Getting there
Trains from Amsterdam Centraal to Alkmaar run every 15 minutes, take 35 minutes and cost $8.80. From Alkmaar station it is a 10-minute walk south along Spoorstraat and Snaarmanslaan to Waagplein. Signs and, on Friday mornings, a stream of tourists will point the way.
The cheese market
Runs Fridays 10:00-13:00 from the first Friday of April to the first Friday of September. Free to watch. Get there by 9:30 for a spot along the ropes — by 10:15 you’ll see nothing but heads. The cheese porters (kaasdragers) run wheels of Edam and Gouda across the square on wooden sledges in color-coded guild uniforms. It's staged for tourists now but the guild is real, dating to 1593.
The Kaasmuseum above the weigh-house is $6 and worth 30 minutes for the history.
The rest of Alkmaar
After the market, walk the Bierkade and Verdronkenoord canals — quiet, unlisted, prettier than most of Amsterdam. Lunch at De Buren op de Vismarkt on the old fish market square ($16 lunch plates). The Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk is free to enter and has a 17th-century organ. In summer, take a $10 canal boat tour from Mient.
Questions answered
Is the Alkmaar cheese market worth the trip?
Yes if you can go on a Friday morning between April and September. Otherwise Alkmaar is a nice small town but skippable versus Haarlem.
Does the cheese market run in winter?
No, only April through the first Friday of September. Some indoor cheese shops stay open year-round.
Can I buy cheese at the market?
The market itself is a demonstration, but stalls around the square sell wheels of Alkmaar, Beemster and Edam by the kilo.
How long do I need in Alkmaar?
Half a day: 3-4 hours covers the market, a canal walk and lunch.
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