Den Helder is an attractive city, not only to live in, but for a holiday as well! North Holland North, with Den Helder at the top, is the land of sun, sea, tranquillity and clean air. The city hosts tens of thousands of foreign tourists during the summer months. Some 1.5 million nights a year are spent at tourist accommodations. The city is built for this: the roads, parking facilities, retail trade, recreational and care facilities are designed to accommodate more than 80,000 people.
Den Helder and its surroundings have hotels, pensions and bed & breakfasts. Julianadorp is the ideal seaside resort for the entire family, with camping grounds, bungalow parks, bed & breakfasts, subtropical swimming pools, an expansive, clean beach and magnificent dunes. Huisduinen (which also has a number of hotels and pensions) marks the beginning of the seven kilometre-long beach, with a pleasant beach club at each major beach access. Aside from the multitude of excellent accommodations, Den Helder also has interesting museums, delightful shopping centres and lovely hiking and cycling routes. It’s brimming with activities during the summer months!
Den Helder is known as a naval town - which is not surprising, considering the Royal Navy has been the largest employer in the region for over 175 years! Despite considerable reductions in staffing levels, a high percentage of the working population are still employed by the Royal Navy or in related sectors. But Den Helder is more than home port of the Dutch naval fleet: it is a fishing port (with one of the most modern fish auctions in Europe) and an important base for the offshore and the transport sector.