Edam-Volendam Netherlands North Holland
Netherlands

6 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

Riviera Travel (6 Cruises)


Frequently Asked Questions

Right in the heart of the fishing village of Volendam, about twenty kilometres north of Amsterdam. Ships moor against the dyke, and the village's liveliest street begins at the foot of the gangway.
No — they are two neighbouring villages in one municipality, barely three kilometres apart. Volendam faces the water, with its harbour full of historic sailing boats and its fish stalls; quieter Edam has cultivated calm canals and a worldwide cheese reputation since the sixteenth century.
By bicycle or coach, in a matter of minutes — the two are three kilometres apart. Most passengers do both in the same day, and the contrast between the busy dyke and Edam's quiet canals is exactly what makes the call worthwhile.
Herring the Dutch way, held by the tail and swallowed head back, or the smoked eel locals call paling. The dyke stalls serve both all day. In Edam the tasting happens in a cheese shop instead, from young and creamy to old and crystalline.
No, only in summer. The historic market, born in the sixteenth century, comes back to life in season with costumed carriers, barges loaded with wheels and a public weighing. Outside market days the cheese shops still open for tastings.
Yes, if the call schedule allows. The Marken Express, a ferry that has linked the two shores for nearly a century, reaches this former island of dark green wooden houses built on mounds. The crossing itself, among the brown sails of traditional boats, is worth the trip.
Yes. Vacuum-sealed wheels travel without trouble and the shops prepare them for transport. Do check your home country's import rules before buying in quantity.
Half a day covers both villages comfortably. The Volendam dyke and its back lanes take an hour, Edam and its canals another, and that still leaves time for a farm cheese demonstration or the ferry to Marken.
April to September, when days are long, terraces open and the cheese market active. The low light over the IJsselmeer — the light Dutch painters made famous — is at its best in late afternoon.
Yes. The harbour full of sailing boats, the fish stalls, the cheese-making demonstration and the ferry to Marken keep a family busy. The village is entirely flat, with no stairs and no long climbs.