The name Heiloo describes very well what you will find here: expansive forests (loo) and a shrine. This leafy environment is in a perfect location: from Heiloo you can cycle to the beach or the centre of Alkmaar in fifteen minutes!
Onze Lieve Vrouwe ter Nood
Hidden in the forest you will find the pilgrimage site Onze Lieve Vrouwe ter Nood. This Marian pilgrimage site is visited annually by tens of thousands of people. Some come to drink the water that comes from the well where the words 'If you honour me, the wind will change' can be read above the healing water. Others take an inspiring walk along the stations of the cross in the forest. The chapel and circuit with religious paintings make it an idyllic spot with plenty of peace and reflection.
Film and visual arts
The village has no less than two shopping centres, the Stationscentrum and indoor Winkelhof ’t Loo, where on Wednesdays - during the weekly market under the White Church - there is always a hive of activity. Outdoor swimming pool Het Baafje exudes the kind of nostalgia you only find in old movies. It is not without good reason that the pool has hosted many film crews making children's films. This is a great place to cool down during a warm day. At the eye-catching Cultuurkoepel, located on the site of the GGZ institution, cultural gatherings and concerts are regularly organised. The impressive domed hall, with its stained glass windows, provides a venue for literature, theatre, dance, music and visual arts.