Booking now for Christmas market day trips · 27 Nov to 3 Jan
FRIDAYS ONLY · MAR TO SEP · ALKMAAR TO VOLENDAM

Alkmaar Cheese Market, Edam & Volendam + Traditional Farm

Four stops, eight guests, one Friday. Two hours at the cheese market, hidden Edam, a traditional farm with clogs and cheese, and Volendam harbour. Book online now!

Antonis Iliadis, your guide
Antonis Iliadis
Licensed guide · First-aid certified
★ 4.99 · 246 reviews
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Next available: Fri 11 Sep
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Two hours at the cheese market while the carriers are still running, the quiet canals of Edam, a traditional farm with clogs and cheese, and the harbour at Volendam. Fridays, the last Friday of March to the last Friday of September. Book online now!

In short

Is there a small-group day trip from Amsterdam to the Alkmaar cheese market?

Yes. EcoEcho Tours runs a Fridays-only small-group day trip, maximum 8 guests, from Amsterdam to the Alkmaar cheese market, continuing to Edam, Volendam, a traditional farm. Around 10 to 12 hours, departing 09:00 from in front of Centraal Station (Prins Hendrikkade 20B), guided in English or Greek by licensed guide Antonis Iliadis. €169 per person.

Photo essay

One Friday, four stops.

The cheese carriers in white, the quiet canals of Edam, clogs and tastings at the farm, and Volendam harbour. Real frames from a real Friday on the road.

Cheese carrier pushing a wooden barrow stacked with cheese wheels at the Alkmaar Friday cheese market
Cheese inspector in a white coat sampling a cheese wheel in front of guests at the Alkmaar market
Waagplein square during the Friday cheese market in Alkmaar with carriers, cheese rows and crowds
Alkmaar cheese market small-group day trip from Amsterdam, Stop 04
Alkmaar cheese market small-group day trip from Amsterdam, Stop 01
The Waag tower of Alkmaar seen from the canal under a moody Dutch sky

Tour Facts

Everything you need to know.

Price From €169 per person Booked and paid online, no surprises on the day.
Duration 10 to 12 hours
Start Time 09:00 AM Avoiding crowds.
Group Size Small groups A relaxed small-group day trip, Fridays only.
Language Greek, English
Meeting Point In front of Centraal Station Prins Hendrikkade 20B · 1012 TL Amsterdam · 09:00 AM sharp Open in Google Maps →
Season Last Friday of March to last Friday of September Friday market only · 10:00 to 13:00

“What a wonderful tour with EcoEcho tours, with Antonis as our tour guide. Very knowledgeable in the history of Amsterdam and knows the right time to go to the each place. It was a very entertaining and enjoyable day.”

Barbara Rossignol · Google review

What's Included

All included.

  • Cheese & Clog Farm (Tastings & demonstrations)
  • Comfortable minivan
  • Bottle of water
  • Photos & Videos
  • AR overlays on iPad
  • Books to read
  • Chargers
  • Free-wifi

On this tour

Small acts, made here.

  1. The Alkmaar cheese market has run since 1365. The family vendors carrying the wheels know the difference.
  2. Hybrid mini-van from Amsterdam: quieter arrival into a historic town that does not need more noise.
  3. Friday timing managed carefully around peak-crowd hours: the market is best before the tour buses find it.
Read our full philosophy

The Itinerary

Market, polder, harbour.

Four stops from the cheese market to the harbour. Paced for a small group, never rushed.

The day at a glance

Alkmaar Cheese Market Edam & Secret Museum Traditional Farm, Clogs & Tastings Volendam: Lunch, Shop & Cookies

    01

    Alkmaar Cheese Market

    STOP 1 · TRADITION

    We reach Alkmaar at 09:45 and stay about two hours, which covers the carriers running and the cheese leaving the square. We start at the legendary Alkmaar Cheese Market. You won't just watch. You will witness a living tradition. See the cheese carriers in their white suits hauling thousands of kilos of cheese, exactly as they have done for centuries. This market dates back to 1365. We explain the secrets of the Cheese Carriers Guild, why they run with a specific gait, and how this trade shaped the Dutch Golden Age economy.

    02

    Edam & Secret Museum

    STOP 2 · POLDER & CANALS

    Beyond the cheese, Edam tells the story of the Dutch struggle against the water. As we pass through the Beemster Polder (UNESCO site), we explain Dutch Water Management engineering. We then wander Edam's quiet canals and visit a secret museum (entrance included) to see how a rich merchant lived during the rise of the Netherlands.

    03

    Traditional Farm, Clogs & Tastings

    STOP 3 · FOLKLORE & FUN

    We visit a traditional farm. Farmers in costume welcome the group and run a wooden shoe (clog) carving demonstration. Of course, we explore the Yellow Gold (cheese), but that's not all. Enjoy extensive tastings of various local delicacies and cheeses in a lively atmosphere. The demonstrations and the tastings are included in the price.

    04

    Volendam: Lunch, Shop & Cookies

    STOP 4 · VILLAGE VIBES

    In the famous village of Volendam, we make the most of your time. We treat you to a tasting of traditional Dutch Christmas cookies, made all year in something like seventy flavours. We guide you to the best and cheapest souvenir shop in town and provide personal recommendations for a delicious fresh fish lunch by the harbor.

Check Availability & Book →

Next available: Fri 11 Sep

Beyond the Sights

Why This Friday Tour?

Small Group

Max 8 people. Personal attention, relaxed pace, no big buses.

All Inclusive

Cheese tasting, clog demonstration, cookies, and museum entry included.

