Holiday apartment in Halfweg: steam, waterways and the sugar industry

Holiday apartment in Halfweg: steam, waterways and the sugar industry

Halfweg takes you right into a history shaped by steam, waterways and the sugar industry. Stoomgemaal Halfweg is the oldest and largest still-functioning paddle-wheel steam pumping station in the world. At the same time, the railway station recalls the first steam train in the Netherlands, which passed Halfweg station in 1839 on the route between Amsterdam and Haarlem. When choosing a holiday apartment in Halfweg, you can use this mix as a theme for planning your days: historical discoveries, routes through the surrounding area and a place with a distinctive industrial history.

Historical traces between the canal and old houses

The history of the routes goes back even further. The construction of the Haarlemmertrekvaart in 1632 made a tow-barge connection between Amsterdam and Haarlem possible. In Halfweg, the canal could not be continued all the way because of important sea locks. Travellers had to transfer there from one tow barge to the next. The oldest houses in Halfweg stand in and around the IJsteeg, adding preserved older buildings to this historical perspective on the village.

Industrial history on the former sugar factory site

In 2000, the redevelopment of the 110,000 m² former CSM sugar factory site into SugarCity began. The former sugar silos were converted into modern office spaces. As part of the area's development, the site is being given a new function; an important principle in this process is the preservation and restoration of the valuable existing industrial buildings. In Halfweg, you will therefore encounter both traces of the former sugar production and the continued development of this former site.

Walking routes and bridges in your daily planning

During the renovation of the N200 and the Boezembruggen in 2020, more green spaces and a walking route across the bridges were created. The blue Zwanenburgroute also runs through Halfweg and Zwanenburg. These two route options offer different ways to structure your stay: you can combine technical and industrial history with a walk across the bridges or a route through both villages, without losing sight of Halfweg's historical focus.

Railway station, museum and SugarCity

Halfweg-Zwanenburg railway station plays a practical role in finding your way around the area. The Stoomgemaal Halfweg Museum is a five-minute walk from Halfweg-Zwanenburg NS railway station and from the Connexxion bus stop at Halfweg-Zwanenburg station. A Sprinter train between Haarlem and Amsterdam Centraal stops at Halfweg-Zwanenburg station four times an hour. A footbridge also connects the station with SugarCity. These connections make it easier to include historical visits and an exploration of the former sugar factory site in your plans.

Dutch cheese as a culinary addition

One of the specific places to visit is Cheese & More by Henri Willig at Amsterdam The Style Outlets. Dutch cheese gifts are offered there, and you can also sample Henri Willig cheese. This adds a culinary accent alongside the pumping station, railway history, waterways and industrial architecture. A holiday apartment in Halfweg can thus provide the setting for a wide variety of daily ideas, from historical themes to a break with Dutch cheese.

Which accommodation suits your stay in Halfweg

When choosing your holiday apartment in Halfweg, you can be guided by the combination of experiences you want. The focus of your planning is on Stoomgemaal, the history of the Haarlemmertrekvaart, the oldest houses in and around the IJsteeg, and SugarCity on the former sugar factory site. If you would like to include routes, the walking path across the Boezembruggen and the blue Zwanenburgroute are among the documented options. For excursions by train or bus, Halfweg-Zwanenburg station, the five-minute connection to the museum and the Sprinter between Haarlem and Amsterdam are important points of reference.

More places for planning your trip

More places to complement your travel plans: Lijnden, Hoofddorp, Zwanenburg, Vijfhuizen, Schiphol-Rijk, Schiphol, Badhoevedorp, Nieuw-Vennep.

For the broader travel overview: Haarlemmermeer.