4. Marken, Volendam, and Edam Full-Day Tour from Amsterdam
Enjoy a scenic full-day coach tour of North Holland, and discover a charming landscape of windmills, canals, picturesque villages, and locals in traditional costume. Choose the all-in option to add a few extras to your tour, including a clog-making demonstration and a boat trip. Depart from Amsterdam station for the small fishing town of Marken, renowned for its preservation of traditional Dutch culture. Take a walking tour through streets full of colorful houses. If you've chosen the all-in option, stop at a shoemaker’s studio to watch how wooden clogs are made. Next, head to Volendam by coach if you've chosen the standard option or board the Marken Express if you've chosen the all-in option for a boat trip across the beautiful IJssel Lake. On arrival in Volendam, enjoy free time to explore the shops or try on a traditional costume for a souvenir photo. Then, enjoy a tasting at a traditional Holland cheese factory and learn how cheese is made before continuing into the heart of North Holland to Edam. Discover the history of the former shipyard and see Grote Kerk, the largest church in the Netherlands, as you stroll the cobbled streets. Next, take in the last stop on your tour, the open-air museum of Zaanse Schans. Admire its magnificent collection of historic windmills. If you opt for the all-in ticket, you can go inside one of the operating windmills to learn more about this Dutch icon of industrial architecture. Finally, marvel at the picturesque homes, wooden barns, and scenic meadows of North Holland as you travel back to Amsterdam by coach. If you prefer a smaller group, like to take your time and explore all the best of this tour, then opt for the Charm of Holland guided tour. Available on Fridays. The tourguide takes a small group to all the inclusions in the all-in tour. The Charm of Holland also includes lunch at a traditional Dutch fish taverne.