Insider Tips

Best cheap souvenirs, best lunch spots, and the places locals keep to themselves.

In their words

What guests actually say. (246)

246 guest reviews, 4.99 average across Google, GetYourGuide and Tripadvisor.

  • Excellent tour guide friendly, happy, knowledgeable and eager to help in every occasion. The holiday in the Netherlands was fantastic. Such a beautiful and friendly country!!!
    Dimitrios Christodoulou Google
  • You can book any tourism company, but it's rare to find a guide like Antonis. He is truly exceptional, warm, enthusiastic, and incredibly knowledgeable about the places he shows you. His passion for guiding shines through, and he goes out of his way to ensure you have a memorable and pleasant experience. I traveled alone, but Antonis never made me feel alone for a moment. His friendly nature and genuine excitement made the trip feel personal and special.
    P J Google
  • The best tours in the netherlands. I went with my school psychico college and he knew everything about all the cities. Antonis iliadis we love him a lot
    sakxar Google
  • Had an amazing tour with Adonis. He was absolutely fantastic and made it a really enjoyable day for us. He was cheerful and told us interesting facts. Would highly recommend this tour whenever you are visting amsterdam.
    Sangeeta Sharma Google
  • We had an incredible experience during the entire trip. Not only the places we visited were amazing, but Adonis (our guide) made everything for us to feel good- telling us interesting stories about the venues and bringing a great mood.
    Pavlin Slavchev Google
  • Grade Guide, passionate and willing to explain every single detail. In love with his city and with tourists eager to learn
    Cos Pap Google
Read more guest reviews
Antonis Iliadis, Founder & Lead Guide

Your Guide

Antonis Iliadis, Your Guide on the Road

Licensed tour guide · First-aid certified · English & Greek

Born in Thessaloniki. A web developer for over a decade, a year each in Budapest, Berlin and Athens, then ten years in Amsterdam. When tourism reopened after the pandemic, I started guiding bike days on weekends. By 2025 it was a company. EcoEcho is built for small groups. Honest pacing, real local stories, no guidebook clichés.

Text by Antonis Iliadis · Updated 22 Aug 2026

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Other ways to spend a day

Three more ideas.

Different routes, the same guide and the same standard of care. If this one is taken on your dates, or you simply want to see another corner of the country.

The crowded square of the Alkmaar Friday cheese market under the trees, with the church tower behind

Private Alkmaar Cheese Market & Giethoorn (Fridays Only)
Private Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Giethoorn day trip, Stop 04

Private tour: Zaanse Schans, Volendam & Giethoorn day trip
Guests in an open boat on a Giethoorn canal, reed banks and a thatched farmhouse ahead

Amsterdam to Giethoorn & Villages: Volendam, Edam & Dike Drive (Small Group)

Frequently Asked

Got Questions? (16)

Everything travellers ask us about this tour.

    Is lunch included?
    Lunch is not included to give you freedom. In Volendam, we recommend the best spots for fresh fish or local dishes to suit your taste and budget.
    Is this suitable for children?
    Yes, and there is no minimum age. The farm, the museum in Edam and Volendam harbour work for every age, and the day is paced so nobody is dragged.
    Where exactly do we meet?
    We meet at 09:00 AM sharp in front of Centraal Station. Address: Prins Hendrikkade 20B, 1012 TL Amsterdam.
    When does this tour run?
    Fridays only, from the last Friday of March to the last Friday of September. The Alkmaar cheese market does not run outside that window, so neither does this day.
    How long is the day?
    Ten to twelve hours. We meet at 09:00 sharp in front of Centraal Station, leave at 09:00, and you are back in Amsterdam in the evening.
    What is included in the price?
    The minivan, the traditional farm with its cheese tastings and clog demonstration, a bottle of water, and live guiding all day in English or Greek. Food is on your own account.
    How many people are in the group?
    A small group, maximum eight guests. That is what lets the day take smaller roads and stop where a coach cannot.
    What language is the guiding in?
    English or Greek, live, the whole day. Mixed groups get both.
    Where do we go after the market?
    Edam and its small museum, a traditional farm for the cheese and clog demonstrations, and Volendam harbour for the cookie tasting and free time.
    What time do we reach the cheese market and how long do we stay?
    We reach Alkmaar at 09:45 and stay about two hours, which covers the market from the carriers running to the last cheese leaving the square.
    Is the day accessible with a wheelchair?
    On the minivan days it works if the chair folds, so it can travel with us between the stops. Tell us when you book and we will say honestly what the day looks like for you.
    What should I wear and bring?
    Layers and comfortable shoes. The market and the villages are walked at an easy pace, and the minivan carries you between them.
    What happens if it rains?
    The day runs anyway. The van is warm, the farm demonstration and the museum are indoors, and the market happens in Dutch weather every Friday of the season.
    Can you pick us up at our hotel?
    This is a scheduled small-group day, so it starts in front of Centraal Station, Prins Hendrikkade 20B, at 09:00 sharp. If you want to be collected at your door instead, that is what the private Alkmaar day is for.
    Is there wifi and somewhere to charge?
    Yes, both are in the van, along with books and the iPad overlays we use to show places as they once looked.
    What is your cancellation policy?
    Cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the tour and you are refunded to your original payment method within 5 business days. After that the tour is charged in full. For bookings of 9 or more people on one booking: 14 days or more before, full refund; 7 to 14 days before, 75 percent; 48 hours to 7 days before, 50 percent. If we cancel for serious weather, you get a full refund and we offer you another date first.