“Are you by the sea?” We get that question almost every week. The answer: no, but close. Bergen and Bergen aan Zee belong to the same municipality, but they are two very different places. Here is how it works.
The short answer
- Bergen is the village: the Ruïnekerk, museums, galleries, shops and restaurants. This is where Fabel’s is.
- Bergen aan Zee is the seaside resort on the coast: beach, dunes and the Zee Aquarium.
- They are about five kilometres apart, with the woods and dunes in between.
Bergen, the artists’ village
Bergen grew up around a chapel, on the spot where the Ruïnekerk now stands. At the start of the twentieth century painters came here for the light and the landscape. Around 1915 the Bergen School was born, and you can still feel that atmosphere today.
- the Ruïnekerk, the heart of the village
- Museum Kranenburgh and Museum Het Sterkenhuis
- galleries, studios and independent shops
- the weekly market on Saturdays, around the church
- cafés, restaurants and terraces
The village lies behind the dunes, the sea beyond them.
Bergen aan Zee, the seaside resort
Bergen aan Zee is much younger. The resort was founded in 1906 on the initiative of Jacob van Reenen, then lord and mayor of Bergen. It is small and quiet, with a wide beach and the dunes of the North Holland Dune Reserve all around.
- the beach and the beach pavilions
- the Zee Aquarium, open every day
- walking and cycling routes through the dunes
- hotels and holiday apartments
From the village to the sea
By bike. The most beautiful way: through the Bergen Woods and then into the dunes. You can hire bikes in the village, including directly opposite the Ruïnekerk.
By car. About ten minutes’ drive. In summer it gets busy at the coast; arrive early.
By bus. From Alkmaar railway station, bus 166 runs to Bergen Plein, in the centre of the village. In summer a coastal bus continues to Bergen aan Zee; check your travel app before you set off.
Not to be confused with
- Bergen op Zoom, a city in the province of North Brabant
- Bergen in Limburg, a municipality in the north of Limburg
- Bergen in Norway, the port city on the west coast
Looking it up in your satnav? Type “Bergen NH”.
Which one suits you?
If you come for art, shops and a terrace, the village is where you want to be. If you want beach and sea, head for Bergen aan Zee. Want both? Do the village in the morning and the sea in the afternoon, as in our day plan.
Fabel’s tip
Start the day with breakfast at our place, cycle to the sea and come back in the evening for a drink or dinner on the heated terrace. The kitchen is open until 22:00, on Fridays and Saturdays until 22:30.
Good to know
Is Bergen on the sea?
No. The village of Bergen lies behind the dunes. The seaside resort of Bergen aan Zee is about five kilometres further on, on the coast.
How do you get from Bergen to Bergen aan Zee?
By bike through the woods and dunes, by car in about ten minutes, or in summer by coastal bus from Bergen Plein.
When was Bergen aan Zee founded?
In 1906, on the initiative of Jacob van Reenen, who was lord and mayor of Bergen at the time.
Is Bergen NH the same as Bergen op Zoom?
No. Bergen NH is in the province of North Holland, near Alkmaar. Bergen op Zoom is a city in North Brabant.
Written by the team at Fabel’s eten & drinken, Oude Prinsweg 9, Bergen (NH), the Netherlands. Last updated on 9 November 2026.