The historic centre has around 400 monuments and is a perfect location to enjoy the historic atmosphere, but also to shop; you'll find the most interesting shops in Alkmaar. In the Langestraat and Laat you will find the bigger and well known store chains. But don’t miss out on the smaller stores and boutiques in d’Oude Stad (Old City). Alkmaar also has a large number of restaurants, many with cosy outdoor seating. Enjoy wonderful museums and events during your stay, such as Kaeskoppenstad.
Welcome to the vibrant Alkmaar, where there is more (to the eye) than you can take in. A city full of courtyards, canals, dozens of terraces and of course the world famous cheese market. But there is more to explore!
Below you will find just some of the wonderful attractions and activities Alkmaar has to offer.
Are you planning on visiting Alkmaar? Then of course you should not miss the famous Alkmaar cheese market Fridays on the Waagplein, but Alkmaar is also a wonderful city to visit on any other day.
In the homely and characteristic streets of the old town you can stroll and shop. It is full of cozy cafes, smaller shops and local boutiques. In the “Langestraat” and “Laat” you will also find stores of many well-known retail chains. Are you ready for a snack or a drink? There is enough choice here!
Are you in Alkmaar for more than one day? Then take a discovery tour to the green landscape. Visit the famous Schermer Mills and the picturesque villages of Graft and De Rijp. In Graft you will find “Bram and Aagie” – the smallest (sweets) shop in the Netherlands.
Alkmaar also offers a special cultural history. From the canals to the beautiful and old “Waaggebouw” or from the “Grote Kerk” to the several windmills in the area. Would you like to discover everything yourself? Then you can pick up a map with city walks at the VVV (Tourist Office) or simply take part in a guided city tour.
No events planned
When you visit Alkmaar, VVV Alkmaar will ofcourse be the place to start your visit. They love to tell you what cannot be missed when you visit our beautiful and monumental Cheesecity. You will find them in one of Alkmaar's greatest icons, the Weighing building.
General information
Waagplein 2, Alkmaar, Nederland
Distance from harbor
500 m, 5 min
From april - september, the famous Cheesemarket takes place on Fridays, right in front of the Alkmaar Tourist Information!
Want to find out everything about the Alkmaar town centre? Discover the best spots in Alkmaar during a walk through the town, alone or with a guide.
Take a 'city walk' through the ancient town centre on foot. This can be done in the following ways:
General information
Houttil 26, Alkmaar, Nederland
Distance from harbor
300m, 4 min
300m, 1 min
Get directions with background information at Alkmaar VVV (tourist information) on the Waagplein. For children there is a city walk with a 'hunting game'.
The Verdronkenoord, the Luttik Oudorp, the Oudegracht, the Lindegracht ... the Alkmaar canals are like a painting. The best way to enjoy all this is by boat; They leave every hour from the Mient.
General information
Mient, Alkmaar, Nederland
Distance from harbor
450m, 5 min
400m, 1 min
Distance to port: walking distance - also for people with reduced mobility Accessability: less than five minutes' walk from the port
Discover a real Alkmaar Treasure: hofjes. A hofje is a historic small inner courtyard surrounded by houses. This page explains more about the famous courtyards that can still be found through Alkmaar. When you are in Alkmaar, then you cannot miss the courtyards. In the Sonoy courtyard, you can enjoy one of the terraces, or browse through the little boutique shops. Residents still live at the other courtyards.
General information
Ritsevoort 2, 1811 DN Alkmaar, Nederland
Distance from harbor
750m, 10min
1km, 4 min
Visiting a courtyard? The following are open for viewing: - The Hofje van Splinter (from 1646) on the Ritsevoort - The Wildemanshofje (from 1714) on the Oudegracht
By far the most important date in Alkmaar's history is October 8, 1573. This is the day when the brave people of Alkmaar defeated the Spanish army in the 80-year war. The famous 'House with the bullet' in the Appelsteeg still reminds us of the fierce battle.
General information
Appelsteeg 2-5, Alkmaar, Nederland
Distance from harbor
600 m, 5 min
5 min walk from the ship
What’s more Dutch than a traditional Cheese Market? Alkmaar has the most famous, biggest and oldest one! You can enjoy this traditional event from April to september, every Friday from 10:00h to 13:00h, on the Waagplein in the centre of Alkmaar.
