Edam Cheese Market

Each Wednesday morning through July and August, the picturesque town of Edam, not far from Amsterdam, stages a traditional reenactment of its historic cheese market, bringing to life the trading rituals that once defined the town whose name became synonymous with one of the world's most recognisable cheeses. Cheeses arrive at the market in the traditional manner, carried in on horse-drawn carts and by boat along Edam's canals, adding a genuinely atmospheric touch rarely seen outside of historical reenactments.

As with other Dutch cheese markets, the event blends genuine trading heritage with public spectacle, drawing visitors keen to see the ceremonial weighing and inspection of Edam's distinctive wax-coated wheels, alongside stalls selling local specialities and crafts throughout the town's well-preserved historic centre. Edam itself, a compact and authentically old Dutch town easily explored on foot or by bike, rewards a full day trip beyond just the market.

For cheese lovers keen to see more than one of the Netherlands' historic markets in a single trip, Edam offers a genuinely different atmosphere from its larger, more commercially minded counterpart in Alkmaar — smaller in scale, but arguably more charming for it.