Almere travel guide
Experimental architecture on land that was seabed until the 1960s
Almere is a planned city built from 1976 on reclaimed polder across the water from Amsterdam, worth a visit for its modern architecture and the Oostvaardersplassen wetland. Come between May and September. A day is enough, or stay longer as a cheaper base for Amsterdam.
Almere stands on what used to be the bottom of the Zuiderzee, across the IJmeer from Amsterdam. The polder was reclaimed between 1959 and 1968, the first house went up in 1976, and the city now has more than 200,000 people and no old town at all. That blank slate is the reason to come: planners and architects were free to experiment.
The best of it is around Almere Centrum station, in the Stadshart. The Citadel stacks homes over shops with the parking tucked underneath. Next door, the new library sits beside the city hall, and the Kunstlinie theatre faces the Weerwater lake along with a row of bold apartment blocks.
Nature is closer than in most Dutch cities. The Oostvaardersplassen wetland on the eastern edge, towards Lelystad, is one of the best places in the country for birds, and quieter evenings can be had at the Havenkom in Almere Haven, where bars face the bay. Intercity trains to Amsterdam make the city a cheaper base too, though accommodation is limited and aimed at business travellers.
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Top things to do in Almere
Modern buildings, a big wetland and quiet waterfronts.
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Best time to visit Almere
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Highs of 16 to 21C bring long evenings on the Havenkom terraces and the Weerwater shore.
Highs barely reach 5 to 9C and the wind blows unbroken across the open polder.
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Getting there
Six stations on one railway
Almere lies on a single busy railway with six stations, and Almere Centrum, where Intercity trains stop, lets you out straight into the Stadshart. Direct trains run from Schiphol without a change, and from Amsterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, The Hague and Rotterdam, with services north-east to Zwolle, Leeuwarden and Groningen.
- Schiphol (AMS)
- Direct train to Almere Centrum, about half an hour
- Amsterdam
- Frequent direct trains across the IJmeer, about 20 to 25 minutes
- Almere Centrum
- The Intercity stop, beside the Stadshart and the Weerwater
- Check ns.nl or 9292.nl if you are heading to Poort or Oostvaarders; most Intercitys skip every station except Centrum.
- Regional buses exist so commuters can avoid packed peak-hour trains; visitors are usually better off on the railway.
Where to stay
Stadshart, Almere Haven or Buiten near the reeds
Almere has only a handful of hotels, all built with business travellers in mind: modern, efficient and plain. Pick the district by your plans, with the Stadshart for the station and the Grote Markt, Almere Haven for the waterfront, and Buiten for the reedbeds of the Oostvaardersplassen.
- Stadshart
- Hotels by the Weerwater waterfront, a short walk from Almere Centrum; best for trains to Amsterdam and the architecture
- Almere Haven
- The first district built, calmer, with restaurants round the Havenkom; slower to reach the trains
- Almere Buiten
- On the railway and close to the Oostvaardersplassen, good for birdwatchers; mostly residential, so look at private rentals
Getting around
Bus lanes and bike paths
Almere was planned around public transport, and its buses run on their own roads away from car traffic, about every five minutes on the main weekday routes. Every city line ends at Almere Centrum. A parallel grid of separate cycle paths reaches every district, and bike shops at Almere Centrum and Almere Buiten stations rent bikes.
- Buses
- About every five minutes on weekday main routes, all city lines ending at Centrum
- Bike hire
- Station bike shops at Centrum and Buiten
- Sprinter
- Stops at all six stations, quickest for Poort or Oostvaarders
- Boats
- Almere City Tours sails the lakes and canals for booked groups only
- Tap a contactless bank card on the reader as you board and again as you leave the bus.
Know before you go
What makes Almere worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- Architecture in the Stadshart, from the Citadel to the Kunstlinie theatre.
- Birds at the Oostvaardersplassen, a large wetland on the polder.
- An evening drink at the Havenkom in Almere Haven, looking over the bay.
Good to know
- There is no historic centre; the oldest buildings date from the late 1970s.
- Use the train for longer trips; regional buses are designed for commuters avoiding crowded peak trains.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Almere, month by month
Almere sits on reclaimed polder, with July and August highs near 21°C and January's around 5°C. October is the wettest month at about 80 mm, April the driest at about 45 mm.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Almere (climatedata.org, via Wikipedia).
Citadel rooftops, Weerwater towers and reedbeds by bike
Almere is a day of modern architecture from Amsterdam. Get off at Almere Centrum for the Citadel, a shopping street on a deck above hidden parking with flats on top, and De Nieuwe Bibliotheek. In the afternoon walk the Weerwater towers, and in the evening ride south to Almere Haven, the first district built.
