For those who live to explore

Surroundings of Amsterdam, trips to towns and villages close by

There’s a lot to discover within easy reach of Amsterdam too. How about a stroll through the historic fishing villages of Volendam and Marken, with their characteristic wooden houses, water sports, traditional costumes and fresh fish? Friday mornings are a great time to visit the scenic historic town of Alkmaar, as that’s when the world-famous cheese market is held from the beginning of April until the beginning of September. Traditional cheese markets are also held every week during the summer in Edam, another nearby town rich with history, monumental buildings, beautiful squares, shopping streets and cafés. Haarlem is also close by, and boasts some of the finest museums of the Netherlands. It’s also a great place to shop, with a generous offering of designer labels, boutiques and antiques. The ‘Zaanse Schans’ is a scenic village on the River Zaan, with distinctive wooden houses and windmills dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The main attractions here are seven windmills, some of which can be toured.

Another advantage of Amsterdam is how close it is to the sea, so you might like to spend a warm summer’s day in a nearby seaside resort, such as Zandvoort or Bloemendaal, or a little further away on the beaches of IJmuiden, Castricum, Egmond aan Zee, Bergen aan Zee and Schoorl.