A Day Coastal Trip Around Amsterdam in Volendam & Marken

If you have enough time during your Netherlands trip or are looking for a peaceful escape from city life, consider visiting these two charming coastal destinations located about 20 kilometers north of Amsterdam: the seaside fishing village of Volendam and the coastal island of Marken.

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Situated along the shores of Markermeer Lake, these two places are perfect for a suburban day trip. The tranquil and leisurely atmosphere made my first visit incredibly enjoyable. There are no towering skyscrapers or bustling traffic, just gentle sea breezes, quaint wooden houses, and centuries of unchanged serenity.

🇳🇱Volendam

Volendam was once a place where people made their living from fishing. Although fishing is no longer the main economic source, the town still preserves traditional Dutch architecture and appearance, gradually transforming into a tourist destination. The main streets Haven and Noordeinde are the liveliest parts of Volendam.

Besides strolling along the waterfront and harbor, you’ll find numerous shops, souvenir stores, and restaurants. When visiting this coastal fishing village, be sure to try the Dutch specialty — Haring!

Haring could be called the Dutch version of sashimi! It’s a type of cured raw fish, usually served with onions or pickles. The traditional way to eat it is to grab the fish by the tail and eat it in one bite , the flavor is quite intense! However, not everyone enjoys this taste, much like how most Taiwanese love stinky tofu but many foreign tourists don’t.

How to Get There

Take bus 316 from Amsterdam Centraal, and you’ll arrive at Volendam Centrum in about 30 minutes. Note: Centrum means “city center” in Dutch.

More Volendam travel information → Link here

🇳🇱 Marken

Marken is a small island located in Markermeer Lake, now connected to the mainland by a causeway, covering only about 2.5 square kilometers. Marken was originally an island in the Zuiderzee and was connected to the mainland by a causeway in 1957.

All houses on the island are built on artificially created mounds to prevent flooding, creating a unique landscape. The island’s most distinctive features are the traditional wooden houses painted in deep green, many built on stilts to stay dry even during flood seasons.

How to Get There

Take the Marken Express ferry from Volendam, which takes about 30 minutes. You can check the timetable in advance. Timetable and official website →Link here

More Marken travel information → Link here

Day Trip Itinerary Suggestion

If you have enough time, I recommend combining Volendam, Marken, and the cheese town of Edam in a single day trip, as the three locations are quite close to each other with convenient transportation, allowing you to experience three different traditional Dutch atmospheres in one day.

Visit Edam to explore the cheese market and traditional cheese-making process, and taste the famous Edam cheese → Arrive in Volendam for lunch and stroll along the harbor for photos → Take the ferry to Marken island to admire the unique green wooden houses and lighthouse scenery, experiencing the island atmosphere → Return to Volendam or head directly back to Amsterdam.

3 Traditional Cheese Markets in the Netherlands — A Journey Through Centuries of Dutch Cheese Culture

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How do you plan your trip in the Netherlands? Let me know in the comments!

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