When it comes to the Netherlands, it’s hard not to mention the well-known facts. Everyone knows the country’s symbols: tulips, mills, and cheese. And many will surely name the kingdom’s most famous cheese cities, Gouda and Edam. But this list would be incomplete without Alkmaar. Every tourist to the Netherlands should definitely visit this city surrounded by water, captivating with its canals, cheese, and the unique spectacle associated with it.

Attractions and Entertainment in Alkmaar
Cheese fairs and cheese-carrying shows are the main attraction, the reason many travel to Alkmaar. They are held from April to September, every Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Tourists can fully enjoy the spectacle of carrying wheels of cheese on wooden, pole-shaped stretchers, a tradition that has remained unchanged since the Middle Ages.

Everything is meticulously arranged, with vendors, porters, ticket collectors, and souvenir vendors dressed in period clothing. An orchestra plays traditional melodies on Waagplein, and before the auction begins, a member of the clergy and the city mayor appear.

After the fair, you can continue exploring the main attraction at the Waag, the Weigh House, where the cheese museum is located on the second and third floors. Afterwards, visit the beer museum, open from 12:00 PM on Tuesdays and Fridays, from 10:00 AM on cheese fair days, and from 1:00 PM on weekends. The museum and its bar are closed on Mondays.

Also worth checking out is the interesting stove museum and the city history and art museum. Admire its sculptures, mills, and historic buildings: the mayor’s house, the city hall, the Hof von Sonoy tower, St. Joseph’s Church, and the Cathedral of St. Lawrence. Or simply stroll through the narrow streets, along the numerous canals, or take a boat trip around the city; Alkmaar means “surrounded by water.”