Edam

Day Trips

Immerse yourself in the culture of the Netherlands on a tour through the jewels of the Dutch countryside. Visit a cheese producer, a clog factory, a fishing village, and see the iconic windmills. Start your tour at Amsterdam’s Central Station and head in the company of your guide to the first destination of the day, Zaanse Schans. Admire the typical Dutch windmills of the town, and learn about how they are still used today. Next, drive to the Waterland area to arrive at the second stop of the tour, Edam. Walk around some of the town’s most historical sites, including the town square where the famous cheese market used to take place. Then, head to Volendam to visit a local cheese producer, learn about the production of Edam and Gouda cheeses, and try a cheese tasting. Head towards a clog factory next to discover the secrets of this typical Dutch shoe. Finally, travel back in time to the 17th century as you wander through the fishermen’s houses in the Marken, and explore this quintessential fishing village.

Depart Amsterdam by luxury bus on this 8-hour, small group, Spanish-language tour and head north of the city to see the historic windmills of Zaanse Schans on the banks of the river Zaan. Explore the traditional 17th-century houses and a collection of beautifully preserved windmills from the nation’s industrial heritage. Continue on to visit Edam, a beautiful town known worldwide for its cheese. Before the end the day, go to Volendam and Marken, passing many authentic polders, the name given to land reclaimed from the sea. Wander down narrow streets, past colorful houses and visit the harbors full of fishing boats. You will have some free time to shop for souvenirs and sample the local fish specialties. Back in Amsterdam, you will be dropped off at the meeting point.

Leave Amsterdam for half a day on this guided tour of the rolling Dutch countryside. Sit back and travel comfortably in a minivan with your fairly small group to the rural village of Edam. Take a walk through the quaint streets of Edam. En-route to Volendam, stop to visit an old cheese farm to see how authentic Dutch cheese is made. Indulge in trying some of these huge spheres of delicious cheese. Upon arrival in Volendam, follow your guide on a journey through the fishing village’s winding streets. Hear about how this bustling place was once the harbor for neighboring village Edam. Enjoy some free time to eat lunch. Next, move on to visit the windmill village of Zaanse Schans. Once used to ground spices, dyes, lumber, oil, cocoa powder, and many other items, the mills are still in use today. Some are now living museums where you can learn about the ins and outs of milling. Visit a wooden shoe factory and behold how traditional clogs are created using antique machines. Afterward, go inside a windmill and take a look at all the mechanisms and go out onto the platform for a remarkable view over the surrounding area.  Filled with newfound knowledge and a taste of the traditional Dutch ways of life, relax and reminisce about your trip while on the journey back to Amsterdam.

The first stop on this 8-hour trip from Amsterdam will be the windmills in Zaanse Schans. Continue to the region of Waterland, and visit the villages of Edam, Volendam and Marken. Your guide will tell you about the history of each place and the churches and traditional houses of the 15th century. Visit a factory where the clogs popular in this part of the country are made. Learn how they produce world-famous Dutch cheeses as well. Spend some of your free time enjoying a meal (not included in the tour price), before returning to Amsterdam at around 5:30 PM.

Escape the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam on a half-day guided tour of the Dutch countryside, starting with a 20-minute drive to the windmill village of Zaanse Schans. This outdoor conservation area is situated on the banks of the Zaan River and is home to traditional 18th and 19th century architecture, including several functioning windmills. Watch live demonstrations of craftsmen at work, including a clog maker crafting the famous wooden shoes of the Netherlands. There will be some free time to explore the village on your own, before traveling through the distinctive polders (land reclaimed from the water) of the Beemster area. From there continue on to Edam, also commonly referred to as the pearl of the Zuiderzee. Edam’s ancient streets and tranquil canals are lined by beautiful 17th century buildings, including the leaning Carillon tower, the Great Church, and town hall. Most famous in Edam is beyond any doubt the public weighing house, where in summer still every Wednesday the famous Edam Cheese is being sold. After a stroll around this history-rich town, you’ll have the opportunity to see how Edam’s world-famous cheese is made and, of course, to taste it in a closeby cheese farm. Finally, you will stop in the beautiful seaside village of Volendam. This typical fishing village with its bustling harbor has been a major tourist attraction as early as 1875. People come from all over to see the small buildings and houses and take in the locals in their traditional Dutch clothing. This is a great place to pick up souvenirs for those at home or a memento for yourself, and to have photos taken in traditional Dutch costume. Your guide will take you on a short walk through the oldest parts of the city, exploring a labyrinth of twists and turns to sites such as St. Vincent’s Church, the wooden Stolphoevekerk and the Visafslag (Fish Auction).

