Dutch Countryside

Alkmaar Cheese Market
2026-09-25 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-09-18 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-09-11 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-09-04 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-08-28 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-08-21 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-08-14 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-08-07 10:00 - 13:00 UTC and 19 more dates | Alkmaar Cheese Market, Waagplein 2, Alkmaar, Noord Holland, 1811JP, Netherlands
Alkmaar Cheese Market

Alkmaar Cheese Market

Thousands of visitors from all over the world come specially to the Alkmaar cheese market. It is therefore a special spectacle with a square full of cheese and lugging cheese carriers. The cheese market is held just over 40 kilometres from the centre of Amsterdam.

In 1365, Alkmaar has weighing rights and one scale, but in 1612 these are already four. When the first real cheese market has taken place, it is covered in mists. Old documents have been found that clearly state that the cheese market took place with certainty in 1622, but there is also evidence that the cheese carrier guild was established in 1593; from this we can conclude that there must have been a cheese market back then.

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Alkmaar Cheese Market 2026

Alkmaar Cheese MarketWhen is the cheese market in Alkmaar?What can i expect at the Alkmaar Cheese Market?Program Alkmaar Cheese Market 2026How to get to the Cheese Market in Alkmaar?New in 2026: Book a direct tour from Amsterdam

When is the cheese market in Alkmaar?

The cheese market in Alkmaar is held every Friday morning. The first cheese market of 2026 is on Friday 27 March and the last cheese market is on 25 September. The market starts at 10 am and lasts until 1 pm.

What can i expect at the Alkmaar Cheese Market?

During the cheese market in Alkmaar, the judges and traders go to work. They inspect the cheeses. They do this not only by looking at the cheese; the cheese is beaten and cut in half. They also take out a piece of cheese with a special cheese drill. They smell the cheese and check how elastic the piece is; this tells something about the fat content. Furthermore the cheese is crumbled between the fingers and of course tasted.

Program Alkmaar Cheese Market 2026

Although the cheese market does not start until 10 a.m., the work begins at 7 a.m. Under the watchful eye of the market master, they place about 30,000 kilos of Gouda cheese in long rows on the Waagplein. The number of cheeses is around 2,400. Everything must be ready by 09:30 hrs.

TimeProgram Alkmaar Cheese Market 20267:00 amPlacing the Cheeses | Trucks loaded with cheeses drive onto Waagplein, where the Alkmaar Cheese Market has been held since its inception. Under the watchful eye of the market master, the ‘setters’ arrange as much as 30,000 kilos of Gouda and Edam cheeses in long rows on the still quiet Waagplein. That’s about 2,400 cheeses! This must be completed by 9:30 am.9:30 amCheese Carriers | The cheese carriers arrive at the Waaggebouw. Anyone who is late has to pay a fine, which partly goes to a school in the town of ‘Alkmaar’ in Suriname.9:45 amCheese Father’s Roll Call | The head of the cheese carriers, the ‘cheese father,’ holds his roll call with the cheese carriers in the Waaggebouw. Are all the cheese carriers present? Are there any special matters on the market today? Which cheese carriers will work in which part of the Cheese Market?10:00 amThe Cheese Bell | At exactly 10:00 am, the cheese bell is rung. This opens the cheese market to visitors. The honor of ringing the bell usually goes to a well-known Dutch celebrity or a relation of the Municipality of Alkmaar.From 10:00 amInspecting the Cheeses | After ringing the bell, the inspectors examine the cheeses by tapping, tasting, and feeling them. A piece is taken from the cheese with a special cheese bore. The smell and elasticity of the piece of cheese that comes out of it indicate something about the fat content. They also look at the number of holes in the cheese; these should be perfectly distributed over the cheese.From 10:00 amThe Random Sample | Do you ever take a random sample? This term comes from the Cheese Market, where the inspectors use a cheese bore to take a piece from the cheese to taste it.After a positive inspection, the intense negotiation of the cheese price can begin. This is still done through the traditional method of ‘handjeklap,’ which means ‘hand-clapping.’ The final handclap signifies the completion of the cheese sale.From 10:00 amWeighing the Cheese | Once a batch of cheese is sold, the cheese carriers carry it on a berrie to the Weigh House. There, the cheese is weighed by the so-called ‘tasman’ (bagman). Where does the name tasman come from? It refers to the bag around his waist, where he keeps the collected money. The weighmaster ensures that the correct weight is billed to the buyer. After weighing, the tasman stamps the wooden berrie.From 10:00 amCarrying the Cheese Away | When a batch of cheese has been weighed and sold, the cheese carriers transport the cheeses across the market to the buyers’ trucks. Two cheese carriers carry the cheese on a berrie, and more than 100 kilos of cheese are on it! It is quite an art to keep the cheese berrie steady while walking. The Cheese Carriers must walk in a certain rhythm, which is called the ‘kaasdragersdribbel’ or ‘cheese carriers’ trot.’ This way, the berrie hangs still between the cheese carriers.12:30 pmThrowing the Cheese | The ‘ingooiers’ load the last cheeses onto carts and take them to the buyers’ trucks in Marktstraat. The cheese disappears from Waagplein, and in its place, cozy terraces are set up. Maybe you’ve worked up an appetite for a cheese sandwich… The restaurants and cafes in and around Waagplein will be happy to help you!

