Europe Tours

Baseball…béisbol…yakyu…honkbal??

Honkbal is the Dutch word for baseball, and you’ll get plenty of it on our trip to the Netherlands to watch the biennial Honkbalweek Haarlem (Haarlem Baseball Week).

Haarlem Baseball Week celebrates its 31st year in 2024 and will feature some of the best national teams from around the world. The field is TBA, but in the previous Honkbalweek in 2022, national teams from the Netherlands, USA, Cuba, Japan, Curaçao, and Italy participated. 

Teams play three games per day during round-robin play, leading to a climactic championship. Games are played at historic Pim Mulier Stadium in Haarlem, home to not just the local professional team (Kinheim Haarlem), but also the Dutch Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. 

You’ll get a taste of European culture and history, seen through a baseball lens! Haarlem, referred to as “Little Amsterdam,” is one of Europe’s best-kept secrets. It has the culture and history of Amsterdam, but with more charm and less tourists. But let’s not kid ourselves – Amsterdam is one of the world’s greatest cities, and you will have plenty of opportunity to spend time there via an easy 10-15 minute light rail train! 

Holland is an underrated baseball country too! Their professional league – Honkbal Hoofdklasse – is the strongest in Europe. The Netherlands has a strong tradition of players from the mainland, including Hall-of-Famer Bert Blyleven, and their pro league and the national team are fortified with studs from the Dutch Indies (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao). Notable Netherlands national team alumni include Kenley Jansen, NPB home run champ Wladimir Balentien, Andrelton Simmons, Xander Bogaerts, and Andruw Jones. 

For an idea of what to expect, check out the video above and our 2022 Honkbalweek tour recap and photo log. Don’t miss this ideal opportunity to experience a rich, niche baseball culture!