Volendam and Marken
Volendam and Marken can be done as a day trip, leaving Amsterdam in the morning and getting back in the early or late afternoon, or each of them can be done as a half-day trip. I will give you the day trip and then let you make the decision about splitting it up into two half-day trips or doing it all in a day. There are guided tours that you can take if you feel a little unsure about "doing it on your own," but you will not have the flexibility of staying as long as you might like, and you will have to be with a tour group. If you follow my instructions you can very easily do it on your own - and probably have a much better time.

Well, let's get on our way!

By now I am sure you know where the Central Station is. If you will remember you saw a lot of trams right in front of the station. In front of the station is a canal. With your back to the station, just before you reach the bridge and to your left is an information center where you can purchase your Nationale Strippen Kaart and also get additional information for this day trip to Volendam and Marken. I believe you can make the trip with a strip of 15, but you better check while you are there. You will be able to find someone who speaks English. Just tell them you want to take the bus to Volendam and then return back to the city via Marken and they will make sure you purchase the correct ticket strip.

The ride to Volendam will take about 20 minutes. You will know at which stop to get off the bus as it will be in the center of the village near several shops and stores. If in doubt, again, ask the driver or another passenger. When you get off of the bus you will want to walk to your left to the next corner (there will be a small shopping mall, very small, immediately on your right as you walk to the corner), cross the street and make your way towards the dike by alternately walking to your left and right as you cross the street. You cannot get lost as the area is very small. And, even if you do feel you are going in the wrong direction, so what? The area is very interesting tow walk around in as you will find several shops and stores and very few tourists. They will all be over by the waterfront! This is the area the local shop in so - enjoy it! But, if you do feel uncomfortable, or you cannot find the steps that lead up over the dike, just ask someone to point you in the right direction. Just remember, after you get off of the bus walk to the first corner, cross the street and at the next corner, walk left and then the next corner right again, and continue this process and you will be there - passings come interesting shops, stores, and homes along the way. It is only a walk of about six blocks.

After you climb the stairs you will be in the area where you will see the tourists as this is the area the tour buses drop the "tourists" in.

Volendam is a small fishing village that, although you are only about 30 minutes from Amsterdam, it seems as though you may have traveled several hundreds of years back into time to reach. The village dates from the 1300s and the focal point of the village is the harbor with all of the fishing boats. it is located on the former Zuiderzee, which is now called the Ijsslmeer. Much of the village remains as it was centuries ago and some of the people still wear the traditional old costumes.

Although the main street of this area is a little bit "touristic," or perhaps I should say a lot, it is still an interesting area. Along with many shops you will find restaurants and several places where you can get a snack or some delicious pancakes. You may want to have lunch here before you cross over to Marken. If so, the outdoor terrace at the cafe at the Hotel Spaander is quite nice. However, I prefer one of the seafood restaurants across from the harbor area. But normally I don't eat here and opt to enjoy a picnic on the ground in Marken, which I will explain later when we get to Marken. However, if this is what you decide to do, before you leave Volendam you need to find a bakery and get something sweet for later. Although I cannot tell you the name of the little street in Volendam, there is a good bakery back down off of the dike in the old section of town. Look for a very narrow alley way with steps leading down and you might be able to see the bakery on the lower lever at your right. I think there is a small sign leading to the bakery off of the main shopping street.

If you left Amsterdam in the early morning, as I hope you did because that way you have missed the majority of the tour buses, it is getting close to lunch time and, if you have not opted to have lunch in Volendam, it is time to get onto the Marken Express for the boat ride over to Marken. You catch the boat right in the harbor. Just purchase a one-way ticket as you will be taking the bus from Marken back into the city. The boat ride takes less than a half hour and soon you find yourself coming into the quaint little harbor of Marken.