How to get to the Cheese Market in Alkmaar?

Tour from Amsterdam

By car

By train

New in 2026: Book a direct tour from Amsterdam

A convenient way to experience the Alkmaar Cheese Market is via an organised half-day tour from Amsterdam. Perfect for visitors without a car or those looking for a relaxed and well-organised trip.

Tour schedule:

08:30 – Departure from Amsterdam

10:00 – Arrival at the Alkmaar Cheese Market

12:00 – 14:00 – Free time to explore Alkmaar at your own pace

Receive a map with highlights and tips to help you get the most out of your visit

14:00 – Departure from Alkmaar

15:30 – Arrival back in Amsterdam

Places are limited so book your tickets in time. Check current availability and prices below and book your tickets easily.

Driving to Alkmaar is simple via the A9 highway. The city center is partially car-free, so plan to park nearby:

Kanaalschiereiland Parking (P1) – Pettemerstraat 3, 1823 CW Alkmaar

P+R Bergermeer – Bergerweg 62, 1817 MJ Alkmaar (Free parking + easy access to city center)

Parking Karperton (P5) – Bagijnenstraat 13, 1811 KA Alkmaar (Closest to the market square)

Direct trains run regularly from Amsterdam Central Station to Alkmaar Station (approx. 35–40 minutes)

From the station, it’s a 10-minute walk to the Waagplein

Train ticketsPriceOne-Way Train Ticket Amsterdam – Alkmaar€ 9.40More info

Luxury day trip from Amsterdam

Are you travelling from Amsterdam? Then the easiest way is to book a cheese day tour. This takes you directly from the centre of Amsterdam to the cheese market in Alkmaar. You will also visit a cheese farm in the Dutch countryside.

Tulip Festival Holland
2026-03-19 08:00 - 2026-05-10 19:00 | Lisse, Stationsweg 166A, Lisse, Zuid Holland, 2161 AM, Netherlands
Tulip Festival near Amsterdam

Every spring, the landscape in Holland changes into the most colourful landscape in the world. The region with the most beautiful tulip fields is Bollenstreek and is located just 30 minutes drive form cities like Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden and The Hague. Millions of tulips, hyacinths and daffodils bloom during the eight weeks of the Tulip Festival.

During this festival, you can enjoy the flowers of Holland in many different ways. Visit Keukenhof Tulip Park and be amazed by the beautiful tulip gardens. Take a sightseeing tour of tulip farms and show gardens and experience the authentic story of the world-famous tulip. Below we will list the most populair activities during Tulip Festival in Holland

Your guide to the Tulip Festival Holland

Keukenhof Tulip GardensDutch Flower ParadeTulip Experience AmsterdamThe Tulip BarnTulip Bike RouteSightseeing Tours along the tulip fields

Keukenhof Tulip Gardens

Keukenhof Gardens

Holland’s most popular flower attraction is Keukenhof Tulip Gardens. This flower park is only open for a few weeks in spring. In 2026, the park will open its doors from Thursday 19 March to Sunday 10 May.

Open from 19 March till 10 May 2026

More than 7 million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths in bloom

15 kilometres of hiking trails

Entrance fee from € 20.50

More information: Keukenhof Tulip Gardens

Dutch Flower Parade

Dutch Flower Parade

The biggest spring event in Holland is the annual Dutch Flower Parade. The parade will drive from Noordwijk via Lisse to Haarlem on Saturday 18 April 2026.

