Edam-Volendam: Historic Town Centre, Harbour and Cheese Tradition

Edam-Volendam can be explored through its very different townscapes: Edam is known for its protected historic townscape and cheese tradition, while Volendam is known for its old town centre and harbour. In the former Zeevang area, paths, meadows and villages shape the landscape. When planning your hotel stay, this contrast offers a thematic guide: first consider whether historic buildings, harbour life, or landscapes and activities should take centre stage.

Edam’s Historic Town Centre, Cheese and Architectural History

Edam’s historic town centre is a protected townscape. Richly decorated façades and monumental buildings reflect the town’s former trading wealth. The Edam Museum is dedicated to Edam’s rich history and is housed in two historic buildings. One of the museum’s unique features is the only publicly accessible floating cellar in the Netherlands.

Cheese tradition is also part of Edam’s local history: round Edam cheese has been exported from the town around the world for centuries. During the summer months, visitors can attend the Edam cheese market; check the dates before your trip. This makes it easy to plan a visit to the seasonal market.

The monumental Zeesluis Edam, between the Oorgat and the former Zuiderzee, is part of the town’s architectural history. It was built in 1828 and 1829 to replace the Sassluis. Another distinctive structure is the Zuidpoldermolen, an octagonal windmill used as a polder mill. Together, these buildings bring different chapters of the town’s history to life, from trade to water management.

Volendam: Lanes, Museum and Harbour

Volendam’s old town centre is protected by the municipality as an area of cultural and historical significance and is divided into five sub-areas. Small wooden houses and narrow lanes define old Volendam. The Doolhof is especially distinctive: the oldest part of the centre, with its irregular street pattern. A marked walking route from the Volendams Museum leads through the centre and along the Dijk, passing several historic sights.

The Volendams Museum displays Volendam’s traditional costume every day; it is regarded as a symbol of Holland. The harbour brings together different aspects of local life: it is a meeting point for fishing vessels, old Botters, pleasure boats and yachts. The Dijk beside the harbour is lined with restaurants and shops. This gives Volendam a different character from Edam, with the harbour and townscape taking centre stage alongside its historic attractions.

Another trace of local history leads to the Schooltje van Dik Trom. In the adjoining teacher’s house, teacher C. Joh. Kieviet wrote his first Dik Trom book. The teacher’s house is not open to visitors, so its story is best understood as a literary connection to the area, rather than as a house to visit.

Paths and Landscapes in the Former Zeevang Area

In the former Zeevang area, waving reed beds, small country lanes, distinctive meadow birds and ribbon villages with pole-frame farmhouses and wooden houses shape the landscape. Visitors can cycle, walk and canoe with views of the Markermeer. The Gouwzeeroute offers views of the De Purmer polder, the surrounding old land and the Gouwzee, and passes Edam and Volendam.

The wet grasslands along the Gouwzeeroute also reveal a seasonal difference: in summer, they attract many meadow birds; from August, tens of thousands of wintering birds stop there to rest and forage. Visitors interested in nature watching will find a different focus here from the protected town centres and museums.

Other routes connect the landscape and local history in different ways. The Pontjesroute leads through the agricultural countryside and across two hand-operated cable ferries, from one pasture to another. The Dijk & Maze Route in Oud-Volendam is a walk through the centre of the historic fishing village. In Etersheim, a three-kilometre route passes places of interest with their own history and stories; QR codes along the way provide further accounts. At 6.60 metres below NAP, Etersheim is the lowest point in Noord-Holland.

In Etersheim, visitors can explore the Museummolen De Breek, also known as the Etersheimer Braakmolen, from the inside and see it in operation. Check the visiting arrangements before your trip. This will help you decide whether to spend your time mainly exploring the townscapes of Edam and Volendam, the history of mills, or the paths through the landscape.

Fort bij Edam

Fort bij Edam also offers insight into architectural history. Visitors can explore the fort’s various rooms and its kitchen; check the public visiting arrangements before your visit. The fort is one of the 46 forts of the Stelling van Amsterdam. The Stelling van Amsterdam is 135 kilometres long.

Choose a theme to give your stay a clear focus: Edam combines a protected historic town centre with the history of cheese and water management; Volendam makes an impression with its lanes, traditional costume and harbour; and the former Zeevang area brings paths, villages and birdlife into view. Plan your trip around which of these highlights you would like to experience.

Discover more destinations: Edam, Volendam, Haarlem, Heemskerk, Bergen, Drechterland, Graft-De Rijp, Wieringen.

For an overview of the wider region: Noord-Holland.