Marken

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.

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.

Start your tour with a convenient, pickup service from your accommodation. After being picked up from Amsterdam in a luxury Mercedes sedan or minivan by a professional driver, travel to one of the most beautiful villages in Holland, Giethoorn. Take a lovely canal cruise through the village, known as the Dutch Venice. The elongated village is located in one of the largest areas of continuous fenland in northern Europe. The village is an excellent starting point to make a canoe trip through the area and there are a number of special museums and art galleries to discover.  After exploring Giethoorn, you will visit the Zaanse Schans. Stroll past the bakery museum and enjoy the smell of fresh bread, or take a look at the warehouse where clogs are made. You should be sure not to miss the cheese factory, pewter foundry, and the various windmills. The Zaanse Schans is a unique part of the Netherlands, full of wooden houses, mills, barns, and workshops. Enjoy a cycling or sailing trip, browse the shops, or treat yourself at the pancake restaurant. After the windmills, you will visit Volendam, a small fishing village with 22000 citizens. Walk along the beautiful harbor and marvel at the typical Volendam shops before enjoying lunch at one of the best seafood restaurants in Holland (at own expense). Depending on the amount of time remaining, you can take a boat trip with the Volendam-Marken express. For over 80-years the Volendam-Marken Express has operated a ferry service between Volendam and Marken. The boats sail all year round and every year thousands of travelers use the ferry to enjoy a relaxed trip on the water and to visit the historic towns and harbors of Volendam and Marken. After a day full of adventure and excitement, your driver will return you back to your accommodation for an evening of well-deserved rest.

The first stop on your tour from Amsterdam is Zaanse Schans, an old industrial village where windmills were used for a variety of purposes. The few windmills that have survived have been restored to their original function. You’ll see a water mill, an oil mill, a paint mill, and a spice mill. Near Zaanse Schans the area is famous for its traditional green timbered houses and warehouses. See the famous fishing village of Volendam, visit the famous harbor, take a stroll on the dike, and have a photo taken in traditional Volendammer costume. Visit a cheese factory, where you’ll see a demonstration about Dutch cheese and learn everything there is to know about making it. You can taste and smell the different cheeses produced at the factory. Get to know the famous fish dishes of the village by having lunch at one of the restaurants by the harbor (not included in the tour price). Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a walk through Broek, one of the most charming villages of the Waterland area. This former island is one of the few villages in the Netherlands where traditions are well preserved. Visit the wooden shoe factory and see how craftsmen quickly transform blocks of wood into wooden shoes, known as klompen.

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.

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.

Feel like a local on your bike and discover the countryside North of Amsterdam in a private 8-hour guided full-day bike tour from Amsterdam. Your experienced and friendly guide is at your service all day long.  From the central Amsterdam meeting point, you will catch the ferryboat to the North of Amsterdam. Enjoy a scenic 90-minute ride to the island of Marken. Pass by small villages such as Durgerdam and Uitdam, just north of the city. Stroll through the picturesque streets of Marken and enjoy stunning views of Markermeer. Visit a museum to discover how the people of Marken used to live and enjoy some free time. Next is a half hour boatride to Volendam.  Upon your arrival in Volendam you can enjoy a short walking tour of this famous fisherman village. This typical fishing village with its bustling harbor, small buildings and houses and locals in traditional Dutch clothing has been a major tourist attraction since 1875. 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). Next is the charming medieval village of Edam, also 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.