The first thing you notice is that the buildings look a little different here than in Volendam. The colorful wood buildings make it very difficult to keep your shutter finger still as the boat docks. Although there are not as many restaurants here as there are in Volendam, this is normally where I have my lunch. There is a small grocery just a short walk from the harbor area. When you get off of the boat, walk a short ways to your left and you will find a small bridge over a canal. Cross over the canal and continue down this street a ways and you will come to another street where you will again turn left, over another small canal, and then right and you should see the small grocery. If not, just ask. I normally purchase something to drink, some cheese, and some bread. For desert I normally have something I purchased at the bakery in Volendam. When you leave the store turn to your left again and walk to the parking area you should be able to see in front of you. There is also a little gift shop on your right as you approach the parking area. Just across this parking area is the bus stop. I believe the bus stops about every hour. Check in this small gift shop just to make sure when the bus will be there. Then, head over to a grassy area along the canal and enjoy your picnic lunch. It will be the little things like this you will long remember after you return to the states - not the fancy restaurant you ate in!

Now that you have had lunch, and you know when the bus will be there, head back into the village area and enjoy the town. You will probably spend a couple of hours here. To find the oldest part of the village you should look for the small bridge with the sign over the top that says, "Wilhelminagrug." Cross over this bridge and you will find an interesting little area with a nice church and museum and lots of photo opportunities. Marken is much smaller than Volendam and also more rural and you will enjoy seeing the difference between the two villages. You might also notice that the native dress is a little different as the women in Marken wear caps with ribbons and the women of Volendam wear the more traditional caps with wings that you may be more familiar with.

As you make your way back to the bus stop you should be sure to notice the many picturesque homes in this tiny fishing village. And, don't miss the bus as it will be another hour before the next one comes along. Marken used to be an island until it was joined to the mainland by a two-mile causeway in 1957. The bus will take you across this causeway from a centuries-old fishing village to the modern suburbs of Amsterdam and back into our time. Hope you enjoyed the excursion!

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Zaanse Schans
This makes a very nice afternoon jaunt away from the city. (NOTE: Some of the tours try to do Volendam, Marken, and Zaanse Schans in one tour. I don't recommend this. Do them on your own or, if you must take the tour, make sure only two of the three are on the itinerary. And, it gives you a chance to take a short train ride.
Again, if you have questions, stop by the tourist information office outside of the Central Station.

Inside of the Central Station you will find lines to the ticket windows. Get into line and when you reach the front just tell the seller you want to go to Zaanse Schans. They should give you a ticket to Koog-Zaandijk. You ticket will have something like "Amsterdam CS Koog-Zaandijk" printed on it. Board the train and you are on your way. There are two or three stops for Zaandijk so watch as you enter each station and get off when you reach the station that has a sign for Koog-Zaandkuk. When you get off of the train you will pass through a subway (tunnel) under the rail line. You will want to walk to your left through this subway onto a residential street.

Walk along the left-hand side of this street to the end of the street where you will turn left. As you walk the next two blocks you may think you are smelling chocolate - you are! There is a very large coco processing plant on your right. As you are walking along this street you will want to look for the green windmill that will be near the corner on your right. Cross the street when you reach the windmill and then cross the main street so you are walking on the left-hand side of the street again as you cross the large canal. You will probably want to stop on the bridge for a great shot of the windmills along the river. They are a part of Zaanse Schans and you will have the opportunity to tour one when you reach the village.

Just across the bridge, and to your left, you will find a small gate leading into Zaanse Schans. This is not the main entrance where the tour buses arrive, it is on the other side of the village, but a pedestrian entrance. There is no charge to enter. You will pass through a small garden and onto a wonderful little street filled with shops and stores on one side and small houses on the other.

Zaanse Schans is a planned replica-village, open-air museum made up of houses moved to the site. You will find about 40 structures, most of them original. Many of the houses are private homes so you will want to respect the owners and only take pictures from outside of their little picket fences. Along with seeing the quaint homes you will have the opportunity to see four windmills, each for a different purpose - one for paint, one for vegetable oil, one for mustard, and one for lumber. Be sure you take the self-guided tour so you can see the inner workings of the windmill. You can also enjoy visiting the bakery and grocery store along with the clog shop, where you can see how wooden shoes are made, and the cheese shop. Be sure to purchase some cheese for later or to take home with you. All of the cheeses here have been inspected and are marked for export so you will not have a problem taking them home with you. You can also send some back home as souvenirs to friends and family. And, before you leave, make sure you have your picture taken standing in the large wooden shoes outside of the clog shop. I know, it's pretty stupid but then - you are a tourist after all!

