Vist Alkmaar
About a 30 minutes drive up north from Amsterdam you will find the lovely quaint city of Alkmaar. Known as the city of cheese in North Holland, the town has much more to offer. Alkmaar has a beautiful old centre with many historic monuments. Nonetheless it is far less busy than Amsterdam. However it does have great shopping opportunities and countless welcoming terraces and cafes / restaurants to rest and enjoy some local drinks and food.
Visit the Alkmaar Cheesemarket!
A visit to Alkmaar is a nice get-away from Amsterdam. Especially worthwhile, during the Cheesemarket in Alkmaar. This interesting event takes place in high season only. From March 31st – September 10th, every Friday from 10 AM untill 1 PM on the Waagplein.
The market will be filled with cheeses, carried by cheese carriers. In 1365 Alkmaar was granted weighing rights and a weighing scale. The cheese market has been a custom in Alkmaar for many centuries. Old documents confirm that the cheese bearer’s guild was founded in 1593.
The Alkmaar Cheesemarket Program (subject to confirmation):
- 09.50: Welcome
- 09.55: Introduction of the bell-ringer
- 10.00: The market is opened officially by the bell
- 10.05 – 10.50: Explanation to visitors in Dutch, German, English, French and Spanish
- 10.50 – 11.15: Carillon Performance
- 11.20 – 12.05: Another Explanation to visitors in Dutch, German, English, French and Spanish
- 12.15 – 12.45 : Carillon Performance
- Alkmaar MuseumsAlkmaar also has a range of interesting museums, including the Stedelijk Museum, Beer Museum, Beatles Museum and naturally the Cheese Museum.
Alkmaar Museums
Alkmaar also has a range of interesting museums, including the Stedelijk Museum, Beer Museum, Beatles Museum and naturally the Cheese Museum.
A Museum Windmill Visit in North-Holland
The drive to Alkmaar can be easily combined with a visit of the Museum Mill Schermer on the way back. The Museum Mill in Schermerhorn is 1 of the 11 remaining polder mills in the Schermer. And this beautifully maintained mill is still working!
The Museum Mill is one of the mills that is left over and you can see it from top to bottom.
You see how the mill works and how people used to live in the mill. You can climb all the way up to the ridge and see the mill working from up close. The miller gladly will answer your questions about how the mill works.
Dive into the history of Dutch watermanagement
About 400 years ago, the Schermermeer was drained by 52 mills (between 1633 and 1635). This resulted in the Schermerpolder. A unique piece of water management from the Golden Age. Learn how we made land out of water!
In Schermer you can enjoy the vast landscape with mills and the history of the reclamation. This museum is often relatively quiet to visit, compared to some other more touristy windmill experiences.
The Museum Mill is open to the public every day from 1 April to 1 November. Ask for the options if you would like to like the idea to combine a visit of Alkmaar with this authentic windmill.
Would you like to visit Alkmaar with a private guide and transportation? Book your tour with us for a great experience. Email us for a custom offer.
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