Castricum is a quiet residential village of 24,000 people between Alkmaar and Beverwijk, notable mostly because it has a train station right at the edge of the Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland dunes and pine woods. Castricum aan Zee (the beach, 3 km west) is a small resort strand with a few pavilions. The village itself has one main shopping street (Dorpsstraat), the Duin en Bosch mental health institution grounds now partly open to the public, and not much else — this is a where-you-sleep-to-hike place.
This suits cyclists and hikers wanting cheap access to the dune landscape without paying Egmond aan Zee or Bergen prices. From Castricum station you can walk directly into the national park in ten minutes. It does not suit anyone wanting culture, nightlife, or a Dutch small-town vibe — Castricum is functional and residential. The train to Amsterdam is 35 minutes, so it can also work as a bare-bones Amsterdam commute base if you value nature over urbanity.
Where to stay in Castricum
Around the station and Dorpsstraat is the small centre, $75-$115. Fort bij Krommeniedijk and some rural B&Bs offer atmospheric alternatives at $90-$140. Castricum aan Zee has a couple of beachfront options, $110-$150 in summer. Nothing luxury, everything functional. Book beach hotels ahead in July-August; the village hotels have availability most times.
Hotels in Castricum
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Things to do in Castricum
- Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland by bikeEnter directly from the station via the marked cycle route. Rent bikes at the station OV-fiets, $5. Marked routes from 6 to 30 km through dunes and pine woods, some with sea views. Free. Highland cattle and Konik horses grazing.
- Castricum aan Zee beachBus 165 from the station or 3 km cycle. Wide beach, two or three pavilions (Deining, Zee & Zon), quieter than Egmond or Zandvoort. Beach season May-October. Off-season the beach is empty and excellent for windy walks.
- Huis van Hilde archaeology museumWesterplein 6, next to the station. Regional archaeology, $10, striking modern building. Not the most exciting museum but pleasant on a rainy hour. Tue-Sun 11am-5pm.
- Fort bij KrommeniedijkLagendijk 22, 6 km east. Part of the Stelling van Amsterdam UNESCO defence line, restored as a nature reserve and museum. $8, weekends April-October. Combine with a bike ride through the polder east of Castricum.
Getting there & around
From Castricum station, follow the marked path west into Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland, up onto the dune ridge with sea views on one side and Highland cattle grazing on the other, down to the beach at Castricum aan Zee, along the beach for a kilometre, and back via a parallel path through the pine woods.
Trains from Amsterdam Centraal every 15 minutes, 35 minutes, $8. From Alkmaar, 8 minutes. From Schiphol, 45-55 minutes with a change at Amsterdam Sloterdijk. Bus 165 from the station to Castricum aan Zee (10 min) and to Egmond aan Zee (20 min). Bikes are the local transport of choice — rent OV-fiets at the station or private rental at Fietsenmakerij Wester on Dorpsstraat, $12 a day.
Questions answered
Castricum or Bergen as a base for the dunes?
Castricum is on the train line (direct Amsterdam access, 35 min) and cheaper. Bergen is prettier as a town and closer to the artist-colony atmosphere. If you are hiking and cycling, Castricum. If you also want cafés and evening pleasure, Bergen.
Can I do Amsterdam day trips from Castricum?
Yes — direct train every 15 minutes, 35 minutes to Amsterdam Centraal, $8 each way. Cheaper than staying in Amsterdam and you sleep next to the national park. The compromise is that Castricum itself has limited evening options — three or four restaurants, all closed by 10pm.
Nearby areas
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