Around Amsterdã, the Netherlands: things to do, when to go and how to get there

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Around Amsterdã, in the province of North Holland, there are three easy bases to visit on day trips or to stay overnight. Haarlem, the provincial capital, is about 15 minutes by train and has a historic centre with the Grote Markt (markt = market square), the Grote of Sint-Bavokerk and two old museums, the Frans Hals Museum and the Teylers Museum.

To the north, across the IJ canal, is Zaandam in the municipality of Zaanstad. There you find the Zaanse Schans, a neighbourhood of wooden houses and industrial windmills moved from other parts of the Zaan river region from 1961 onwards. In the town, the little wooden house where the Russian czar Peter the Great stayed in 1697 is now a museum.

To the northeast, Volendam is a fishing village facing the Markermeer, the former inland sea. The harbour, the dike and the local museum tell the story of fishing and traditional dress. By boat you can reach Marken, an old island with houses on stilts, and by bus or bike you can get to the town of Edam, which gave its name to one of the country's best-known cheeses.

Everything is close to Schiphol airport. Haarlem and Zaandam have NS trains with frequent departures; Volendam, Marken and Edam have no train station and are reached by regional bus from Amsterdam Centraal (centraal = central station).

This destination brings together 3 cities: Haarlem, Volendam, Zaandam.

Share: WhatsApp

Traveler, share your experiences through photos Up to 5 photos of each place you visited.

One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Around Amsterdã is

Contornos: CBS/PDOK, Gebiedsindelingen 2024, CC BY 4.0. Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Around Amsterdã

✈ Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), in Haarlemmermeer · 18 km to Haarlem

Check before you buy. From Schiphol airport there are trains to Haarlem and Zaandam; for Volendam, Marken and Edam, regional buses run from Amsterdã.

Suggested arrival point: Haarlem

Holanda Setentrional · Around Amsterdã Capital Suggested arrival point

Haarlem

Capital of North Holland, Haarlem is about 15 minutes by train from Amsterdã. The centre revolves around the Grote Markt, with the Grote of Sint-Bavokerk and its 18th-century organ. The city is home to the Frans Hals Museum, the Teylers Museum, the De Adriaan windmill on the banks of the Spaarne River, the Corrie ten Boom house and more than twenty hofjes, courtyards of former charitable houses. Zandvoort beach is ten minutes by train.

Holanda Setentrional · Around Amsterdã

Volendam

Volendam is a fishing village on the shore of the Markermeer, about 20 km from Amsterdã, in the municipality of Edam-Volendam. The walk begins at the harbor and along the dyke, with fishing boats and wooden houses. The Volendams Museum tells about village life between 1850 and 1950 and shows the traditional costume. By boat you can reach Marken, a former island of houses on stilts, and a few kilometers away is Edam, the cheese town, with a summer market.

Holanda Setentrional · Around Amsterdã

Zaandam

Zaandam, the largest city in the municipality of Zaanstad, sits on the banks of the river Zaan, a few minutes by train north of Amsterdã. The region was one of the first industrial areas in Europe, powered by hundreds of windmills. Today the main attraction is the Zaanse Schans, with windmills, workshops and the Zaans Museum. In the city centre, the Czaar Peterhuisje preserves the wooden house where Czar Peter the Great stayed in 1697.

The local experience

Things to do in Around Amsterdã

Haarlem · Holanda Setentrional · Square

Grote Markt

Haarlem's main square, with the church of São Bavão, the town hall and the statue of Laurens Janszoon Coster, a printing pioneer.

Volendam · Holanda Setentrional · Harbour

Haven van Volendam

Fishing harbour and dyke of Volendam, on the shore of the Markermeer, with boats, smoked fish shops and the low alleys of wooden houses behind the dyke.

Zaandam · Holanda Setentrional · Windmills

Zaanse Schans

Neighbourhood of wooden houses and industrial windmills on the banks of the Zaan, assembled from 1961 with buildings brought from across the region; access to the streets is free.

Haarlem · Holanda Setentrional · Church

Grote of Sint-Bavokerk

Gothic church built between 1370 and 1520 on the Grote Markt, with a 78-metre wooden tower and the Müller organ from 1738, played by Händel and Mozart.

See 11 more places in Around Amsterdã

Volendam · Holanda Setentrional · Museum

Volendams Museum

Village museum covering 1850 to 1950, with Volendam's traditional dress, fishermen's house interiors, fishing exhibits and a room covered by millions of cigar bands.

