Velsen-Noord offers a range of reasons to visit: at the wide Noordpier Beach, wind and waves shape the water sports on offer; in town, buildings from the 19th century and the post-war period draw attention to architecture. When planning, you can decide whether the beach and sports or architecture should be the focus of your trip.
Noordpier Beach and water sports
Noordpier Beach lies directly north of the Noordzeekanaal and south of Wijk aan Zee. Its wide shoreline, distinctive wind conditions and wave currents make it a place for wind and water sports. An activity zone offers pursuits such as kitesurfing, surfing and stand-up paddleboarding. This puts various types of water sports in the spotlight, rather than just one discipline.
Noordpier Beach also has beach pavilions, the Sea You restaurant and a surf centre. If these offerings are important to your plans, check their availability before your visit. Wind and wave conditions are a defining feature of the beach; they give you a specific point of reference if you want to associate Velsen-Noord primarily with activities on the water.
Buildings from different periods
On the border with Beverwijk stands Villa Beecksangh, a 19th-century neoclassical villa with Empire-style features. On the Grote Hout- or Koningsweg are semi-detached houses for railway keepers from the same period. Their distinctive pointed arches made of yellow bricks are a striking architectural detail.
Different building types can also be seen along Wijkerstraatweg. A row of workers’ houses there was designed by architect Bartels. The three houses at Wijkerstraatweg 84–88, by contrast, were designed by Romke de Vries for the Melkinrichting. Their slightly modernist design features large, continuous glass surfaces. These examples let you notice both the type of building and the different design features when looking at the houses.
Another structure is the war memorial Gehavende Vrije Vogel: a figurative steel bird sculpture mounted on a column. The Administratiekantoor van de Hoogovens is among architect Dudok’s more accomplished post-war designs in Velsen-Noord. Velsen-Noord also offers visitors an architectural look at the reconstruction-era architecture of W. M. Dudok. Together, these topics offer an insight into architecture, memorials and post-war reconstruction, without needing to be combined into a set sightseeing route.
Plan your journey and accommodation
Two connections are listed for getting there. The Watertaxi IJmuiden is a paid ferry service for passengers and bicycles between IJmuiden and Velsen-Noord. Bus route 74 connects Beverwijk and Velsen-Noord with IJmuiden. The ferry is therefore the listed connection for people travelling with a bicycle; the bus route connects the three places. If you plan to take the Watertaxi, check the timetable before travelling.
When looking for a holiday rental in Velsen-Noord, you can first decide on the focus of your trip and the best way to get there. The beach and water sports offer a different focus from exploring the architecture.
Discover more destinations: Velsen-Zuid, Ijmuiden, Santpoort-Noord, Driehuis
For the broader travel overview: Velsen.
