Top Alkmaar Cultural Tours

Alkmaar is famous for its cheese market and cultural landmarks, but knowing the best spots to explore can be difficult. Discover the working market and its history on a small-group tour of the city, then continue into the medieval center to explore sights including the Stadhuis and the Waag. Benefit from the small-group size for a more personalized experience, and gain insight into the city’s culture from your resident guide.

Explore the enchanting city of Alkmaar with a certified guide on this private tour. Delve into the city’s rich heritage as you explore the well-preserved Grote Sint Laurenskerk and the historic Cheese Market. Discover the significance of beer at Nationaal Biermuseum and appreciate the iconic windmills symbolizing Dutch culture. Though some sites are not open for visitors, your guide provides insightful explanations.

A cannonball smashed through a basket maker's home in 1573 and, somehow, hurt no one. It's still lodged in the wall, and this self-guided walking tour leads you straight to it. Start at De Waag, the weighing house at the heart of Alkmaar's cheese trade, then follow the siege that turned the tide of the Eighty Years' War and gave the city its motto, "Victory begins at Alkmaar." Along the way you meet Cornelis Drebbel, the local inventor who built the first navigable submarine and tested it beneath the Thames. Stop at the statue of Truus Wijsmuller, who organised Kindertransports to rescue Jewish children. The Vismarkt used the canal to keep fish "fresh", with mixed results. The walk ends at Sonoy's Courtyard, a convent seized during the Reformation. Perfect for history lovers and curious first-time visitors to the Netherlands. Install the VoiceMap app, then enter the ticket code from your confirmation email to download the tour and start walking.