Environment

Get a breath of fresh air on the sandy beach of Egmond aan Zee. After a day of building sand castles, sunbathing or walking, you can go for a snack and a drink in one of the many beach bars. The beach has the international Blue Flag environmental award. The water is of good swimming quality and the beach is well kept clean.

One of the best tourist locations in the Netherlands!

Spend a fun and educational day at the Zaanse Schans. The Zaanse Schans gives a good impression of what this area looked like in the 18th and 19th centuries. There is plenty to see and do in this unique residential and commercial area with various museums, windmills, traditional crafts, restaurants, a visitor’s centre and the possibility for a cruise!

Discover the underwater world!

Come rain or shine, the Zee Aquarium offers an educational and exciting day. You will come face to face with the underwater world and you can admire up close over 300 different fish species, from all corners of the world.

Kaas uit het vuistje

Alkmaar is above all Holland's cheese town. The cheeses are sold by dealers on a clap of hands. Thereupon the 400 year old cheese porters' guild goes into action, carrying the cheese off on barrows after the lot has been weighed at the Waag (the official scales). The cheese market is every friday from 10.00 - 12.30 hours.

Cheese City Alkmaar

Alkmaar is also known as the Cheese City. A visit to the Hollands Kaasmuseum allows you to play games and take an interactive look into the preparation of dairy products throughout the centuries. There is even a treasure hunt for the children, ensuring a lovely day out!

The history of the Dutch polders

At the Museummolen one can see how, in the past, water was pumped four metres upwards, from the polder into the outlet. Inside the mill various information is given about the history of the Dutch polder landscape and the role mills played in it. The glass floor inside the mill offers visitors a clear view of the pump installation underneath. In the attic there is an extensive collection of mill-builder’s tools.

Experience the historical Driehoek

Between the historic 'Zuiderzee' towns of Hoorn, Medemblik and Enkhuizen steamtrams meander from village to village across the Westfrisian countryside and an old-fashioned steamer with a fantastic saloon-deck sails along the coast of lake IJsselmeer. Visit the Museum Steamtram and get aboard for the most exciting journey through time. The Museum Steam Tram Hoorn-Medemblik is the registered museum on the history of the steam tram in the Netherlands.

Eye to eye with the world of animals

From lions, brown bears and cheerful ring-tailed lemurs to gaudy lories and jumping wallabies … In animal park Hoenderdaell you can meet a great variety of animal species. The well-being of the animals is central and as regularly animals in distress are accommodated – and later on released in nature – every time there are different animals to be admired.

The Fort bij Edam, built in the early 1900s, is the most northeastern element of the Amsterdam Fortifications. It once offered accommodation to 255 officers and men, plus weaponry that consisted of five canons and nine machine guns. The main task of the Fort bij Edam was to protect the area surrounding Amsterdam from enemy attacks from the north.

Upon entering museum Vreeburg you can almost taste the atmosphere of how people lived around the year 1900 here in the Boerderijmuseum. View the various farmer tools used in those times and even see an old working grain harvester! At the rear of the farm museum you will find the Carriage Museum. Here you can get a closer look at beautiful authentic carriages, which are all still in mint condition. For the little ones fun events are organised, such as a children's afternoon or collectors’ day. To get an impression of these museums, you can take a look at the website.

Join us for a canal trip in an open boat through Haarlem. Our tour will take you along the city's attractive waterways including the river Spaarne, Haarlem's oldest canal the Bakenessergracht, the Singels and the majestic Nieuwe Gracht. This is a unique way to see the most beautiful buildings and monuments in Haarlem.

Welcome aboard!

Use the convenient water taxi service with more than 12 stops in and around Hoorn! Park for free outside of the city and take the water taxi to the city center or to the port. A nice informative cruise is also available. By appointment, the Water Taxi will pick you up at one of the stops. The skipper will guide you along some of the most beautiful places in Hoorn during an hour-long cruise. Welcome aboard!