# Alkmaar The cheese carriers on the Waagplein every Friday from late March to September, the Cheese Museum and a boat trip under 20 bridges. Half an hour from Amsterdam. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/the-netherlands/alkmaar · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Alkmaar is a canal city north of Amsterdam with a custom that has become a spectacle: the cheese market. For more than four centuries, on Friday mornings the Waagplein has been covered with round yellow cheeses laid out in rows on the ground, and the carriers, in straw hats whose colour shows their guild, take them to the scales at a brisk pace on wooden barrows. Buyers taste, haggle and close the deal with a clap of hands. It is theatre, but with real cheeses and a carriers' guild founded in 1593. ## How do I get there from Amsterdam? By train, about 35 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal to Alkmaar, with frequent trains. From the station it is about 15 minutes on foot to the Waagplein, along a signposted route through the centre. By car it is about 40 kilometres; Alkmaar has some eight public car parks around the centre, with signs showing where there is space, and a cheap one in Overstad, five minutes on foot away. ## What is the cheese market like? In 2026 it was held every Friday from 27 March to 25 September, from 10:00 to 13:00, and in July and August also on Tuesdays from 19:00 to 21:00; the 2027 dates are announced at the start of the season. It is free. The cheeses, of about 13 kilos, are placed eight at a time on barrows, weighed in the Waag, the weigh house, and the porters load them onto lorries. The cheese girls and boys explain to visitors what is happening. To see it properly, arrive before 10:00 and stand by the barriers on the square or on the Waag side; by mid-morning it is very crowded. Afterwards, go into the Cheese Museum, inside the Waag itself, and take the canal boat, which on market Fridays leaves every 20 minutes from the Mient, beside the square. ## What else is there to see in Alkmaar? Stroll through the centre: the Verdronkenoord and the Luttik Oudorp, two canals with terraces; the Grote Sint-Laurenskerk, the city's great Gothic church, and the Stedelijk Museum, with old paintings and the Bergen School. Look for the Huis met de Kogel, one of the last two wooden houses, with a cannonball from the Spanish siege of 1573 embedded in it. Eat at De Nachtegaal, opposite the old town hall, or, for a long lunch, at Wolf, with a terrace on the gracht facing the Waagplein. ## Is it worth sleeping here? For most people, Alkmaar is a half-day trip from Amsterdam. But if you want to reach the market without an early start or carry on to the coast, the Wolf, with eight rooms on the Mient, is a minute from the square; the Grand Hotel Alkmaar is in a historic building in the centre, and De Oude Gevangenis is in a former prison. ## When to go? On a Friday from April to September, for the market; in July and August, also on a Tuesday evening. Boats run from April to October. Out of season there is no market, but the Waag with the Cheese Museum, the canals and the museums are still there. ## Dónde está - Cerca: Zaanse Schans (a 18.1 km), Edam (a 24.1 km), Volendam and Marken (a 28.6 km), Haarlem (a 28.9 km) ## Qué hacer - **Alkmaar cheese market on the Waagplein** (3 h · All ages · Free): Every Friday in season, the Waagplein fills with cheeses laid out in rows, and at 10:00 the ritual begins: the buyers taste and negotiate the price, and the carriers of the guild, which has existed since 1593, load eight 13-kilo cheeses onto each barrow and run them to be weighed at the Waag. Afterwards, the loaders throw them from hand to hand to the lorries. The cheese girls and boys explain to visitors what is going on. When and how to see it In 2026 it was held every Friday from 27 March to 25 September, from 10:00 to 13:00, and in July and August also on Tuesday evenings, from 19:00 to 21:00. The 2027 dates are published when the season starts. It is free. Arrive before 10:00 to get a spot at the barriers. The square is largely wheelchair accessible, with public toilets nearby, but there are few seats. - **Cheese Museum, in the Waag** (1 h · All ages · €7 adults · €3 ages 4 to 12): The Cheese Museum occupies the upper floors of the Waag, the old hospital turned public weigh house in the 16th century, which presides over the Waagplein. It explains in an interactive way the whole process, from cow to cheese, and the history of the market and of the carriers. Children have a treasure hunt, touch screens, films and games. Price and hours It costs €7 for adults and €3 for ages 4 to 12. The hours change according to the day and the season: on market Fridays it opens early, and in winter only in the afternoon, so look at the calendar on its website before you go. - **Alkmaar canal boat, under 20 bridges** (45 min · All ages; dogs on a lead · €10.50 adults · €8.50 up to age 10): Alkmaar is famous for its low bridges: on this trip you pass under twenty, and under some the whole boat has to duck, amid laughter. The trip lasts 45 minutes, with a guide, and covers the canals of the centre and the history of the city. Times and prices It leaves from the Mient, beside the Waagplein. The 2027 season starts on 26 March: in April and October there are departures from Monday to Saturday at midday; from May to September, every day on the hour from 11:00 to 16:00; in July and August, every half hour, and on market Fridays, every 20 minutes from 10:00 to 16:00. It costs €10.50 for adults and €8.50 up to age 10. Pay in