Things to do in

Alkmaar

Your morning or afternoon in Alkmaar will start at your hotel or, if you travel to Alkmaar from elsewhere, at the train station. Set off at a relaxing pace to make sure you really get to see, feel and learn all about this town. The most important sights that your private guide will show are the public weighing house, home to the weekly cheese market on Fridays during the summer (April – first Friday in September), Saint Lauren Church and the pretty 16th century constructed town hall. House with the bullet is a wooden building from the 16th century with a bullet in its façade dating back to the days of the war against Spain in 1573. See the lively shopping streets and relax on of the many terraces in Alkmaar. The town of Alkmaar has over 400 monuments and is the oldest city in this part of the country, most likely founded by the Romans. Your visit to Alkmaar is made complete with a visit to the cheese museum. In this museum you will learn all about the process of cheese making from milk to the cheese you find back home in your local supermarket. After having spent two lovely hours at lively Alkmaar, you can join the locals in the shops or bar. If you travel further on, the new train station welcomes you back for journey onwards.

The charming town of Alkmaar is compact, walkable and historically rich, with a beautiful medieval center. On this small group tour, enjoy walking through the cobbled streets and along picturesque canals as your guide tells you all about the town's history. Walk 3-4 km through the medieval center and see some of Alkmaar's most important and historic monuments such as the Grote Sint Laurenskerk (the Great St. Lawrence Church), the Stadhuis (City Hall) and the Waag (Weigh House). Learn all about the history of Alkmaar and how the strength and the determination of the townspeople managed to defeat the Spanish forces in 1573. Stop at the Molen van Piet (Piet's Windmill) for the perfect Dutch photo opportunity. You will also get an insight into Dutch culture and way of life from a foreigner's perspective. You will not only see some of Alkmaar's most iconic monuments, but you will also wander off the beaten path and see the real Alkmaar.   Join a small group tour and enjoy a more personalized experience.

Learn about the historical traditions of Dutch cheese at the nostalgic market of Alkmaar. Trace the steps of time back to the area's flourishing days of cheese trade that have now become popular tourist attractions in the modern day. Visit the Alkmaar cheese market (on a Friday), which dates back to 1365, cheese weighing up to 30,000 kilos are lined up waiting for customers to dig in. Immerse yourself in this almost theatrical display of tradition as farmers clap one another to confirm a sale, and don’t forget to take a selfie with the cheese girls and boys in traditional dress. Enjoy some free time to discover the market and surrounding city on your own, and learn about the area on a brief guided walking tour with a friendly professional guide.

Visit Alkmaar's traditional Cheese Market - the oldest in the Netherlands! On this 2.5-hour small group walking tour, you will learn all about Alkmaar's most well known attraction: the Cheese Market! Also wander through Alkmaar's medieval center and along pretty cobbled streets and picturesque canals. Watch the traditional way of trading cheese how it was done centuries ago. Spend approximately 45 minutes at the Cheese Market which is ample time to see everything. While you are there, learn all about the market's history and listen to your guide explaining what is happening in front of you! If you feel like it, you can try a variety of Dutch cheeses and even buy some to bring home with you. Then, walk through the cobbled streets of Alkmaar and along its picturesque canals. Stop at the Molen van Piet (Piet's Windmill) for the perfect Dutch photo opportunity! See some of Alkmaar's most famous buildings such as the Grote Sint Laurenskerk (Great St Lawrence Church), the Stadhuis (City Hall) and the Waag (the Weigh House). On this tour you will get an insight into Dutch culture and way of life through the eyes of a foreigner living in Alkmaar, as your tour guide originally stems from Canada.

Tick another item off your bucket list and experience the beauty of Spring in the Netherlands! What could be more Dutch than cycling along fields of tulips? You can expect to cycle approximately 20km on this small group tour (through mainly flat countryside), depending on the weather and the field conditions.  You will have ample opportunities to stop and take photos of the flowers before heading back to Alkmaar. Being in a small group tour ensures that you can cycle at a pace that is comfortable and guarantees a much more personalized experience!

Get to know the town of Alkmaar, located in North Holland, on a 2-hour guided tour of the city and visit to the cheese market. After meeting your guide at the train station, enjoy a stroll through one of the oldest medieval cities in the Netherlands. Walk through the city center, which has remained the same for 400 years. Listen and learn important facts and small tidbits of information about Alkmaar, a town that's oozing with Dutch charm. Then make your way to the traditional cheese market, one of only 4 left in the Netherlands. Learn about the market's founding and growth, and find a favorite cheese to take home with you.

Learn about the tradition of Dutch cheesemaking at the charming market of Alkmaar. Trace the steps of time back to the area's flourishing days of cheese trade that have now become popular tourist attractions in the modern-day. Visit the Alkmaar cheese market on a Friday, which dates back to 1365. See a variety of cheeses weighing up to 30,000 kilos which are lined up waiting for customers to purchase. Immerse yourself in this almost theatrical display of tradition as farmers clap one another to confirm a sale, and don’t forget to take a selfie with the cheese girls and boys in traditional dress. Enjoy some free time to discover the market and surrounding city on your own, and learn about the area on a brief guided walking tour with a friendly professional guide. Then, return to Amsterdam, where you will finish your day with a choice of two attractions. Enjoy a 5D VR flight experience over the Dutch countryside. Experience breathtaking films providing you with a spectacular perspective from the air and new insights into how the Netherlands was created. Thanks to the astonishing special effects projected on a huge domed screen, you’ll feel like you’re soaring over the must-see sites of the Netherlands. Or, choose to take a relaxing canal cruise to admire Amsterdam's most famous attractions. The cruise passes all of Amsterdam's most famous attractions and you’ll encounter canal houses from the Golden Age, the Westerkerk, and the Anne Frank House.