What to do · Gouda
Gouda Cheese Market, Thursdays from April to August
Information
- Price
- Free
- Duration
- 2 h 30
- Season
- Thursdays from April to August, 10:00 to 12:30; in 2026, from 2 April to 27 August, with no market on Ascension Thursday
- Who it's for
- All ages
- With a dog
- On a lead; the square gets crowded
On spring and summer Thursdays, Gouda's Markt, the great square with the old town hall in the middle, goes back to the 17th century. Horse-drawn carts arrive loaded with cheeses, stop in front of the Waag, the weigh house of 1668, and the cheese carriers unload them by throwing them over their shoulders. Merchants and cheese farmers haggle and seal the deal with a clap of the hands, and the cheeses are weighed on the original scales. All around there are cheese stalls, local produce and a crafts market.
When and how to see it
Every Thursday from April to August, from 10:00 to 12:30. In 2026 it ran from 2 April to 27 August, with no market on Ascension Thursday; the 2027 dates are published at the start of the season. It is free. Arrive before 10:00 to get a spot in front of the Waag, which is where the carts stop.
Frequently asked questions
What day is the Gouda cheese market?
Thursdays from April to August, from 10:00 to 12:30.
Can you buy cheese?
Yes, at the stalls on the square and in the cheese shops around it.
With young childrenAs a familyWith teenagersWith a dog
