Haarlem is a capital of the North-Holland province, situated in the west of the Netherlands on the river Spaarne.
Haarlem is the center of a flower-growing district and the export point for flower bulbs. Many people commute to nearby Amsterdam.
Haarlem is connected on the main train line between Amsterdam and The Hague. It takes about 15 minutes to travel from Amsterdam by train. If you have – or rent – a bike, it takes between an hour and an hour and a half to cycle (depending on the cyclist) from the centre of Amsterdam, a fairly relaxing ride on typically level terrain.

[Via wikitravel.org website]