Alkmaar: Cheese Market, Museums and Canals

Alkmaar brings together the traditional cheese trade at Waagplein with churches and museums, canals, and green spaces and nature areas. When planning your trip, you can choose from different themes: market activity and city history, art and architecture, or activities on the water and outdoors. These different themes can help you decide whether to choose Alkmaar as the destination for your hotel stay.

Cheese Market and Grote Kerk

The cheese market takes place at Waagplein in Alkmaar. Cheese has been traded there in the same way for hundreds of years. Cheese carriers, cheese girls, cheese boys, market masters and traders are all part of the market. The tradition is reflected not only in the product, but also in the roles involved in the trade. If you include the market in your travel plans, check the seasonal dates in advance. From Alkmaar railway station, Waagplein is about a 15-minute walk; the route is signposted.

Grote Kerk is the largest church in Noord-Holland north of the Noordzeekanaal. A permanent exhibition is dedicated to its rich history, monumental interior and existing works of art. Individual displays may change. The exhibition therefore covers both the history of the building and its interior and the works of art inside.

Art and Museum Themes

At Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar, the collection on the Bergen School comprises more than 280 works by artists who lived and worked in and around Bergen (NH). The collection’s connection to the Bergen School and the area around Bergen offers a different focus from Alkmaar’s church and city history.

The De Boom Beer Museum explains the brewing process using tools, equipment and machines with which the “golden brew” was made over the past 200 years. The museum is located in the historic building of the former De Boom brewery. Here, the presentation of the brewing process and the building’s former use as a brewery come together.

The Beatles Museum Alkmaar displays unique items belonging to the Fab Four from Liverpool across 1,200 m² of exhibition space. The scope and presentation may change. If you are interested in music history, this theme complements the art collection and the historical focus of the other museums with its own perspective on the Beatles.

Huis met de Kogel is one of the last two wooden houses in Alkmaar. Clarissenbolwerk, meanwhile, was a defensive structure and is now a green park for walks and a meeting place. These places highlight different aspects of the city: Huis met de Kogel for the distinctive character of one of the few remaining wooden houses, and Clarissenbolwerk for its transformation from a former defensive site into a park today.

Canals and Nature in the Surrounding Region

You can explore Alkmaar’s canals on a sightseeing cruise or by renting a boat. These are two ways to get to know the waterways. Cruise schedules and operators may change; rental boat availability may also change. Check the relevant dates or availability in advance if a canal cruise is a fixed part of your travel plans.

In the region around Alkmaar lies Eilandspolder, in the Land van Leeghwater. This bird-rich nature area offers opportunities for walking and cycling, as well as boating in a whisper boat or canoe. You can choose between activities on land and exploring by watercraft. This regional natural area differs from the museums, buildings and canals in Alkmaar itself, offering another focus for your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Stompetoren, Oudorp, Schermerhorn, Driehuizen, Koedijk

Return to the main travel overview: Alkmaar.