The flower parade will take place on Saturday 18 April 2026

Also visit the Flower Parade construction days on 15 to 17 April 2026

Buy your grandstand tickets

More information: Dutch Flower Parade

Tulip Experience Amsterdam

Tulip Experience Amsterdam

The Tulip Experience Amsterdam is a new attraction near Keukenhof Gardens. The Experience combines a museum about the tulips in the Netherlands with a large tulip show garden where you can take the most beautiful pictures. There is also an indoor tulip-picking garden.

The Tulip Experience Amsterdam will open from Saturday 19 March till Sunday 10 May 2026

Price € 12,00

More information Tulip Experience Amsterdam

The Tulip Barn

The Tulip Barn in Hillegom

In the middle of the tulip fields in Holland lies The Tulip Barn. This unique location is perfect for the most beautiful photos among the tulips. Make a great Instagram selfie or TikTok video and share the beauty of colours with the whole world. Besides the beautiful tulip garden, you can also go to the Tulip Barn for a snack and a drink. The location is close to Keukenhof Gardens.

You will find over 400.000 colorful tulips, consisting of over 175 different varieties.

Open from 27 March till 3 May 2026

Enjoy a snack and a drink in the greenhouse

Price from € 10,00

More information: The Tulip Barn

Tulip Bike Route

Tulip Bike route along the Dutch Tulip Fields

Visit the Dutch tulip fields in a Dutch way. Namely with a bicycle. There are several bicycle routes along the tulip fields and near Keukenhof you can easily rent a bicycle.

Check out the bicycle routes around Keukenhof

Rent a bike locations near Keukenhof Gardens

Sightseeing Tours along the tulip fields

Helicopter sightseeing tours above the tulip fields in Holland

If you are lucky, helicopter flights are available on your visit day to the tulips. There are only 4 flight days each spring. On these flight days, helicopter tours can be booked for 10 minutes. The flight days are always in the weekend.

Flying days in 2026: Not known yet

A unique experience of the tulip fields

More information: Helicopter sightseeing flights

Alkmaar Cheese Market
2025-09-19 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-09-12 10:00 - 13:00 | Alkmaar Cheese Market, Waagplein 2, Alkmaar, Noord Holland, 1811JP, Netherlands
Alkmaar Cheese Market

Alkmaar Cheese Market

Thousands of visitors from all over the world come specially to the Alkmaar cheese market. It is therefore a special spectacle with a square full of cheese and lugging cheese carriers. The cheese market is held just over 40 kilometres from the centre of Amsterdam.

In 1365, Alkmaar has weighing rights and one scale, but in 1612 these are already four. When the first real cheese market has taken place, it is covered in mists. Old documents have been found that clearly state that the cheese market took place with certainty in 1622, but there is also evidence that the cheese carrier guild was established in 1593; from this we can conclude that there must have been a cheese market back then.

Powered by GetYourGuide

Alkmaar Cheese Market 2025

Alkmaar Cheese MarketWhen is the cheese market in Alkmaar?What can i expect at the Alkmaar Cheese Market?Program Alkmaar Cheese Market 2025How to get to the Cheese Market in Alkmaar?

When is the cheese market in Alkmaar?

The cheese market in Alkmaar is held every Friday morning. The first cheese market of 2025 is on Friday 28 March and the last cheese market is on 26 September. The market starts at 10 am and lasts until 1 pm.

What can i expect at the Alkmaar Cheese Market?

During the cheese market in Alkmaar, the judges and traders go to work. They inspect the cheeses. They do this not only by looking at the cheese; the cheese is beaten and cut in half. They also take out a piece of cheese with a special cheese drill. They smell the cheese and check how elastic the piece is; this tells something about the fat content. Furthermore the cheese is crumbled between the fingers and of course tasted.

Program Alkmaar Cheese Market 2025

Although the cheese market does not start until 10 a.m., the work begins at 7 a.m. Under the watchful eye of the market master, they place about 30,000 kilos of Gouda cheese in long rows on the Waagplein. The number of cheeses is around 2,400. Everything must be ready by 09:30 hrs.

