Den Helder

Den Helder, there is always something to experience here!

The maritime city of Den Helder is located in the Kop van Noord-Holland and is surrounded on three sides by water, the North Sea, the Marsdiep and the Wadden Sea. The sun worshiper is in the right place in Den Helder, the city regularly has the most hours of sunshine in the Netherlands!

History

In Den Helder you can take a lovely walk and enjoy the beach, the sea and the dunes. Along with other activities you can also experience the rich history of Den Helder and its surrounding area. in 1811 Napoleon Bonapart came to inspect Den Helder. The fortifictions of Den Helder are one of the oldest extant military defensive lines in the Netherlands and was built under the reign of Napoleon. A lot of the forts can be visited daily. Fort Kijkduin (dating from 1811) is conveniently situated in Huisduinen, the rich history of the Netherlands in the time of Napoleon is recounted here. Fort Westover has its own beer brewerey with a bar and terrace on the waterside where you can enjoy a Helder's beer. Fort Harssens and Fort Erfprins can be visited on a guided tour.

Beach, dunes and woods

Den Helder is rich in various nature areas including a stunning dune area with beautiful cycle and walking paths. You can choose from mapped cycle routes or make us of the walking and cycle signposted networks and design a route for yourself. CAN Vakantiehuizen offer you a bike hire service, we bring the hire bikes to your accomodation and collect them again!

You can enjoy the beautiful beach in Den Helder in every season of the year. Enjoy the forst rays of sunshine on your face in Spring, a refreshing dive in the sea in the summer, or blow away the cobwebs with a fresh autumn wind on the clear beach of Den Helder. The 7km long beach of Den Helder proudly flies the Blue Flag, three beaches have this International Environmental Quality mark for marinas and beaches. The beaches have a four star status and have been consistently in the list of top 10 cleanest beaches in the Netherlands. There are many Beach Pavillions that re oen all year round and you can park for free in the car parks by the beach entrance.

Naturelovers for example birdwatchers will be overjoyed with the variety of (rare) birds in the surroundings of Den Helder. There are regular bird watching excursions organised from, for example, the the information centre Kuitje through Balgzand (part of the World Heretige of the Wadden Sea).

For young and old

Den Helder has plenty of entertainment for young and old. The Oude Rijkswerf Willemsoord is definitely worth a visit. This stylishly restored site offers cosy places to eat and drink, as well as much more. Think, for example, of the Navy Museum (with a submarine you can go inside), the Dorus Rijkers Rescue Museum, a cinema, the beautiful "De Kampanje" theatre and much more. A wide variety of events are regularly held on the Willemsoord site. Would you like to know which events and activities are being organised during your stay? Check the website www.denhelder.online or keep an eye on our social media.

A few minutes' walk from Willemsoord, you will find the recently renovated city centre. The city has a varied range of shops and restaurants. You can also enjoy a delicious drink and relax on one of the cosy terraces. For fresh vegetables, fish, nuts and more, visit the Den Helder market every Saturday. From 30 June to 1 September, the lively Juttersmarkt (beachcombers' market) is held every Tuesday in Den Helder city centre.

Since 2018, Den Helder has had a new showpiece, the “Best Library in the World”, School 7. The library is located in a hundred-year-old school building and, in addition to borrowing books, you can also visit “the city's living room” for a delicious cup of coffee.

With so much water in the vicinity, a boat tour is of course a must.

Active day

When driving from Den Helder towards Julianadorp along the dunes, you will pass the forest “De Donkere Duinen”. Here you can visit the Helderse Vallei, where you can feed and pet various animals. The Helderse Vallei has a sustainability centre where fun activities are regularly organised for young and old. Real adventurers can enjoy themselves in the KlimVallei, where you can swing between the tops of tall trees. Canoe or cycle along the canoe route that runs through a beautiful nature reserve and connects Den Helder with Julianadorp.

Useful!

During the high season (from early June to late August/early September), you can also use the Coastal Bus. This bus, summer line 851, runs hourly between Den Helder and Petten, stopping at the coastal towns in between.

Are you looking forward to a holiday where there is plenty to do but also room for relaxation? Then we look forward to welcoming you to wonderful Den Helder!

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