After your visit you just need to head back the way you came to the train station. Make sure you leave Zaanse Schans the same way you entered - through that narrow pedestrian gate near the bridge over the canal. When you arrive back in Amsterdam it will probably be getting close to finding someplace to have dinner. Here is a suggestion. Why not try my favorite pancake house, the Meneer Pannekoek on Raadhuisstraat (Hoek Singel) and enjoy a meal outside right along a canal?

To find the restaurant just leave Central Station and walk across the bridge where the tram track are to the other side of the bridge. The docks for the canal cruise boats will be to your right. You will want to walk to your right along this street which parallels the canal. It is Prins Hendrikkade and you will follow it to the next canal, which is the Singel. At any point you can cross over Prins Hendrikkade to walk on the left-hand side of the street as you will be turning left when you reach the Singel. By-the-way, right on the corner of the Single and Prins Hendrikkade you will see one of the infamous coffee houses where more than coffee is on the menu.

Walk along the left-side of the Singel for several blocks to the restaurant. Don't be deterred by some of the places you may pass along the way. This is actually a pretty good neighborhood that, just like any neighborhood here, there are a few residents you would probably rather not have as neighbors mixed in with houses that are very luxurious and expensive. You will even see the occasional "woman in a window" who evidently cannot afford the rents in the Red Light District.

The Meneer Pannikoek is located at #6, right on the corner. You can't miss it. There are red and white (at least there were the last time I was there) striped awnings over several small tables alongside of the canal. The schnitzel is very good and I sometimes have that. But I actually prefer a "pancake" that is filled with pepperoni, cheese, tomatoes, and oregano. Perhaps just a little different, but I like it!

I hope you enjoyed your afternoon out.



Aalsmeer Flower Auction
This is a special morning trip for those who like to get up early and those who enjoy flowers. You will long remember your early morning visit to this huge flower auction.

As the auction operates Monday through Friday beginning at 7:30 a.m. and lasting until only 11:00 a.m., you will want to get an early start. You will want to catch the bus about 6:30 or 7:00 a.m. and plan on about an hour to get there. The ride, although long, will take you through a large portion of the city. The bus leaves from the Central Station. To find the bus, facing Central Station with Rokin Damrak (the street that leads from Central Station into Dam Square) at your back, and standing with the bridge over the canal that leads to the front of the station right in front of you, you will find a tree-covered area to your left where there will be several buses. You will be taking bus #172. (NOTE: Although the bus ride is about an hour from the Central Station, you can also catch the bus at the Haarlemmer-meerstation which will cut this ride about in half. However, it is not as easy to find Haarlemmer-meerstation. When you get onto the bus just tell the drive you want to go to the flower auction in Aalsmeer and sit back. You will know when you arrive or the driver will tell you.

When you arrive at the Aalsmeer Flower Auction, which is in Aalsmeer, a small village about 3 miles from Schiphol Airport, (NOTE: You can get there from the airport by bus. Just ask for directions at the information office in the airport. Again, however, you will want to plan on being there in the morning or you will miss everything.), get off of the bus and walk to your right around the small building where the guards are, cross over the street, and follow the sidewalk to your left to the entrance of the building. Once inside you purchase your ticket and begin your self-guided tour. Make sure you have your camera and the folks back home will not believe what you will tell them without pictures.

From here it is up the stairs, through the doors, and into probably the largest building you have ever been in. They could put enough football fields in this place so that every American football team could be playing at the same time, and have enough room left over for a baseball game of two! Each year over 3 billion flowers and 400 million plants are sold here from over 8,000 nurseries and farms. The floor of the auction is filled with flowers on trollies that are moved by hundreds of employees in little tractor-like vehicles. They are taken off of trucks, placed on these racks, driven to the conveyor belt, and then attached to the conveyors that take them though the different auction galleries. Inside of the galleries hundreds of buyers sit in tiered-seats watching as the flowers "parade" through the auction room. There is a large clock at the front of the room and the buyers have to "beat the clock" and bid on the flowers and plants as they go by. You will really enjoy the process even if you don't have a clue as to what is happening. If you love flowers, you need to visit this place. And, if you visit here the day before you fly back to the states, the flowers you see at auction here will probably be for sale in your local flower shop before you get home. It could happen!

