Holiday apartment in Vijfhuizen: Art, Nature and Waterways

Vijfhuizen is a destination for you if you would like to combine art, waterways, historic buildings and green recreational spaces. Its appeal lies not only in individual sights, but also in the different possibilities for active and more relaxed days during your holiday. When choosing a holiday apartment in Vijfhuizen, it is therefore worth considering whether you would like to focus on art and history, walks, cycling, water or nature observation.

Art and history between the fort island and Ringvaart

Kunstfort Vijfhuizen is located on an island near Meerwijkplas in Vijfhuizen and is part of the Stelling van Amsterdam waterline. Exhibitions take place across the entire fort island, while the outdoor area features changing installations and works of art. The exhibition in the fort building can be viewed weekly from Thursday to Sunday, from 13:00 to 17:00. This allows you to combine your visit with an appreciation of the special connection between fortress architecture and contemporary art.

The Geniedijk also represents the historic side of the area. It is part of the Stelling van Amsterdam, a historic line of defence that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Geniedijk is 12 kilometres long, runs through Hoofddorp and ends in Aalsmeer. At the same time, it serves as a popular cycling and walking route as well as an important ecological connection. The Vijfhuizerbrug crosses the Ringvaart; it is a lift bridge built in 1931.

Another historic destination is the duck decoy in Vijfhuizen, which is included on the municipal heritage list. The historic site consists of two hectares of coppice woodland with a rectangular pond measuring approximately 40 by 40 metres and one catching pipe at each corner. It is considered a unique natural monument with around 100 plant species and 32 tree species. It is precisely this combination of cultural landscape, traces of construction and species-rich nature that makes the site appealing for exploratory trips.

Choose a holiday apartment in Vijfhuizen to suit your holiday days

Park Vijfhuizen offers further opportunities for spending days together. The recreational area has a children's playground as well as an MH17 memorial forest and an MH17 memorial. It also features numerous walking paths and cycling routes. If you are travelling with children, the playground creates a different atmosphere from the quieter memorial sites; both, however, form part of the park's multifaceted landscape.

In Park Vijfhuizen, the Nationaal Monument MH17 commemorates the victims of the MH17 plane disaster with 298 trees; each victim is represented by one tree. The monument includes an intimate amphitheatre and an impressive memorial. The site offers space for reflection, comfort and hope and therefore calls for appropriately respectful attention.

De Groene Weelde is suitable for walks close to nature. The recreational area encompasses forests, bodies of water and broad waterways with natural banks. There are walking opportunities as well as a designated bathing area for dogs. A distinctive viewpoint is Big Spotters Hill: the 22-metre-high lookout is located on an artificial island created for Floriade 2002 in Haarlemmermeer.

Cycling, circular routes and water routes

The purple Ommetje Vijfhuizen circular route runs along the edge of Vijfhuizen. For cyclists, the Fietsroute Water leads to Vijfhuizen, passes the modern Koning Willem I pumping station and then continues along the Geniedijk towards Fort bij Vijfhuizen. 12 SLAG is located on the Fietsroute Water. Anyone who would like to experience the area from the water can consider the Spaarne & Mooie Nel canoe route: it leads onto the Ringvaart of the Haarlemmermeer and continues along it to beyond Vijfhuizen.

When choosing your holiday apartment in Vijfhuizen, you can therefore first consider which of these local destinations and routes should shape the rhythm of your stay. Kunstfort and Geniedijk are ideal for days focused on culture and history, while Park Vijfhuizen and De Groene Weelde offer movement and nature; Fietsroute Water and the Spaarne & Mooie Nel canoe route provide additional perspectives on water and the landscape. The different route lengths can help you compare your own plans and assess your preferred accommodation location more consciously.

Getting there and practical information

Park Vijfhuizen can be reached from Schiphol, Haarlem or Hoofddorp by R-Net bus 300 to the EXPO Greater Amsterdam stop. Free parking is available next to Camperplaats N205. De Polderschuur is located at Spieringweg 536A, 2141 EC Vijfhuizen; its opening hours are Wednesdays from 9:00 to 14:00. This means that, in addition to historic and scenic destinations, Vijfhuizen also offers concrete points of reference for planning your day.

Other places for orientation

For further orientation within the same destination area: Badhoevedorp, Lijnden, Nieuw-Vennep, Halfweg, Schiphol, Hoofddorp, Schiphol-Rijk and Zwanenburg.

For the broader travel overview: Haarlemmermeer.