Day Trips from Amsterdam to Alkmaar

The tour is only possible on Fridays between March and September. A full-day tour where we first explore the famous weekly cheese market of Alkmaar (Friday). Alkmaar is famous for its historic cheese markets and during summer, you get to see the tradition brought alive. Alkmaar is not just about cheese. The city is much older than Amsterdam and boasts historic town squares and monumental buildings. During the second half, we will visit the Golden Age city of Hoorn or De Rijp along with some lesser-known rural windmills.

A day tour where you get a chance to escape the busy Amsterdam but still enjoy a day exploring historic buildings, canals, and museums. The tour is private and pickup is available directly from the hotel. We can visit 2 towns on this tour. There is a lot more to North Holland than Amsterdam. Explore the Duch Golden Age cities of Hoorn and Enkhuizen. Hoorn is a small town but historically very influential. Hoorn is famous for historic buildings including the Dutch East Indies warehouse, Alms house and the city gates. Enkhuizen is home to the famous 'Zuiderzee Museum'. Or explore Haarlem ( Harlem in NYC got its name from this town), the capital of North Holland. The town square boasts multiple heritage buildings as well as the church. Haarlem is a great town for shopping. Alkmaar is a charming town famous for its cheese market on Fridays. Apart from the cheese market, the city offers a boat ride across the narrow canals. The low bridges make the boat ride a lot more exciting.

Each spring, the countryside around Amsterdam fills with tulips that stretch across the landscape—but reaching the best spots, along with the windmills of Zaanse Schans, and a traditional cheese farm, takes transport and planning that most visitors don't have time to arrange independently. This private tour covers all three, with a flexible itinerary that can be adjusted to include a windmill visit or lunch, based on your group's preferences.

While it can be tempting to spend the entirety of your trip to the Netherlands exploring Amsterdam, there are plenty of amazing places around the city to visit too—from the canal-side town of De Rijp and the historic windmills of Schermerhorn to the charming fishing village of Urk and the medieval town of Elburg. This full-day small-group tour is a great way to squeeze in guided visits to some of the best without having to worry about organizing your own transport.