Join this special spring walk on Saturday, April 11, 2026, past places and churches with a hopeful story. The Walk of Hope leads through the center of Haarlem. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the doors of various churches will be open and diverse (children’s) activities will be organized. The walk is self-guided, and you’ll find the route description below. Expect to cover 7,000 steps, or approximately 5 kilometers.

The route is shown on the map and is described step-by-step below.

A. Start at the Corrie ten Boom House

Barteljorisstraat 19.

During the Second World War, Jewish people were increasingly excluded and persecuted. Here in this house, they remained welcome. The house became a hiding place and, moreover, a hub in a larger resistance network. That was not without risk. The three official residents were arrested and imprisoned by the Nazis on February 28, 1944. The people in hiding were not found. Father Ten Boom died ten days after his arrest. The two sisters, Elisabeth and Corrie, ended up in the Ravensbrück concentration camp. Only Corrie survived the war. Her hopeful story of forgiveness lives on to this day.

Please note: the house can only be viewed from the outside. There are free daily tours of the building, but a reservation is required. You can arrange this via this website.

Walking route from here

  • Walk south from the Corrie ten Boom House and turn right to Zijlstraat at the end of Barteljorisstraat.
  • Walk to Nieuwe Groenmarkt (on your right), and walk to the Groenmarkt Church.

B. Groenmarktkerk (re:connect)

Nieuwe Groenmarkt 14-16.

The Groenmarkt Church is one of the largest church buildings in Haarlem. Moreover, it was the city’s second-oldest Roman Catholic church until the diocese decided to close to the building a few years ago. A young evangelical congregation named re:connect purchased the property and aims to redevelop it into a place of hope and faith that is open every day of the week. The church also houses the interdenominational House of Prayer Haarlem.

Activities

Here you will find the information point regarding the walk, coffee/tea, and prayer in the House of Prayer, and you are welcome to join a guided tour of the building (every hour on the hour).

  • Turn left from the Groenmarkt Church and then left again at the end of the Nieuwe Groenmarkt.
  • Take the first side road to the left once more. You are now on the Zoetestraat.
  • Opposite numbers 13 and 15, you will find a gate that leads to a courtyard and the chapel of Stem in de Stad.

C. Hidden chapel Stem in de Stad

Courtyard between Zoetestraat 13 en 15.

For over thirty years, Stem in de Stad has been dedicated to helping Haarlem residents who are struggling, offering hope to vulnerable people in need, to people who are not always heard or seen. Stem’s meeting center can be found on the Nieuwe Groenmarkt, to the left of the Groenmarkt Church. Today during the walk, a special, lesser-known Stem location is open: the chapel at the rear. The so-called Katrijn Chapel was once part of the medieval convent of the Tertiary Sisters (followers of Francis of Assisi). The chapel is situated in the courtyard of Stem in de Stad and is accessible via the green gate between Zoetestraat 13 and 15.

Activities

Space for prayer and lighting a candle.

  • From the chapel, turn left. Walk to the end of Zoetestraat and then turn right onto Zijlstraat.
  • Cross at the intersection with Nassaulaan and continue straight ahead. Take the second street on the right.
  • This is Witte Herenstraat, named after the white-clad monks of the Norbertine monastery that was once located here. The Lutheran Church stands approximately halfway down the street.

D. Evangelical-Lutheran Church

Witte Herenstraat 22.

The Lutheran church is set back from the road, nestled between two courtyards, and there is a reason for this. It is one of the oldest clandestine churches in the Netherlands and was formerly not allowed to be visible from the public road. Consequently, the current facade and tower date from a much later period, the late nineteenth century. From 1615 onwards, this church offered a hopeful refuge for people who were persecuted elsewhere for their faith. Also noteworthy is the hiding attic, where people hid from the occupying forces during the Second World War.

Activities

Organ music on the unique Strobel organ, stone painting for children, guided tour to the hiding attic (every hour on the hour), clothing swap (bring your own garment).

  • From the church square, turn left and walk to the intersection with Magdalenastraat. Turn left again here, and at the end, turn right.
  • You are now walking along the Kinderhuissingel. The Old Catholic parish stands on the other side of the canal.
  • Continue following the Kinderhuissingel until the bend curving to the right. There, in front of the white villa, take the walking path through the public garden.
  • At the end of the public garden, a bicycle and pedestrian underpass under the railway tracks is visible. Walk through it.
  • Cross at the traffic lights and go left past the white building. Immediately afterwards, you can re-enter the park on the right. Follow the winding path along the Schotersingel. On the left, across the canal, a section of the former St. James Chapel is visible, now part of the Museum of the Mind.
  • At the end of the walking path, turn left over the Kennemerbrug and then cross to the right to the small public garden in the middle. You are now walking roughly straight towards the Fonteinkerk.

