Cheese Market, North Holland Province, The Netherlands
4.0 (764 reviews) Temporarily closed - Closed until further notice Spent Ranking #3 in Alkmaar Flea & Street Markets
Great fun
If you are visiting Alkmaar on a Friday over the summer, you will inevitably end up at the cheese market where men in traditional costumes inspect the large wheels of gouda, then carry them on barrows to be weighed. Yes it's touristy, but it's also great fun and interesting to watch and a marvellous way of keeping traditions alive. While the men are carrying the cheese, the girls walk up and down the crown selling bags of cheese, 10 euros for a reusable bag, a pencil case and 3 generous chunks of mild, mature and extra mature gouda, significantly cheaper than the nearby cheese van. Even in September the crowds were 3-4 people deep, but they rotate quickly as people move on. Around the market are plenty of stalls selling souvenirs and traditional Dutch snacks and don't forget to explore the rest of this pretty town.
Address
Waagplein, 1811 JP Alkmaar The Netherlands
Mobile
Website
http://www.kaasmarkt.nl
Working hours
Opening Hours: Fr 10:00-13:00
Current local date and time now
Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 21:01
User Ratings
4.0 based on (764 reviews)
Reviews
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5expat_mbk 5:00 PM Jun 2, 2022
So fun! ?
This was fantastic - just follow the signs from the train station (google maps will take you to the wrong place)! During the Summer, the market runs every Friday morning. It was supposed to start at 9:30am but it actually started closer to 10am. It went on for quite a while and there were tons of things to see around the town too. It's really charming and you'll be filled to the brim with cheese samples!
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4Robert O 5:00 PM Oct 19, 2022
Reenactment of a Dutch cheese market in beautiful historic setting
Actually the cheese on show during the reenactment in Alkmaar is Gouda cheese from South-Holland. Not that it alters the picture very much. A fun presentation of how the market once was operated. Of the five cheese markets held in Holland (mostly during summer), the ones in Gouda and Woerden are still more or less authentic. The ones in Edam and Hoorn are reenactments as well. Personally I like the one in Gouda most.
