Dutch Traditions in Alkmaar

Written by Sasha, January 2013

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Cultural Experience, Tip - What to See & Do

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Comment from Sasha

Alkmaar is an historic Dutch town complete with gabled buildings, tall church spires, cute canals and bridges, and upmarket stores in cobbled streets. It’s a microcosm of Amsterdam, the capital city of The Netherlands, which is just 30 minutes by train to the south.

Where once most towns in The Netherlands held their own weekly cheese market, Gouda, Edam, and Alkmaar are among the few towns now to retain the tradition. Alkmaar’s market takes place each Friday between mid-April and mid-September on the cobbled Waagplein. It has been going strong since 1593 and the market is still run along traditional lines; originally every cheese producer had its own weighing house, known as the waag, and its own team of cheese carriers, the veem.

Editor’s Note: This recommendation was taken from our Netherlands Things to Do blog. Visit the original post to continue reading the full post and to learn more about things to do in the Netherlands.

Photo courtesy of manuel/MC via Flickr.

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