Afternoon. Go down to the Weerwater for the waterfront line of residential towers (Lakeside, The Wave, Side by Side and The City) and De Kunstlinie, the theatre beside them. Then hire a bike and follow the separate cycle paths east. Past Almere Buiten the housing gives out and the reedbeds of the Oostvaardersplassen begin, some of the best birdwatching ground in the Netherlands. Bring binoculars and give it a couple of hours.
Evening. Ride or take the bus south to Almere Haven, the first district to be built, and eat by the Havenkom, where terraces look out over the bay. If you prefer noise to calm, the bars on the Grote Markt in the centre are busier.
Grote Markt cafés in the Stadshart and slower dinners at the Havenkom
Almere, founded in 1976, has no cooking tradition of its own, but it has a wide spread of everyday places, most of them in the Stadshart around the Grote Markt. For a slower dinner, Almere Haven is the better setting, with restaurants and bars along the Havenkom, and Flevoland's young clay soils grow much of the country's produce.
The Grote Markt is the hub, ringed by bars and cafes, and the shopping streets around it have ice-cream parlours and coffee bars. Febo, the Dutch snack chain, has a branch in the Stadshart where you pull a hot kroket or frikandel from a wall of little hatches. Bakeries in the centre make filled rolls for a picnic on the Weerwater shore.
Restaurants and bars line the Havenkom, the small harbour basin, and a table at the water's edge on a July evening is the most relaxed meal the city has to give. Expect familiar Dutch and international menus.
The polder itself feeds the rest of the country. Flevoland's young clay soils grow potatoes, onions and other vegetables on an enormous scale, and in spring bulb fields elsewhere in the province turn into stripes of colour.
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How we research our Almere travel guide
Almere's rail and bus notes are checked with NS Dutch Railways and the city's official site, and its architecture and nature details against Holland.com and Wikipedia's Almere entry.
Last updated . Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Checked against trusted sources:
Official website of AlmereHolland.comNS Dutch Railways
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Almere.
Getting there
Direct Intercity trains from Almere Centrum reach Amsterdam in roughly 20 to 25 minutes; Sprinters are slower because they stop at all six Almere stations.
About half an hour, on a direct train to Almere Centrum with no change needed.
Buses run on dedicated bus roads, about every five minutes on weekday main routes, and every city line ends at Almere Centrum. Pay with a contactless card.
Almere lies on a single busy railway with six stations, and Almere Centrum, where Intercity trains stop, lets you out straight into the Stadshart. Direct trains run from Schiphol without a change, and from Amsterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, The Hague and Rotterdam, with services north-east to Zwolle, Leeuwarden and Groningen.
General
Yes, if you like modern architecture or birdwatching. There is no old town, so skip it if that is what you want.
The land was under water until the polder was drained between 1959 and 1968, and the first house was built in 1976.
Almere Centrum for almost everything: it is the Intercity stop and opens onto the Stadshart, the Weerwater and the main hotels.
The Oostvaardersplassen, a vast reed and marsh area on the eastern edge of the city towards Lelystad, is one of the best birding sites in the Netherlands.
The Grote Markt in the centre has most of the bars. The Havenkom in Almere Haven is the calmer choice, with terraces over the bay.
Only with a group: Almere City Tours, the firm that replaced Almere Veertje, currently sails only for booked groups and events. On your own, a bike along the Weerwater shore covers the same views.
Almere was planned around public transport, and its buses run on their own roads away from car traffic, about every five minutes on the main weekday routes. Every city line ends at Almere Centrum. A parallel grid of separate cycle paths reaches every district, and bike shops at Almere Centrum and Almere Buiten stations rent bikes.
Stay & facilities
It can be, since trains are quick and frequent. The catch is choice: only a few hotels exist and they are geared to business travellers, so book ahead.
Timing & weather
The best time to visit Almere is May to Sep. Mild weather for cycling, birdwatching and waterside terraces.
- Summer: May - September (Highs of 16 to 21C bring long evenings on the Havenkom terraces and the Weerwater shore)
- Winter: November - March (Highs barely reach 5 to 9C and the wind blows unbroken across the open polder)
Visa & documents
Schengen rules govern entry to the Netherlands. Citizens of the EU and of many other countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records non-EU travelers' fingerprints and a photo at the border.
Health & safety
Crime in the Netherlands is low. Bike theft and pickpocketing in busy areas are the main issues; watch out for cyclists.