Experience the Cheese Market in the evening, which is held on every Tuesday nights in July and August, from 19:00h till 21:00h.
General information
Waagplein, Alkmaar, Nederland
Accessability: The cheese-market is accessible to wheelchairs.
Distance from harbor
350m, 4 min
350m, 1 min
750m, 3 min
The Dutch Cheese Museum was founded in Alkmaar in 1983. It is located in the historic Waaggebouw, which overlooks the cheese market. In the museum you will find lots of interesting information about cheese: its history, production methods and the cheese trade. To discover the true story of cheese, you really need to visit the Dutch Cheese Museum!
General information
Waagplein 2, Alkmaar, Nederland
Accessability: also for people with reduced mobility
Distance from harbor
500 m, 5 min
750 m, 3 min
Walking distance
Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar is a great place to share your enjoyment of art, culture and history. As well as the permanent displays, the museum stages temporary exhibitions several times a year with a diverse programme of events and activities. Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar is an ideal venue for families with children and a great place to spend an afternoon. Looking together is much more fun.
General information
Canadaplein 1, Alkmaar, Nederland
Accessability: The museum has easy access for the disabled. There are two wheelchairs
Distance from harbor
500m, 5 min
The Grote Sint Laurenskerk is the largest and most popular monument of Alkmaar. The church is open and free to visit all summer and on several weekends. Weekly, thousands visit the church amounting to over 70.000 visitors a year. The medieval church is a basilica built in Brabantian gothic style and houses two extraordinary organs: the Van Covelens and the Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger organs, which are still played during various concerts throughout the year.
General information
Koorstraat 2, Alkmaar, Nederland
Accessability: The church is wheelchair accessible
Distance from harbor
500 m, 5 min
The church has limited opening hours. During Spring and Summer (end of March - September) the church is usually open to visitors
Beer has been the most popular alcoholic beverage in these parts of the world for a few thousand years. But how is it brewed? What exactly is malt and why is yeast so important? You can find out all about it when you visit De Boom National Beer Museum in Alkmaar. This unique museum - appropriately housed in a former brewery - introduces you to the tools, equipment and machines which have played a key role in the production of this ‘golden brew’ in the past two centuries.
General information
Houttil 1, 1811 JL Alkmaar, Nederland
Accessability: Also accessible for people with reduced mobility
Distance from harbor
500 m. 5 min
750 m, 3 min
walking distance less than five minutes' walk from the port
You don't have to go to Liverpool for a trip to a Beatles museum, the Alkmaar Beatles Museum is even bigger than its little brother in England. Beatles fanatic Azing Moltmaker collected an impressive collection of Beatles items. He even had the Alkmaar Beatles museum grow into the world's largest Beatles museum.
General information
Pettemerstraat 12A, Alkmaar, Nederland
Accessability: walking distance - also for people with reduced mobility
Distance from harbor
600 m, 5 min
less than five minutes' walk from the port
Museum BroekerVeiling is not just a museum. In Broek op Langedijk you can find the oldest sail-through auction in the world. This is where the Dutch auction (also called a clock auction or open-outcry descending-price auction) originated in 1887.
General information
Museumweg 2, Broek op Langedijk, Nederland
Accessability: A boat trip and a visit to the auction, all parts of the museum program are fully wheelchair accessible.
Distance from harbor
9 km, 15 min
The Museum Mill in Schermerhorn is one of the eleven remaining polder mills in the Schermer that 400 years ago dried the polder. The Museum Mill is open to the public every day from 1 April to 1 November. Questions about how the mill works? The miller will gladly explain it to you.
General information
Noordervaart 2, Schermerhorn, Nederland
Distance from harbor
10 km, 15 min
10 km, 15 min
The Museum Mill is open to the public from April 1st to November 1st.
Strand Egmond aan Zee and/or Bergen aan Zee
Do you want to combine your city trip with a beach holiday? That’s possible in Alkmaar! Egmond aan Zee and Bergen aan Zee are only 10 kilometres away from the centre of Alkmaar. You can easily take the bus from Alkmaar Central Station tot he beach or you can rent a bike and start a lovely bike ride to the coast.
General information
C.F. Zeiler Boulevard 4, Bergen aan Zee, Nederland
Distance from harbor
12 km, 20 min