Private half day tour from Amsterdam to Edam Volendam and Marken
Description
Experience Holland in Just Half a Day Discover the best of Dutch countryside charm in just four hours. Stroll through the quaint cheese village of Edam and enjoy a delicious tasting of Gouda and Edam cheeses. Visit the most delightful traditional candy shop and try Holland’s most beloved treat—licorice. Stop at a historic windmill, learn about its function and history, and capture stunning photos. Enjoy scenic drives through lush meadows dotted with grazing cows and pass by classic Dutch dikes. Explore the charming fishing village of Volendam, known for its colorful harbor and small fishermen’s houses. Then take a relaxing ferry ride to the picturesque peninsula of Marken—where time seems to stand still.
Tour Options
Itinerary
You’ll be picked up from your hotel for a scenic drive through the city and countryside toward Edam.
We’ll take a stroll through the charming old center of Edam and visit a local cheese shop for a Gouda and Edam cheese tasting. You’ll sample a variety of cheeses—over 30 different flavors to explore! It’s a must-do experience for any cheese lover. The best part? These cheeses are specially made for travel, so you can bring the authentic taste of Holland home with you, wherever you’re headed. And since the Dutch love licorice, we’ll also stop by the cutest candy shop for a licorice tasting.
On our way to Volendam, we’ll stop at the Kathammer windmill, beautifully located on the edge of the village. This historic windmill still functions to drain the Katwoude-Hogendijk polder. It’s a perfect photo opportunity. In Volendam, we’ll walk through the iconic harbor area and admire the authentic fishermen’s houses. We’ll also explore The Maze, the oldest part of the village, known for its narrow streets. A stroll along the famous dike completes this picturesque visit.
Hop on a ferry across the IJsselmeer to Marken, a quant village that was once an island in the Zuiderzee. Marken charms visitors with its traditional wooden houses and drawbridges
We’ll take a brief walk through this picturesque village, enjoying its unique atmosphere. Connected to the mainland by a dam since 1957, Marken offers a glimpse into the past
We’ll end the tour with a scenic drive along the iconic dikes, making our way back to your hotel
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Depending on the group size a van or car.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(7)
Bianca was our guide. We had a wonderful time. Could have stayed all day in Volendam. The seaport area was so nice. Edam was quiet on a Sunday morning but the old little town was a delight to wander thru.
Thank you for your lovely review Donald! We’re so happy you had a wonderful time with Bianca. Volendam is such a beautiful place, and Edam on a Sunday morning has its own quiet charm. We hope to welcome you back again for another beautiful day in the Dutch countryside! Warm regards, Esther
Esther was a wonderful guide, knowlegeable and flexible. The towns are all charming.
Thank you so much for your kind words Lynne! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour to Edam, Volendam, and Marken. You’re always very welcome to join us again for another tour! Warm regards, Esther
We had an incredible tour with Esther! She was very friendly and knowledgeable. We loved seeing the quaint villages of The Netherlands.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so happy to hear that you had an incredible tour. It was a pleasure showing you the charming villages of the Netherlands, and I’m glad you enjoyed the experience. You’re always very welcome to come back for another tour! Warm regards, Esther
We took the tour of Edam, Volendam, and Marken with Windmillgirl Tours. This is a private tour and it was just my wife and me and it was fabulous. We are at the end of a long 38 day European trip that included other land tours, an ocean cruise, and a river cruise. Every excursion up until this one was a group tour. That means you move as fast as the slowest person and get lots of "free time" or "time for shopping." The private tour allows for much more time to see actual sights and to get insights that would not be possible on a group tour. Caroline was our guide and she was GREAT. She has her general tour agenda as a starting point, but any time we asked a question, she would deviate and not only answer the question, but also looked for other examples of buildings or sights that also applied to the question. Several times she took us through areas that would have been impossible for a larger group to have seen. At other times she would give us options as to what to see next as opposed to simply following a script. The tour felt not only private, but customized. The three areas we visited (Edam, Volendam, Marken) are a good contrast to Amsterdam. We were out in the country with dikes, windmills, and small towns that have been there for 400 or more years. We visited a cheese shop - not your general tourist trap spot, but a store that seemed happy we were visiting. Granted it was off season and there were not tons of people, but we were able to ask questions and the ladies in the shop took time to explain a lot more than we could have expected. We also took a ferry from Volendam to Marken. This was a nice feature as it gave us a broad perspective of the entire area. For anyone that wants to see the countryside in a focused private tour, I recommend this tour and this company. We plan to use them again on a trip during tulip season. The experience and service was so focused on us that the owner Esther called us the day before to ask if we'd like to start 90 minutes later due to cold weather. Thanks for that as well ! Again, Caroline was a great tour guide and we had fun with her as well as seeing the sights. Thank you for a great tour!
Esther was a gracious and fun to be with host. She took is around the villages of Edam, Volanden and Marken. She brought us to a cheese and licorice candy shop and we enjoyed the boat ride to Marken. We enjoyed the half day tour and we highly recommend Esther of hollandwindmillgirltours. Its a tour worth experiencing
Thank you so much, Maria, for your lovely review. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the tour! You’re always welcome to join me for another one. Warm regards, Esther
Sights of Zaanse Schans Amsterdam were very interesting about windmills and clog making and Esther was very informative.
Thank you Ken! Enjoy the rest of your stay! Warm regards, Esther
So fun! Esther is just lovely and so warm. She has a very nice and comfortable van. We loved the cute towns and fantastic cheese. Highly reccommend!
Thank you Bianca for joining me on my half day tour to Edam, Volendam and Marken. I am so glad you enjoyed it! You are such a cute couple! Warm regards, Esther