To get back to the city I would recommend you take the bus to the airport and take the train back. Or, if you want to turn this into a full-day trip, take the bus to the airport and purchase a ticket there and take the train to The Hague for a visit to Madurodam. (NOTE: See the next day trip.)

I hope you enjoyed seeing the flower auction!

Other places close to Amsterdam to see flowers!
The Aalsmeer Flower Auction is open year-round. However, if you are in Holland in April or May you might want to visit either the Frans Roozen Nursery or the Keukenhof Gardens at Lisse. The Tulip Show is open daily in April and May from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Frans Roozen and their Summer Show is open from July until early-October. Arrangements can be made to visit from Haarlem as it is located just south of the city. Check at the tourist information office in Haarlem where you can sometimes join a tour or just take a taxi out and back, or call them at 023/584-7248. Admission is free and they offer a guided tour.

The Keukenhof Gardens at Lisse boast that the flowers are at their peak from late March to mid-May where there are special train-bus connections from Haarlem and Lieden. You can call 0252/645-555 for additional information. A visit to this park during this time of the year will be with you forever. There are over 70 meandering acres filled with flowers with millions and millions of tulips, narcissi, daffodils, hyacinths, bluebells, crocuses, lilies, amaryllis, and much more! This has to be the greatest flower show anywhere. The displays are open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.



Madurodam
Often called "Holland in Miniature" or "Holland in a Nutshell," this is a wonderful place that everyone will enjoy, especially the children. The Hague is easy to get to by train from the Central Station in Amsterdam. Just be sure you purchase a ticket to the Central Station in The Hague. When you reach the Central Station in The Hague, leave by the front entrance and you will see some tram tracks to our left. Head over there and take the #1 or #9 tram. You can also take bus #22. Try to sit on the left-had side of the tram as Madurodam will be on your left. You will see it as the tram approaches the tram stop which is right in front of the entrance. The tram ride takes about 15 minutes.

Madurodam is a replica on a scale of 1:25 of typical Dutch towns and famous landmarks. You will feel something like Gulliver as you walk around the place in the "lillipurtian-like" world. One of the more interesting things about this "Holland in miniature" is that it is a working miniature city - the cars move, trains run on their tracks, ships move through the harbor, planes taxi down the runways, and much more. And, if you are there at night, the place comes alight with over 50,000 tiny lamps lighting the display.

Near the back of the area is a wonderful new addition. Each year a sand castle contest is held on the beach at nearby Scheveningen. The operators of Madurodam wanted to create a year-round display of these castles people could enjoy. You walk though a cave-like area filled with things made of sand you will find hard to believe.

After your visit you can either head back to the Central Station on the same tram you came here on, or, taking the same tram again, continue on to the coastal town of Scheveningen where you can see the beach, enjoy the boardwalk, and see one of the most beautiful hotels anywhere, the Kurhaus. If you plan to overnight in this area, I would strongly recommend this wonderful hotel. And, if you do, ask for a room that overlooks the sea. It is almost worth staying here just for the continental breakfast!

If you make the trip out to the beach you may return to the Central Station on trams #1, 7, 8, or 9. Back at the Central Station you simply purchase your return ticket to Amsterdam and take the train back to the city. If you have decided to make this a day trip, rather than just a trip to see Madurodam, here are some other things you will want to see while in The Hague. (Note: See the day trip below, "A Day in The Hague."



A Day in The Hague
Leave the Central Station of Amsterdam on the train headed for the Central Station in The Hague. Upon arrival you can either walk or take the tram (2,3,7,8, or 9) or bus (4,5, 22) to the Binnenhof or Parliament and the Hall of Knights. To walk just leave the station area on Koningskake and follow the signs. You may want to pick up a map at the information center in the train station. The magnificent Inner Court, dating from the 13th-century is the center of Holland's political life. Be sure to visit the Hall of Knights in the center of the Binnenhof. Just outside of the Binnenhof, along side Court Lake, is the intimate Mauritshuis Royal Cabinet of Paintings, one of the best art museums anywhere, where you can find paints by Rubens, Vermeer, and Van Dyck along with many others including 16 by Rembrandt.