Explore the beautiful Dutch countryside with this full-day tour from Amsterdam. Meet your local guide at your hotel in Amsterdam and enjoy a scenic 45-minute ride to the island of Marken. Stroll through the picturesque streets of Marken and enjoy stunning views over the Markermeer, then have visit a local mini museum to discover how the people of Marken used to live. Continue your tour with a lovely 30-minute boat ride across the lake towards Volendam, where you will embark on a short walking tour of the famous fisherman village. Explore its labyrinth, see its unique former fish auction building, and then make your way to a local cheese shop to sample some local cheese. After some free time to explore Volendam, set off for the next stop on the tour: the charming medieval village of Edam. Visit Edam's former town hall, the floating cellar, as well as the oldest wooden house in town before you catch a local bus back to Amsterdam bid farewell to beautiful Dutch countryside.

Explore the Dutch countryside in a comfortable car on a full-day guided tour from Amsterdam. You’ll visit Zaanse Schans and experience first hand the traditional Dutch way of making cheese and wooden shoes. You’ll have the opportunity to enter the windmills and see how these products were made 150-200 years ago. See a diamond shop and learn how windmills were once used in the production of dyes and in the timber and oil industries. Continue on to Monnickendam, a picturesque fishing and harbor village situated on the coast of the IJsselmeer. Alternatively, enjoy the picturesque village of Edam, home to the cheese of its namesake. Take a stroll through the cozy historic center, and walk across the old drawbridges. See the lock that saves the town from flooding! Next, your journey takes you to Volendam. Stroll among the colorful houses, enjoy the lively boulevard and all the little restaurants, coffee bars, and shops. After Volendam, enjoy a 20-minute drive to the Marken Island. Stroll around and explore its quaint streets. In the summer you may even take a 30-minute boat ride to this Island from Volendam. During the day you’ll have some time to relax and sample some typical, delicious Dutch food like pancakes and herring. 

Depart from the old harbour in Volendam on your E-bike to explore multiple villages. Along the route you will see a beautiful windmill, lots of meadows, countless number of cows and sheep, and you will cross the famous Dutch dikes. From Volendam, you can ask for advice as to which villages you would like to visit with your E-bike. Within one hour you can easily visit Edam, an almost 800 year old town north of Volendam. Edam is famous for its peaceful narrow alleys and small canals, the beautiful façades of the cosy houses, and the unique small boutiques. Also Edam is known for its cheese market where visitors can both taste and purchase various cheeses. Another town,Monnickendam, can also be visited in only one hour of cycling. When walking or cruising around in the old centre of Monnickendam it will feel like you have gone back in time. If you have more time to spend, it is highly recommended that you go from Volendam to Monnickendam and from Monnickendam to the former island of Marken. Marken is a stunning town with lovely bridges over the small canals and really nice wooden façades.

Zaanse Schans will be your first destination, where you will explore this most picturesque traditional 17th-century village. Discover houses and a collection of beautifully preserved windmills from the nation’s industrial heritage. In the Zaanse Schans village, you can stroll past the charming greenhouses and visit a factory where the clogs popular in this part of the country are made. There’s also nothing more Dutch than cheese, and you will be able to try some at the Catharina Hoeve Farm. The most obvious association with the name "Edam" is its cheese. For centuries the well-known and round Edam cheeses have been sent from this town to all corners of the world. You will be invited to take a walk along the old streets and quiet canals, where one can easily imagine how it looked centuries ago. Discover the well-preserved gables, squares, bridges, and tea-houses on the "Schepenmakersdijk", as well as the leaning Carillon tower (1561), the historic museum with its floating cellar, the dam, the Townhall, and more. Your trip will continue to the village of Volendam, where you can admire brightly painted wooden houses and see locals wearing their colorful regional attire. Your guide will take you on a short walk through Volendam Harbour, which has been one of the most popular tourist attractions in the village since 1875. This is a great place to pick up souvenirs and gifts for those at home, and to have photos taken in traditional Dutch costumes. For the final part of your tour, you will be invited to enjoy the city of Amsterdam throughout a canal cruise. There is no better way to experience the essence of the Dutch capital than on an Amsterdam canal cruise, as you wind past grand merchant houses, Gothic churches, museums, and medieval buildings.