main shopping street, are other places to see.

The beach suits families, sunbathers, surfers and day-trippers from Amsterdam. Trains run direct from Amsterdam Centraal and Haarlem, and they get very crowded on hot days, so travel early or choose a weekday. Bring sun protection, a windbreak and a towel.