TimeProgram Alkmaar Cheese Market 20257:00 amPlacing the Cheeses | Trucks loaded with cheeses drive onto Waagplein, where the Alkmaar Cheese Market has been held since its inception. Under the watchful eye of the market master, the ‘setters’ arrange as much as 30,000 kilos of Gouda and Edam cheeses in long rows on the still quiet Waagplein. That’s about 2,400 cheeses! This must be completed by 9:30 am.9:30 amCheese Carriers | The cheese carriers arrive at the Waaggebouw. Anyone who is late has to pay a fine, which partly goes to a school in the town of ‘Alkmaar’ in Suriname.9:45 amCheese Father’s Roll Call | The head of the cheese carriers, the ‘cheese father,’ holds his roll call with the cheese carriers in the Waaggebouw. Are all the cheese carriers present? Are there any special matters on the market today? Which cheese carriers will work in which part of the Cheese Market?10:00 amThe Cheese Bell | At exactly 10:00 am, the cheese bell is rung. This opens the cheese market to visitors. The honor of ringing the bell usually goes to a well-known Dutch celebrity or a relation of the Municipality of Alkmaar.From 10:00 amInspecting the Cheeses | After ringing the bell, the inspectors examine the cheeses by tapping, tasting, and feeling them. A piece is taken from the cheese with a special cheese bore. The smell and elasticity of the piece of cheese that comes out of it indicate something about the fat content. They also look at the number of holes in the cheese; these should be perfectly distributed over the cheese.From 10:00 amThe Random Sample | Do you ever take a random sample? This term comes from the Cheese Market, where the inspectors use a cheese bore to take a piece from the cheese to taste it.After a positive inspection, the intense negotiation of the cheese price can begin. This is still done through the traditional method of ‘handjeklap,’ which means ‘hand-clapping.’ The final handclap signifies the completion of the cheese sale.From 10:00 amWeighing the Cheese | Once a batch of cheese is sold, the cheese carriers carry it on a berrie to the Weigh House. There, the cheese is weighed by the so-called ‘tasman’ (bagman). Where does the name tasman come from? It refers to the bag around his waist, where he keeps the collected money. The weighmaster ensures that the correct weight is billed to the buyer. After weighing, the tasman stamps the wooden berrie.From 10:00 amCarrying the Cheese Away | When a batch of cheese has been weighed and sold, the cheese carriers transport the cheeses across the market to the buyers’ trucks. Two cheese carriers carry the cheese on a berrie, and more than 100 kilos of cheese are on it! It is quite an art to keep the cheese berrie steady while walking. The Cheese Carriers must walk in a certain rhythm, which is called the ‘kaasdragersdribbel’ or ‘cheese carriers’ trot.’ This way, the berrie hangs still between the cheese carriers.12:30 pmThrowing the Cheese | The ‘ingooiers’ load the last cheeses onto carts and take them to the buyers’ trucks in Marktstraat. The cheese disappears from Waagplein, and in its place, cozy terraces are set up. Maybe you’ve worked up an appetite for a cheese sandwich… The restaurants and cafes in and around Waagplein will be happy to help you!

How to get to the Cheese Market in Alkmaar?

Tour from Amsterdam

By car

By train

New in 2025: Book a direct tour from Amsterdam

A convenient way to experience the Alkmaar Cheese Market is via an organised half-day tour from Amsterdam. Perfect for visitors without a car or those looking for a relaxed and well-organised trip.

Tour schedule:

08:30 – Departure from Amsterdam

10:00 – Arrival at the Alkmaar Cheese Market

12:00 – 14:00 – Free time to explore Alkmaar at your own pace

Receive a map with highlights and tips to help you get the most out of your visit

14:00 – Departure from Alkmaar

15:30 – Arrival back in Amsterdam

Places are limited so book your tickets in time. Check current availability and prices below and book your tickets easily.

Driving to Alkmaar is simple via the A9 highway. The city center is partially car-free, so plan to park nearby:

Kanaalschiereiland Parking (P1) – Pettemerstraat 3, 1823 CW Alkmaar

P+R Bergermeer – Bergerweg 62, 1817 MJ Alkmaar (Free parking + easy access to city center)

Parking Karperton (P5) – Bagijnenstraat 13, 1811 KA Alkmaar (Closest to the market square)

Direct trains run regularly from Amsterdam Central Station to Alkmaar Station (approx. 35–40 minutes)

From the station, it’s a 10-minute walk to the Waagplein

Train ticketsPriceOne-Way Train Ticket Amsterdam – Alkmaar€ 9.40More info

Luxury day trip from Amsterdam

Are you travelling from Amsterdam? Then the easiest way is to book a cheese day tour. This takes you directly from the centre of Amsterdam to the cheese market in Alkmaar. You will also visit a cheese farm in the Dutch countryside.
