Smit-Bokkum
What to order: the smoked eel from its own smokehouse, as a starter to share.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 52.48° N · 5.09° E
Volendam and Marken in a day, bus, half an hour by boat and a lighthouse on the dyke.
A half-hour bus to Volendam, the dyke and the harbour, smoked eel, a boat across the Markermeer to Marken, the wooden houses and the lighthouse. Return by bus from Marken.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Ámsterdam fromBarcelona 2 h 15Bilbao 2 h 15Madrid 2 h 30Palma de Mallorca 2 h 30Alicante 2 h 45Ibiza 2 h 45Valencia 2 h 45Málaga 3 h 15Sevilla 3 h 15Fuerteventura 4 h 45
Part of Volendam and Marken
Add to my trip
Total time8 h
By car30 min each way
Bus30 min from Amsterdam Centraal
Boat30 min · every day
Marker Museum€4 · March–October
DifficultyEasy, flat walk
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Amsterdam 30 min by bus
EBS bus from the IJ bus station, behind Amsterdam Centraal
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1
The dyke and harbour of Volendam
the dyke and the Doolhof district before the crowds arrive
- 10 min on foot
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2
Volendams Museum
Tuesday to Sunday · costumes and fishermen's houses
- 10 min on foot
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3
Smit-Bokkum
smoked eel · Tuesday to Sunday, with reservation
Slobbeland 19, 1131 AA Volendam · +31 299 363 373
Restaurant €€€Book - 10 min on foot
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4
Boat from Volendam to Marken across the Markermeer
Volendam Marken Express from Haven 39
+31 299 363 331
- 30 min by boat
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5
Marker Museum, six little houses of Marken
€4 · late March to October
- 30 min on foot
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6
Dyke walk to the Paard van Marken lighthouse
along the dyke; return the same way
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Back home 45 min by bus
bus from Marken to Amsterdam Centraal
Approximate cost
About €35–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
The dyke and harbour of Volendam
Volendam and Marken are in sight of each other, on either side of a bay of the Markermeer, and the nice thing is to link them by water. This plan goes by bus to Volendam, walks the dyke and the harbour before the rush, eats smoked eel, crosses by boat to Marken and ends with a walk to the lighthouse before returning to Amsterdam by bus. No car and no rush.
The day, hour by hour
9:30 · Bus to Volendam. It leaves from the upper-level bus station, on the IJ side, behind Amsterdam Centraal. About 30 minutes. Pay by contactless card.
10:15 · The dyke and the harbour. Walk the Haven from end to end and go down to the Doolhof, the district of alleys behind the dyke.
11:15 · Volendams Museum. Fishermen's houses, the traditional costume and the history of the village. Open Tuesday to Sunday.
12:30 · Lunch at Smit-Bokkum. A fish restaurant beside its smokehouse: order the smoked eel. Closed on Mondays; book.
14:00 · Boat to Marken. The Volendam Marken Express crosses in half an hour from Haven 39. Go up on deck.
14:45 · Marker Museum. Six little houses joined together with the interior of the past and the island's costumes. €4, from late March to October.
15:30 · Paard van Marken lighthouse. Along the dyke, between the lake and the polders, there and back in an hour and a half.
17:30 · Return. Bus from Marken to Amsterdam Centraal.
With children or in the rain
With young children, stay with the harbour, the boat and the Marken museum, and swap the lighthouse for a while at Marken harbour. If it rains, the boat is covered and the two museums make the day; leave the lighthouse for another time.
Time1 h
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Volendam and Marken
From April to September, with the lake calm and the Marker Museum open. In winter the boat still runs, but the Marken museum closes and the dyke gets cold.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Do it the other way round if you are an early riser
Marken first thing is almost empty; Volendam in the afternoon.
- 2Bring a coat
On the boat and on the dyke the wind always blows.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the day cost?
Buses are paid by card according to the journey; the boat, the ticket on the shipping company's website; the Marker Museum, €4, and lunch, whatever you choose.
Can you do it on a Sunday?
Yes: the boat sails every day and Smit-Bokkum opens on Sundays. The Volendams Museum closes on Mondays.
Is the boat worth it?
Yes: it is the natural way to link the two villages and the part you remember most.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/the-netherlands/volendam-and-marken/itineraries/bus-boat-and-lighthouse-from-amsterdam
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.