In this short article, I want to mention a small town I had the pleasure of visiting. It’s called Noordwijk, a seaside town in the Netherlands with a coastline along the North Sea. It’s located on the western coast, about 30 km from Amsterdam and 23 km from The Hague. The town has a population of around 25,000 people.
I spent an entire weekend in Noordwijk, looking for a quiet getaway to change the usual scenery of The Hague. There, I found a tourist town that was off-season.
At first glance, it reminded me a lot of Santa Teresita, where I used to go on vacation as a kid, though much more luxurious—especially the central pedestrian street. I could almost replay childhood memories all over the city. The not-so-subtle difference? The freezing winter cold I felt during my stay in Noordwijk.
On top of that, the strong winds were dragging along trees, billboards, chairs, and restaurant tables—though they were properly secured to avoid flying away.
I don’t remember ever experiencing such strong wind in my life. The beach was impossible to walk on, and the sand was flying everywhere—getting into my eyes, my mouth, and covering all my clothes.
The charm of the city during that time of year—I’m talking about March, the end of the European winter—is the lack of crowds and the chance to stroll peacefully through truly beautiful streets. Classic Dutch buildings, some quite ostentatious, with luxury cars parked at their doors.
Despite finding the city almost empty, at night, the restaurants were all packed, and the hotel I stayed at also seemed to have some activity. Still, you could tell that in peak season, Noordwijk must be absolutely packed with people.
After doing some research about the city, I found out that, like many coastal towns in the Netherlands, it was originally dedicated exclusively to fishing. Over time, it gradually transformed into a summer tourist destination, and today, tourism is its main industry.
I also learned that Noordwijk was the place where Maria Montessori, the Italian doctor and educator famous for creating the Montessori Method of alternative education, passed away.
There’s not much to do in Noordwijk during the winter. You can wander through its small streets, visit the lighthouse, check out a small museum or two, but that’s about it. One day is more than enough. If you visit in the summer, though, you could stay for several days to enjoy the warmth and the beach.
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