Zaandam · Holanda Setentrional · Museum

Zaans Museum

Museum of the history of the Zaan region, located within the Zaanse Schans, with costumes, painted furniture, objects from the area's major industries and the Verkade Experience, about biscuits and chocolate.

Zaandam · Holanda Setentrional · House museum

Czaar Peterhuisje

Small wooden house from 1632 where the Russian czar Peter the Great stayed in 1697 to learn shipbuilding; it is protected inside a stone pavilion.

Haarlem · Holanda Setentrional · Museum

Frans Hals Museum

Haarlem's art museum, housed in a 17th-century almshouse, with more than a dozen paintings by Frans Hals, including the large militia portraits.

Volendam · Holanda Setentrional · Historic town

Marken

Former island of the Markermeer, connected to the mainland by a dyke since 1957, with wooden houses on stilts and artificial mounds; reachable from Volendam by boat in about 30 minutes.

Volendam · Holanda Setentrional · Historic city

Edam

Small town a few kilometres from Volendam that gave its name to Edam cheese, with canals, 17th-century houses and a staged cheese market on Wednesday mornings in July and August.

Haarlem · Holanda Setentrional · Museum

Teylers Museum

The oldest museum in the Netherlands, opened in 1784, with the original Oval Room, scientific instruments, fossils, coins and drawings by great masters.

Haarlem · Holanda Setentrional · Windmill

Molen De Adriaan

Windmill on the banks of the Spaarne, opened in 1779, destroyed by a fire in 1932 and rebuilt; guided visit includes climbing up to the gallery.

Haarlem · Holanda Setentrional · House museum

Corrie ten Boom Huis

House of the Ten Boom family, who hid Jews and resistance members during World War II; visits are by guide only and must be booked in advance.

Haarlem · Holanda Setentrional · Historic courtyard

Hofje van Bakenes

The oldest of Haarlem's hofjes — charitable courtyard complexes hidden behind gates in the city centre; the city still has more than twenty.

Haarlem · Holanda Setentrional · Beach

Strand Zandvoort

Zandvoort beach, on the North Sea, about ten minutes by train from Haarlem, with a promenade, dunes and beach restaurants.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From April to September the days are longer and the weather is usually milder; July and August are the busiest months. Rain and wind can occur year-round. In winter, from December to February, it's cold and it gets dark early, but museums and churches remain open.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Each town can be visited in a day from Amsterdã. Haarlem can take a second day if you want to include Zandvoort beach or visit the museums at a relaxed pace. To see Zaanse Schans, Volendam, Marken and Edam calmly, allow one day for Zaandam and another for Volendam and the surroundings.

Which city to stay in

Haarlem is the best base outside Amsterdã: the historic centre between the station and the Grote Markt has hotels and restaurants within walking distance, and the train takes about 15 minutes to the capital. In Zaandam, the area around the station and the Gedempte Gracht, the main street, is convenient for train arrivals. In Volendam, hotels are on the dike itself and in the streets behind the harbour; it's a good option for those who want to see the village after the tour groups have left.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Around Amsterdã

Can you visit Haarlem, Zaandam and Volendam on day trips from Amsterdã?

Yes. Haarlem is about 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam Centraal and Zaandam less than 15 minutes. Volendam has no train station: regional buses depart from the area behind Amsterdam Centraal. Ideally, allow a day for each place, because combining all three in one day leaves little time for museums and the mills.

How do I get from Schiphol airport to these places?

Schiphol has a train station inside the terminal. To Haarlem there are direct trains or services with one change, taking a short travel time. To Zaandam, trains usually go via Amsterdam Sloterdijk or Amsterdam Centraal. For Volendam, the simplest route is to take a train to Amsterdam Centraal and catch the regional bus there. On public transport you can pay with contactless card (OVpay system); check whether your card is accepted.

Do I need a car to visit the surroundings of Amsterdã?

No. Trains and buses cover all three places, and parking at the Zaanse Schans and in Volendam tends to fill up on busy days. The bicycle (fiets) is also a local way to travel between Volendam and Edam or even to Marken; on cycle paths, always ride on the correct side and don't stop in the middle of the lane.

Is it better to stay in Haarlem or in Amsterdã?

Haarlem is a peaceful alternative: the centre is small, everything is within walking distance and trains to Amsterdã run frequently. Those who plan to spend several days visiting Amsterdã may prefer to stay in the capital; those who prefer a smaller town and also want to visit Zandvoort beach will benefit from using Haarlem as a base.

Around Amsterdã

A region to enjoyat your own pace.