# North Holland: Marken, Edam, Hoorn and Alkmaar

> 2-day road trip of about 141 km (87 mi) with 9 stops, from Amsterdam to Alkmaar. About 1 h 57 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b14-north-holland/

**At a glance:** 2-day road trip of about 141 km (87 mi) with 9 stops, from Amsterdam to Alkmaar. About 1 h 57 min of driving in total. A moated castle, the green wooden houses of Marken, cheese towns and a UNESCO polder, the Zuiderzee Museum and Alkmaar’s Friday cheese market.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 141 km (87 mi) |
| Driving | 1 h 57 min |
| Suggested days | 2 |
| Stops | 9 |
| Route | Amsterdam → Alkmaar |
| Countries | Netherlands |
| Updated | June 17, 2026 |

## Route description

Start with the Muiderslot, a moated castle 15 km east of Amsterdam at the mouth of the Vecht. Then take the dike road north through the Waterland meadows to Marken, a former island linked to the mainland by a causeway since 1957. Park at the entrance, as the village is car-free, and walk past the green wooden houses to the lighthouse known as the Horse of Marken, about 30 minutes away.

In summer a boat runs from Marken to Volendam, a busy fishing town with a long dike; by road it is 15 km on the N247. Edam, just north, is quieter and prettier, with drawbridges, an old weigh house and a cheese market on summer Wednesday mornings. Drive west into the Beemster, a polder drained in 1612 whose grid of straight roads and tree lines is on the UNESCO list.

Hoorn, 20 km north-east, was a base of the Dutch East India Company, and its harbour is still guarded by the round Hoofdtoren tower. A heritage steam tram runs from Hoorn to Medemblik, where you can return by boat to Enkhuizen. In Enkhuizen, the Zuiderzee Museum rebuilds the fishing villages of the old inland sea as an open-air museum.

Cross the peninsula west to Alkmaar, about 40 km, for the cheese market on the Waagplein, held on Friday mornings from April to September. Arrive by half past nine for a spot at the barriers. The region is flat and ideal by bike, and distances are short. Village parking is often limited for motorhomes, so use the town car parks and walk.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Amsterdam** (Netherlands)
2. **Muiderslot** (Muiden, Netherlands): A moated 13th-century castle at the mouth of the Vecht, furnished as it was in the 17th century when poets met here. Paid parking by the harbour; gardens and ramparts are part of the visit.
3. **Marken** (Netherlands)
4. **Edam** (Netherlands)
5. **Beemster Polder** (Middenbeemster, Netherlands): A UNESCO-listed polder drained in 1612, laid out on a strict grid of roads, ditches and tree lines. Drive or cycle its straight dikes; the village of Middenbeemster has a small museum.
6. **Hoorn** (Netherlands)
7. **Zuiderzee Museum** (Enkhuizen, Netherlands): An open-air museum of rebuilt fishing-village streets, workshops and boats from around the old Zuiderzee. The outdoor museum is open from spring to autumn; allow half a day.
8. **Alkmaar Cheese Market** (Alkmaar, Netherlands): Porters in white carry wheels of cheese on wooden barrows across the Waagplein in front of the old weigh house. The market runs on Friday mornings from April to September; arrive before 10 for a place.
9. **Alkmaar** (Netherlands)

## FAQs

**How long is North Holland: Marken, Edam, Hoorn and Alkmaar?**
2-day road trip of about 141 km (87 mi) with 9 stops, from Amsterdam to Alkmaar. About 1 h 57 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for North Holland: Marken, Edam, Hoorn and Alkmaar?**
We suggest 2 days: about 1 h 57 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does North Holland: Marken, Edam, Hoorn and Alkmaar start and end?**
It starts in Amsterdam and ends in Alkmaar.

**Which countries does North Holland: Marken, Edam, Hoorn and Alkmaar pass through?**
Netherlands.