Volendam
Volendam, also known as “The Pearl of the Zuiderzee” is a fishing village founded in the fourteenth century, located 20km northeast of Amsterdam, between Edam and Marken.
Volendam has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Netherlands, and this small town depends on both fishing and tourism.
What to do in Volendam?
Volendam does not stand out for any particular landmark, instead what draws thousands of visitors to this small town every year is the town’s pretty architecture and well-looked-after streets. The best things to do is to walk along its promenade, discover its quaint shops and city center and have a drink at one of its cafés.
One of the most characteristic things about Volendam is its traditional costumes, sometimes still worn by its inhabitants.
If you want to take a curious souvenir with you from Volendam, head to one of the town’s photography shops where you can try on the costumes and get your picture taken.
There are various typical Dutch cheese farms that also sell wooden clogs on the way to Volendam from Amsterdam. Stop to see how the cheese and clogs are made and enjoy a free tasting of delicious traditional cheese.
A great day-trip
Unless you’re only staying in Amsterdam for a weekend, we highly recommend spending a full day or half-day at Volendam. This little town is extremely pleasant and only twenty minutes away by car.
A great option is to combine a visit to Volendam and Marken. You can get to both places by bus (with the right ticket) or cross from one village to the other by boat.
How to get to Volendam?
The easiest ways to get to Volendam are:
- Book a day trip: the easiest way to visit Volendam and other local sights, for € 35 (US$ 37) you can book a day trip from Amsterdam online
- Coach: If you prefer to take public transport to Volendam, a bus ticket costs € 7 (US$ 7.40) and is valid for the whole day. The ticket is also valid to visit Marken and other nearby villages. All the buses depart from Amsterdam Central Station and stop several times before getting to Volendam.
- Hire a car: If you want to explore Holland by car and visit several cities, you can easily hire a car in Amsterdam.
Nearby places
Marken (4.4 km) NEMO Science Museum (17.3 km) Amsterdam Central Station (17.5 km) Our Lord in the Attic Museum (17.8 km) Dutch Resistance Museum (17.9 km)
