Honkbal = Dutch Baseball!
July 14-20, 2024: Haarlem Baseball Week
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), a European baseball festival and tournament that is one of the true hidden gems of the global baseball scene.
Haarlem Baseball Week celebrates its 31st year in 2024 and will feature some of the best national teams from around the world. Participating countries in 2024 include Netherlands, USA, Japan, Taiwan, Spain, and Italy (whose manager is Mike Piazza!).
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!
Our tour offers lots of flexibility, so you can attend as many or as few games as you wish, and you can do sightseeing in Haarlem and Amsterdam at your leisure!
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, 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!Italy
*Itinerary
- Sunday, July 14: Arrive to Amsterdam by 3PM to make it to the hotel in Haarlem in time for our first game; 7:00 PM: Honkbalweek Game 1
- 7/15: Amsterdam morning trip to Van Gogh Museum, hosted welcome lunch, Honkbalweek games
- 7/16: Haarlem canal cruise/tour, Honkbalweek games
- 7/17: Amsterdam tourist day: Rijksmuseum, hosted lunch, Anne Frank House; Honkbalweek night game
- 7/18: Local museum, hosted stadium dinner, Honkbalweek games
- 7/19: Local museum, hosted stadium picnic, Honkbalweek Championship Round
- 7/20: Depart Amsterdam anytime
*This is a sample itinerary; specific days and activities are TBD
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A guide to lead you through a detailed itinerary with an engaging combination of baseball, targeted sightseeing, and outings, the result of which will give you a cost-effective and in-depth personal tour of the Dutch baseball landscape like no other.
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Business-class accommodation.
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All in-tour land travel.
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Tickets to approximately 13 games.
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At least three group meals.
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Group sightseeing in Amsterdam and Haarlem.
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Visits with local friends and/or baseball personalities.
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Detailed airport arrival and departure instructions (in some cases, airport transportation is included).
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Scheduling flexibility. Want to come early or stay late? We can help you plan that.
- Carbon offset: In order to mitigate the tour’s environmental impact, we will use our profits to purchase a carbon offset from Sustainable Travel International on behalf of each guest.
Airfare and airport transportation are not included.