E. Fonteinkerk (Meeting Place International Church)

Schoterweg 14.

The Fonteinkerk was built in 1934 as a cinema and was known for many years as the Frans Hals Cinema. In 1982, the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) (GKv) purchased the building, which was converted into a church over a period of three years. The GKv community continued to meet in the building until 2024. After the church merger of the GKv with two other christian denonimations, the Stadshartkerk (formerly the Wilhelminakerk on the Gedempte Oudegracht) became the new home base. Now, the international Christian community Meeting Place International Church congregates there, and the message of Jesus Christ continues to resonate in this place as well. Meet the internationals who call Haarlem (temporarily) their home.

Activities

Recharge with coffee/tea and snacks from various countries, live music.

  • Vanaf Turn left from the Fonteinkerk. Walk past the flower stall and cross the Kennemerbrug again. Immediately after the bridge, turn left onto the pedestrian path.
  • Take the first side road on the right and cross at the traffic lights. Then immediately cross to the right again to reach the other side of the road. The sidewalk is there, and you can go under the railway tracks.
  • Continue walking straight ahead along the Jansweg. At number 43, you will walk past the Sint Josephkerk. Opposite it stands the former Janskerk, where the Noord-Hollands Archief is now located.
  • Immediately after the Josephkerk, turn left onto the Donkere Begijnhof and then take the first street on the right into the Begijnhof. Here stand the Waalse Kerk (left) and the former Begijnhof Chapel (right).
  • Walk past the Waalse Kerk and turn left, then follow the road to the right and immediately left into the Korte Begijnestraat.
  • At the end of the road, turn right onto the Bakenessergracht. Walk to the end and cross the Spaarne via the white pedestrian bridge.
  • Immediately after the bridge, turn left along the Spaarne. Follow the bend to the right, turn left over the small bridge, and immediately turn left again past the houses (Visserbocht). Continue walking to Koralensteeg and turn right.
  • At the end, go under the Amsterdamse Poort and cross at the traffic lights. You are now in front of Bar Nabas.

F. Bar Nabas (Nieuw Leven Gemeente)

Gedempte Herensingel 1.

The meeting place opposite the Amsterdamse Poort (former gate to the city) certainly does not have the appearance of a classic church building. Yet, entirely new forms of being church are emerging here, closely interwoven with the neighborhood. Come and take a look at the weekday activities such as the Kids Club, the women’s mornings under the resounding name ‘Thank God it’s Friday!’, and the Youth Cafe on Monday evenings. During the walk, you can enter Bar Nabas via the Special Made hobby shop and workshop, which is part of this unique place.

Activities

Coffee/tea, special children’s activity, explanation of the location.

  • We need to go back a bit the way we came. Cross over again and go under the Amsterdamse Poort. Then don’t go into the Koralensteeg, but the street right next to it: the Spaarnwouderstraat.
  • Walk on until you reach the small bridge. Cross it and then turn left onto the Burgwal. Follow it to the Beeksteeg (the second alley on the right) and go through that alley to the intersection with the Hagestraat. At the Hagestraat, turn right and almost immediately you will arrive level with number 10.

G. Dutch start of the pilgrimage to Santiago

Near Hagestraat 10.

Hikers need to know. Countless Dutch people still walk (part of) the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela every year. What few people know is that the starting point of the pilgrimage route in the Netherlands is located in Haarlem. On the north side of Hagestraat, the St. James Guild, founded around 1319, once built the St. James Chapel. Nothing remains of the chapel. The St. James Almshouse, situated on the opposite side of the street, did withstand the test of time, although it is now called the Rosenstock-Huessy House. In front of the building, the starting line of the pilgrimage route has been symbolically marked in the street, featuring the characteristic scallop shell and the year 1437.

  • Continue walking along Hagestraat, which turns into Hoogstraat, until you reach Melkbrug. Cross the bridge and walk straight ahead into Korte Veerstraat.
    At the end, turn right onto Lange Veerstraat, and at the end turn left onto Oude Groenmarkt.
  • Walk past the Grote Kerk and then turn right onto Grote Markt.

H. Endpoint Grote Markt

End point of the walk! Of course, you are welcome to stop by the Groenmarktkerk for a chat.

BACKGROUND OF THE HAARLEM HOPE FESTIVAL

The Haarlem Hoop Festival takes place from April 5 to 12, 2026. Read more here about the background and activities of the participating churches and organizations.

REDEVELOPMENT GROENMARKT CHURCH

The Groenmarkt Church will remain a church, but with an open meeting function for the city. Sounds good? Read more about the plans and how you can support us with the redevelopment.