Holiday apartment in Edam-Volendam: culture, cheese and Markermeer landscapes

Edam-Volendam combines protected historic townscapes, a harbour atmosphere, museums, hydraulic engineering structures and paths through the agricultural countryside. The historic old town of Edam is a nationally protected townscape. The old centre of Volendam is a municipally protected cultural and historical area of interest comprising five sub-areas. These different facets shape the towns and their surrounding area.

Culture

Edam’s history comes to life at the Edam Museum, the town museum. The museum is housed in two historic buildings and contains the only publicly accessible floating cellar in the Netherlands. The town’s former commercial wealth is also present in its townscape: richly decorated façades and impressive monumental buildings point to this bygone era. Edam is also associated with the round Edam cheese, which has been exported from the town around the world for centuries. During the summer months, visitors can attend the Edam cheese market.

In Volendam, the Volendams Museum displays the Volendam traditional costume every day, which is regarded as a symbol of Holland. The oldest part of the centre is the Doolhof, with its characteristic irregular street pattern. In the adjacent schoolmaster’s house of the Schooltje van Dik Trom, teacher C. Joh. Kieviet wrote his first Dik Trom book; the schoolmaster’s house is not open to visitors. Edam’s historic buildings also include the Zuidpoldermolen, an octagonal windmill that functions as a polder mill.

Fort bij Edam is one of the 46 forts of the Stelling van Amsterdam. This line of defence is more than 135 kilometres long and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors to Fort bij Edam can explore the fort’s various rooms and its kitchen. The Zeesluis Edam is also part of the town’s architectural history: the monumental hydraulic engineering structure lies between the Oorgat and the former Zuiderzee and was built in 1828 and 1829 to replace the Sassluis.

Townscapes

Old Volendam is characterised by small wooden houses and narrow lanes. At the harbour, fishing vessels, old botters, leisure boats and yachts meet. The Dijk beside the harbour offers numerous restaurants and shops. From the Volendams Museum, a signposted walking route leads through the centre of Volendam and along the Dijk past several historic sights. The Dijk-&-Maze Route in Oud-Volendam is a walk through the centre of this historic fishing village.

Nature

The former Zeevang area is characterised by waving reed beds, small country lanes, distinctive meadow birds and ribbon villages with post-and-beam farmhouses and wooden houses. In the former Zeevang area, visitors can cycle, hike and canoe with views of the Markermeer. At 6.60 metres below NAP, Etersheim is the lowest point in Noord-Holland.

When cycling, the Gouwzeeroute passes the De Purmer polder, the surrounding old land and the Gouwzee, and runs through Edam and Volendam. The wet grasslands along the Gouwzeeroute attract many meadow birds in summer. From August onwards, tens of thousands of winter visitors stop there to rest and search for food.

Routes

A 3-kilometre route in Etersheim passes special places steeped in history and stories. QR codes along the way provide additional narratives. The Pontjesroute runs through the agricultural countryside and across two hand-operated cable ferries, from pasture to pasture. At the Museummolen De Breek, also known as the Etersheimer Braakmolen, it is possible to visit the interior; visitors can also experience the mill in operation.

The Bezoekerscentrum De Breek is located next to the Etersheimer Braakmolen and offers food, drinks and numerous activities throughout the year. The VVV locations in Edam and Volendam offer regional tips, souvenirs and practical information for visitors. More town pages: Heemskerk, Medemblik, Zeevang, Hilversum, Haarlem, Oostzaan.

To the overarching travel overview: North Holland.