cash or by debit card, not credit. Dogs come aboard on a lead. - **Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar** (1 h 30 · Teenagers and adults): The city museum tells the story of Alkmaar and its art: old paintings and early 20th-century paintings, with interactive rooms, and a presentation of the Bergen School, the group of Expressionist painters who worked in the neighbouring village of Bergen. It also has temporary exhibitions. Practical details Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00. It is at Canadaplein 1, beside the Grote Kerk, ten minutes on foot from the Waagplein. - **Grote Sint-Laurenskerk** (45 min · All ages): The Grote Sint-Laurenskerk is the largest church in North Holland north of the North Sea Canal, a Gothic building designed by the Keldermans, a family of architects. It was emptied in the iconoclasm of 1566 and its silver was melted down during the siege to pay for William of Orange's war; then came the pulpit, the men's pews and the great copper chandeliers of the Reformed faith. Today it is also used for concerts and exhibitions. Practical details It is in the west of the centre, beside the Stedelijk Museum. Its visiting hours change with the events: ask at the tourist office in the Waag before you go. - **Walk along the canals and the Huis met de Kogel** (1 h · 2.5 km · All ages): From the Waagplein, follow the Verdronkenoord canal, with the old fish market and terraces over the water, and return along the Luttik Oudorp, the most photographed canal in the city. On the way look for the Huis met de Kogel, the house with the cannonball: one of the last two wooden houses in Alkmaar, which still has embedded in it the cannonball that went through it when the Spanish tried to take the city. How to do it It is free and fits into an hour. Combine it with the boat, which leaves from the Mient, in the same spot. ## Dónde comer - **De Nachtegaal restaurant** (Restaurant, Alkmaar, €€). Qué pedir: a lunch from the menu with local produce; much of it can be ordered gluten-free or lactose-free. - **Wolf Kitchen & Bar** (Restaurant, Alkmaar, €€€). Qué pedir: dinner with the wine pairing, or a lunch on the terrace opposite the Waag. - **t Fnidsen** (Restaurant, Alkmaar, €€€€). Qué pedir: the five-course menu, and swap the dessert for the cheese selection. ## By plane: Fly to Amsterdam and take a train to Alkmaar Alkmaar is north of Amsterdam and you reach it by train from Amsterdam Schiphol airport, which has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and almost all the big Spanish cities. From Schiphol there are trains to Alkmaar, direct or with a change in Amsterdam. The normal thing is to sleep in Amsterdam and come on a Friday morning. ### Dónde dormir if you're flying - **Grand Hotel Alkmaar** (Hotel): The place The Grand Hotel Alkmaar occupies a stately brick building on the Gedempte Nieuwesloot, right in the centre. It has 50 rooms, from Economy to luxury rooms with a jacuzzi and sauna, some in the attic with exposed beams, and its own restaurant, Heeren van Sonoy, as well as a bar. Why here For being in the centre with its own parking, something rare in Alkmaar: you arrive by car, leave it and walk to the Waagplein in about five minutes. For the Friday market, sleeping here on Thursday saves you the early start from Amsterdam. How to get there From the station, about ten minutes on foot towards the centre. By car, the hotel's car park costs €16 per exit. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out until 11:00. - **Wolf Hotel** (Small hotel): The place Wolf has eight rooms above its restaurant, on the Mient, the quay beside the Waagplein. They are well-equipped small-hotel rooms: shower or bath, fridge, safe, television and wifi. Downstairs are the restaurant and the terrace over the water. Why here Because there is no hotel closer to the cheese market: you step out of the door and you are in the square, with the boat jetty beside you. Ideal for a night before a market Friday. How to get there From Alkmaar station, about fifteen minutes on foot following the signs to the Waagplein. By car, use one of the public car parks in the centre. - **Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant De Oude Gevangenis** (Hotel): The place De Oude Gevangenis is what its name says: the old prison, a historic building in Alkmaar turned into a hotel of the Fletcher chain. The cells have been turned into rooms and suites, with a warm atmosphere and the odd nod to the building's past. It has its own restaurant, D'arrêt, for lunch and dinner. Why here For the history of the building and because, being outside the old town, it is easier to arrive by car. The centre and the Waagplein are a stroll away and the Bergen and Egmond coast a short bike ride. How to get there It is on the Prins Bernhardlaan, south-west of the centre. From the station, about fifteen minutes on foot or a short taxi ride. ### Servicios - **Alkmaar station**: Trains from Amsterdam Centraal in about 35 minutes; 15 minutes on foot along a signposted route to the Waagplein. ## Car-free: Alkmaar by train and on foot Alkmaar is a perfect trip without a car: a train from Amsterdam, fifteen minutes on foot to the market square and the whole centre on foot. The budget per person per day includes sleeping in the centre, food and tickets. Presupuesto orientativo: 80–150 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Grand Hotel Alkmaar** (Hotel): The place The Grand Hotel Alkmaar occupies a stately brick building on the Gedempte Nieuwesloot, right in the centre. It has 50 rooms, from Economy to luxury rooms with a jacuzzi and sauna, some in the attic with exposed beams, and its own restaurant, Heeren van Sonoy, as well as a bar. Why here For being in the centre with its own parking, something rare in Alkmaar: you arrive by car, leave it and walk to the Waagplein in about five minutes. For the Friday market, sleeping here on Thursday saves you the early start from Amsterdam. How to get there From the station, about ten minutes on foot towards the centre. By car, the hotel's car park costs €16 per exit. