"another pretty Dutch town - with lots of cheese!" Top 5 Page for this destination Alkmaar by angiebabe

Alkmaar Travel Guide: 125 reviews and 345 photos

Weekly cheese auction - quirky outfits!

Another interesting and colourful event! made it to this one at Almaar after managing to get to the also very colourful flower auctions at Aaslmeer earlier in the day. Best to arrive earlier in the morning though.

Pretty town around more canals

In amongst the stalls and markets - like a farmers market - with cheeses and other produce and money making efforts such as raw anchovies and dutch crepes and hand made clogs - for half the price i had seen at the airport - and even clog shaped slippers (yes i fell for them!) there were two canal boat companies in competition.

Tour of Almaar by canal boat.

alkmaar canal tour

Very recommended way to have a whirlwind tour of a place, bit like taking the open top bus tour option when you are in a hurry and want to condense your sights! - but pretty and relaxing(actually!! we had quite a number of bridges that on our low canal boat we still had to stoop our heads down very low to get under those bridges!! - so we probably actually got quite a bit of exercise and adrenalin output!)

Pros and Cons

Pros:busy and touristed streets with charming buildings and canals, cheese auction photo opportunity with colourful costumes!

Last visit to Alkmaar: Jul 2006
Intro Updated Apr 21, 2007
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Reviews (13)

Interesting statue approaching Alkmaar Things to Do (10)

Interesting sights around Alkmaar, lovely old buildings still remaining from through the centuries, the canal... more travel advice

The very attractive Town Hall Things to Do (10)

One of my guidebooks writes thats this town has at least 400 monuments and that the street layout with old merchant... more travel advice

Renaissance facade of the public weigh house - Alkmaar

Waaggebouw/The public weigh house Things to Do (10)

The weigh house here beside the canal, with its Renaissance facade, was originally a chapel and converted in 1582. Each... more travel advice

Around Alkmaar by canal boat Transportation (1)

a bonus was to find out about the opportunity of canal tours around Alkmaar and so cheap - 4.75 and 5 euro for the two... more travel advice

Shopping (2)
See All dutch shoes for sale

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Travelogues (4)

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Comments (24)

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ettiewyn Dec 23, 2011 at 5:25 AM

I saw the name ALKMAAR very often on roadsigns when I was on holiday in the Netherlands (when I was a teenager), but I never had any idea that it was such a pretty and popular place! The town looks really beautiful on your pictures - thanks for showing them to us :-)
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johngayton Feb 15, 2010 at 5:32 PM

Looks like cheese is definitely on the agenda. Nice page and definitely makes me want to visit Alkmaar. Chee(se)rs, John.
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Nemorino Aug 20, 2009 at 2:22 AM

Somehow I never got the idea of going up onto that peninsula north of Amsterdam. Looks and sounds really nice in your tips and travelogues.
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ardnas67 Jun 28, 2009 at 2:17 PM

I read your tips of Alkmaar. I see you love historical sights gevelstenen.net/kerninventar... this link Here you'll find old house front stones. Otherwise see my page of Hoorn, off the beaten path!
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Pijlmans May 21, 2009 at 10:20 AM

Good tips...Planning to do some sightseeing in my own country tomorrow :-) Cheers, Dennis
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balhannah Feb 22, 2009 at 1:32 AM

Lovely buildings there. I like the idea of cloth slippers, will keep them in mind, and the Canal cruise, I think that maybe on the list of must do's now.
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LoriPori Oct 16, 2008 at 7:22 AM

Must put Alkmaar on my towns to see list, for the next time we go to Holland. Love the idea of a canal tour.
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Ekaterinburg Aug 20, 2008 at 9:30 AM

Lovely photos here which bring back happy memories of my own trip to Alkmaar 12 years ago. It really is a delightful town and I enjoyed reading this page :))
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ranger49 Jun 22, 2008 at 2:20 AM

Nice place and page! I wouldn't know it from the few tiny B&W photos from 1947 I have in a shoebox - must look them out
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mazzap Apr 18, 2008 at 3:06 PM

Nice page Angie, can't believe how much cheese there is there, do you think all the locals eat it?! Lovely buildings, well worth a visit!Marion xx.