From here you can walk along Park Straat, making your way to Zeestraat to enjoy the circular painting at the Panorama Mesdag. You can also get there on tram 7 or 8. This wonderful painting is the largest of its type in the world. You enter the museum and walk through a dark passageway, up a stairway, and onto a circular platform and step back into the year 1880 in the fishing village of Scheveningen. You will long remember taking the time to see this painting.

Other places you may want to visit would include the Haags Gemeentemuseum (Municipal Museum) on Stadhouderslaan where you can see an excellent collection of modern art, Dutch romantic paintings, excellent ceramics, and much more. Tram 8 or 10 will get you there. The Palace Huis ten Bosch was built in 1645 and was for many years a summer residence for the royal families. Although you cannot get into the palace, you can view the palace from the park. Take bus 4, 43, or 91.

Perhaps one of the best ways to see most of the city is by taking the 2 1/2 hour Royal Tour. On the tour you can see many of the royal residences and other royal buildings, get a view of Scheveningen, and enjoy a drive along the North Sea coast. For tours outside of The Hague, including Delft, Rotterdam, the flower fields and Keukenhof Gardens, and the Alkmaar Cheese Market, contact Speedwell Travel at 070/365-4848.

You may also want to visit the seaside town of Scheveningen. You can reach Scheveningen from The Hague via tram numbers 1, 7, 8, or 9. The Kurhaus Casino and the 400-yard Pier are the two main attractions here and the one can be a lot more expensive than the other! You will also enjoy a walk along the Promenade, or boardwalk, where you can visit the Sealife Center and the Palace Promenade which has several interesting shops.

You may also want to visit the little town of Delft from The Hague and incorporate it into this day trip. You can reach Delft from the Central Station via tram. Just check at the information office in the station. If you take the tram to Delft you can return to Amsterdam on the train. (See "Doing Delft" below for additional information.



Doing Delft
Delft is easy to reach by train from Amsterdam. I believe this is one of the prettiest towns in all of Holland and it is well worth a visit. I would plan to leave sometime in the mid-morning, have lunch there, and return in the afternoon. You can do it in conjunction with a trip to The Hague, but for me it is worth a day in itself.

When you get off of the train you should walk to the opposite side of the tracks and walk to your left and follow the tram tracks. Just a few blocks along you can walk to your right over a small bridge and enter the old section of the town center. This is a town for walking. the 14th-century Nieuwe Kerk at the market is well worth a visit on its own so you will want to be sure to visit. The view of the town from the top of the church tower is excellent. The Museum Lambert van Meerten is also quite interesting as is the Museum Paul Tetar van Elven. Just walk and explore.

For lunch you can just stop at about any of the small restaurants in the square near the church and find something pretty good to eat. And then, as this is what you really probably came for, you need to find some of that beautiful blue Delft porcelain. You will want to be sure to visit De porceleyne Fles on Rotterdamseweg where you can see an audio-slide show that explains the entire process of making the Delft Blue. You can also watch as artisans hand-paint each item. One of my favorite shops for Delft pottery is just a bit hard to find on your own, but I will try and help you. From the market square, with the church at your front, walk along the street by the left side of the street and down just a bit you will find a little shop. The owner there is very nice and you can actually get right up next to the artisans as they paint the porcelain.

Before leaving to head back you will want to do some shopping and then visit the Prinsenhof, at the entrance at St. Agathaplein on the banks of the oldest canal in the city. This was once a convent and where William the Silent elected to stay when in Delft and also where he was assassinated. You can still see the marks the bullets make near the bottom of the staircase. It is just a short walk north of the market near the Oude Kerk. And, while in the area, be sure to take a look at the leaning steeple on the kerk.

I hope these suggestions will help you see a little more of Holland than Amsterdam during your visit. And, if you have a favorite day trip from Amsterdam, be sure to contact me. Jim mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Date this page was last edited: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 14:27:42

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