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out until 11:00. - **Wolf Hotel** (Small hotel): The place Wolf has eight rooms above its restaurant, on the Mient, the quay beside the Waagplein. They are well-equipped small-hotel rooms: shower or bath, fridge, safe, television and wifi. Downstairs are the restaurant and the terrace over the water. Why here Because there is no hotel closer to the cheese market: you step out of the door and you are in the square, with the boat jetty beside you. Ideal for a night before a market Friday. How to get there From Alkmaar station, about fifteen minutes on foot following the signs to the Waagplein. By car, use one of the public car parks in the centre. - **Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant De Oude Gevangenis** (Hotel): The place De Oude Gevangenis is what its name says: the old prison, a historic building in Alkmaar turned into a hotel of the Fletcher chain. The cells have been turned into rooms and suites, with a warm atmosphere and the odd nod to the building's past. It has its own restaurant, D'arrêt, for lunch and dinner. Why here For the history of the building and because, being outside the old town, it is easier to arrive by car. The centre and the Waagplein are a stroll away and the Bergen and Egmond coast a short bike ride. How to get there It is on the Prins Bernhardlaan, south-west of the centre. From the station, about fifteen minutes on foot or a short taxi ride. ### Servicios - **Alkmaar station**: Trains from Amsterdam Centraal in about 35 minutes; 15 minutes on foot along a signposted route to the Waagplein. ## As a family: Alkmaar with the family The cheese market is a spectacle that all ages understand: men running with barrows, cheeses flying towards the lorries and a giant set of scales. Afterwards, a boat that makes you duck and a museum with a treasure hunt. ### What works best The cheese market, free The canal boat, €8.50 up to age 10 The Cheese Museum, €3 for ages 4 to 12 ### Where to sleep Grand Hotel Alkmaar, with parking De Oude Gevangenis, the former prison ### Where to eat De Nachtegaal, open every day ### Bear in mind The market gets crowded: arrive before 10:00 so the children can see from the barriers The boat does not accept credit cards ### Qué hacer as a family - Alkmaar cheese market on the Waagplein - Cheese Museum, in the Waag - Alkmaar canal boat, under 20 bridges - Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar - Grote Sint-Laurenskerk - Walk along the canals and the Huis met de Kogel ## With young children: Alkmaar with small children With small children, Alkmaar is short and flat: the market in the morning, the boat and the museum, and back by train at midday. ### What works best The carriers at the cheese market The boat under the low bridges The Cheese Museum's treasure hunt ### Where to sleep Grand Hotel Alkmaar ### Where to eat De Nachtegaal ### Bear in mind There are few places to sit on the square; with a pushchair, stand to one side ### Qué hacer with young children - Alkmaar cheese market on the Waagplein - Cheese Museum, in the Waag - Alkmaar canal boat, under 20 bridges - Walk along the canals and the Huis met de Kogel ## With teenagers: Alkmaar with teenagers For teenagers, the cheese market has something of a competition and a theatre about it, and the boat with bridges that almost brush your head amuses them. The cannonball house has its own siege story. ### What works best The cheese market The canal boat The Huis met de Kogel and the canal walk The Stedelijk Museum, with interactive rooms ### Where to sleep Wolf Hotel, beside the square De Oude Gevangenis, sleeping in a prison ### Where to eat De Nachtegaal ### Bear in mind The market lasts three hours: an hour on the square is usually enough ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Alkmaar cheese market on the Waagplein - Alkmaar canal boat, under 20 bridges - Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar - Grote Sint-Laurenskerk - Walk along the canals and the Huis met de Kogel ## Consejos ### Arrive before 10:00 The best spots by the barriers fill up early. ### Boat on the same Friday On market days it leaves every 20 minutes from the Mient. ### Try the stalls at the market Cheese to take away is sold around the square. ### Take an early train The market starts at 10:00 and lasts three hours. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### When is the Alkmaar cheese market? On Fridays from late March to late September, from 10:00 to 13:00; in July and August also on Tuesdays from 19:00 to 21:00. ### How much does it cost to see the cheese market? Nothing, it is free and in the street. ### How long does it take from Amsterdam to Alkmaar? About 35 minutes by train from Amsterdam Centraal, and 15 minutes on foot from the station to the Waagplein. ### Is it worth going out of season? Yes, for a quiet walk along the canals and the Cheese Museum, but the spectacle is the market. ### Can you combine it with another visit? Yes: with the Zaanse Schans, which is on the same train line towards Amsterdam.