Holiday apartment in Bergen: Between dunes and art

Bergen lies between the Noordhollands Duinreservaat and the Schoorlse Duinen. The combination of dune landscape, polder paths, art and history offers you a variety of ways to spend your holiday. When choosing a holiday apartment in Bergen, you can therefore consider whether nature experiences, cultural discoveries or varied routes should be the focus.

Dunes, paths and nature around Bergen

The Schoorlse Duinen are considered the highest dune area in the northern part of Noord-Holland and have more than 60 kilometres of walking trails. The Noordhollands Duinreservaat complements this landscape with deciduous and coniferous forests, sand dunes with marram grass, small dune lakes and heathland vegetation. Various species of birds, butterflies, rabbits and squirrels live there; in the nature reserve near Bergen, you can also observe many birds, frogs and salamanders. Bergen itself has an extensive polder landscape with numerous paths as well as walking and cycling routes.

The Buitencentrum Schoorlse Duinen is a starting point for visits, with exhibitions, activities and routes. At the De Duinheide visitor centre, you can get tips on walking and cycling routes in the Noordhollands Duinreservaat; walking and cycling maps are also available to buy there. De Duinheide is easily accessible by bicycle or on foot, and parking is available in the car park on Uilenvangerweg. For a stay with different daily plans, Bergen therefore combines practical options for exercise, nature observation and orientation.

Art, architecture and history

Museum Kranenburgh manages an extensive art collection spanning 1900 to the present day, with a focus on the art of the Bergen School. Through Studio C, the museum offers creative workshops, while works from the Kranenburgh collection can be seen outdoors in the sculpture garden. Park Meerwijk was created in 1918 and built up with villas in the style of the Amsterdam School. Of the original 17 buildings, 13 are well preserved; the entire park is protected as a Rijksmonument. Landgoed het Oude Hof also offers an insight into historic design: It is considered the first Buitenplaats established in the Netherlands and was designed between 1643 and 1660 in the French classical style, with vistas, sightlines, ponds, Kattebergen and rows of trees arranged according to a strictly geometric pattern.

The origins of the Ruïnekerk date back to 1094. The Heilig Bloedwonder of 1422 made it an important pilgrimage site. Around the church, the Saturday market takes place in the centre of Bergen every Saturday throughout the year from 08:30 to 17:00, offering fresh regional products and treats. In summer, the permanent Ruïnekerk art market, established in 1984, adds more than 70 stalls and a weekly changing selection to the offerings. The Cinebergen arthouse cinema is located in the historic De Zwarte Schuur on Landgoed het Oude Hof and screens world cinema, classics, children's films and documentaries.

Routes, places and special experiences

A hike from Bergen to Bergen aan Zee leads through the dunes to the beach. The 12.1-kilometre Kunstenaarsdorp Bergen walking route runs through the centre and the polder and passes the Ruïnekerk. The 5-kilometre Kunst wandelroute Bergen is designed as an audio walk through the artists' village of Bergen. If you prefer to travel by bicycle, you can plan the 25-kilometre Witte zandduinen route through Bergen and the Schoorlse Duinen. The Blauwe route hike leads to Brederodeveld, where Jan van Bergen's castle stood between 1200 and 1400.

Other notable destinations combine nature and local history. At Het Hertenkamp, visitors can observe deer, goats, sheep and other animals up close. The Damlandermolen was built in 1578 as a sturdy octagonal Binnenkruier to protect the approximately 135-hectare stretch of low-lying land between the former Bergermeer and the southern edge of Bergen from excess water. Following its restoration, it is turning regularly again. In Bergen aan Zee, the Vredeskerkje has been the religious, social and cultural centre of the village since its foundation in 1918, while also serving as an important concert venue for the Bergen area.

Choose a holiday apartment in Bergen to suit your travel plans

A holiday apartment in Bergen can therefore serve as a starting point for your personal mix of active and cultural days. For regional orientation, you can also include Egmond Aan Zee, Groet, Schoorl, Bergen, Bergen Aan Zee, Egmond Aan Den Hoef and Egmond-Binnen.

For the overarching travel overview: North Holland.

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