While Amsterdam’s popularity is well-deserved, travelers who fail to venture farther afield are missing out on some of Europe’s picture-perfect villages.

Merely minutes from Amsterdam, the countryside is awash with lush green pastures, flower-adorned cottages, and quaint postcard-perfect villages where time seems to have stood still.

The three towns of Volendam, Edam and Marken—all distinct yet easy to visit within one day—make for the perfect day trip from Amsterdam.

VILLAGE DAY TRIP FROM AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam’s phenomenal biking and public transportation infrastructure makes it one of my favorite day trip hubs in Europe.

Over the course of my dozen or so visits to Amsterdam, I’ve crisscrossed the Netherlands by bike, by car, and by train. These day trips from Amsterdam have given me a fairly comprehensive view of the Netherlands.

For first-timers to the Netherlands, a visit to the villages of Volendam, Edam and Marken—three very beautiful (though admittedly very touristy) destinations—makes for an excellent day trip.

VOLENDAM VILLAGE

Volendam is an attractive fishing village on the shores of Lake Markermeer. The town’s harbor is speckled with classic sailing vessels and flanked by rows of brick houses that date back to the 17th Century.Volendam, also known as “The Pearl of the Zuiderzee”is a fishing village founded in the 14th century, located  just 20 kmnortheast of Amsterdam, between Edam and Marken.

Due to its popularity as a day trip from Amsterdam, Volendam’s waterfront is packed to the brim with tourists. The town’s waterside promenade is chock-a-block full of souvenir shops and restaurants serving traditional meals of eel and pickled herring.

The village is also famous for its traditional Dutch clothing known as “Volendammer klederdracht” in Dutch. The instantly recognizable attire that hails from the village. This traditional dress has deep historical roots and continues to be a symbol of the village’s cultural identity.

While the traditional costume is no longer worn daily by most Volendam residents, it remains an essential part of the village’s identity and is frequently worn during special occasions, celebrations, and cultural festivals like the Volendammer Kermis.

Interspersed amongst Volendam’s souvenir kiosks and eateries are costume shops where one can pay to dress up and take photos in traditional Dutch clothing. I even found the exact shop where I dressed in wooden clogs and a flowery smock for an awkward family portrait over twenty years ago!

Despite Volendam’s kitschy shops and tourist-trap atmosphere, there is no denying that the town is worthy of the hundreds of visitors it attracts every day. With its picturesque rows of houses, its views over Lake Markermeer and its boat-lined waterfront, Volendam looks like a village straight out of a postcard.

EDAM: A CHEESE-LOVER’S TOWN

Edam is a historic town best known for giving its name to the world-famous Edam cheese. Located just 3km from Volendam, it offers a quieter atmosphere, with tree-lined canals, elegant bridges, and well-preserved 17th-century architecture.

Like a miniature Amsterdam, rows and rows of narrow brick houses line Edam’s streets and canals. It is a lovely place to wander.

While Volendam was brimming with tourists during my visit, I was surprised to find that I had the equally-picturesque Edam largely to myself.

Once an industrious shipyard, today Edam’s claim to fame is its word-renowned cheese.

Historically, local farmers would gather at the town’s cheese market to sell their produce. Although the market closed down in the 1920s, re-enactments of the cheese market occur every Wednesday in Edam’s main square.

The Edam Cheese Market, held during the summer months, is one of the town’s main attractions. Here, visitors can witness traditional cheese trading practices, complete with costumed traders and time-honored rituals.

Beyond cheese, Edam has a attractions worth noting. The Grote Kerk, one of the largest churches in the region, stands as a testament to the town’s former wealth. And the Edam Museum, spread across two historic buildings—the 16th-century merchant’s house and the 18th-century town hall—offers a glimpse into the village’s storied past. The museum showcases everything from shipbuilding and ceramics, to paintings and furniture.

MARKEN

GETTING TO VOLENDAM, EDAM, AND MARKEN

The three traditional villages of Volendam, Edam and Marken are easy to visit in tandem and a popular 3-in-1 day trip from Amsterdam.

I visited the villages twice, encompassing two of the three each time. The first time, I set out by bike from Amsterdam Noord and explored Edam and Volendam for the better part of a day. I was on a 24 hour layover and had just worked a 10 hour flight. I was exhausted, so chose to skip Marken in favor of retiring early to my hotel.

On my second visit to the villages, I toured Volendam and Marken with Dan and Elio. We reached Volendam by bus, and then took the ferry to Marken.

BY DAY TOUR

The easiest way to visit Volendam and its surroundings, is by booking an organized day trip. Many organized tours, like this one, also include a visit to the photogenic windmills of Zaanse Schans.

BY BUS

If you prefer to take public transport to Volendam, you can catch Bus 316 from Amsterdam’s Central Station. Buses stop several times before getting to Volendam, but they are reliable and convenient.

BY BIKE

The Netherlands is flat and compact—a perfect combination for those who wish to explore the Amsterdam parks and canals on two wheels. Even outside the city, paved trails traverse through the surrounding farmland—creating a tangled web of paths that link the surrounding villages.

You can reach the three villages of Volendam, Edam and Marken quite easily by bike. You can take the bike on the ferry between Volendam and Marken island, and then continue onward via the Zeedijk—a causeway built in 1957 that connects Marken with the mainland.

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Visiting Amsterdam’s surrounding countryside is like flipping through a storybook of Dutch clichés. It is in these landscapes that much of what is unique to the region–its windmills, its narrow brick houses, its cow-spotted pastures and its crisscrossing bike lanes–can be found in abundance.

While most people who visit Volendam and Edam choose to explore the area by car or bus, I’m happy that I toured Amsterdam’s surroundings on two wheels rather than four. For in this tiny, compact country where cycling is a way of life, I can think of no better way to travel.

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