Things to do in

Alkmaar

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.

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.

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.

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.

Explore the beautiful Zaan area on a boat at your own pace. Start the journey at the main dock of the Zaanse Schans. Get on a boat and hear the explanations of the friendly staff to sail safely. After the introduction, you can either sail north, towards the scenic village of Wormerveer or south towards Zaandam. In both ways, you will come across multiple bars and restaurants on the water. Don't miss the chance to park the boat and go for a drink. In case you decide to go north, you will arrive at the Uitgeester Lake after Wormerveer. This is a beautiful widespread lake, where you can easily go for a swim. You can also visit Alkmaar, known as the Dutch city of cheese with a traditional market held every Friday.

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!