Canal town north of Amsterdam, quieter than Volendam and known worldwide for red-waxed cheese.
Edam is a pretty little town just north of Amsterdam, best known for giving its name to the round, red-waxed Edam cheese — though in town itself there is surprisingly little to remind you of this fact. What it does have are some lovely canals, handsome canal houses, and a quieter, more authentic atmosphere than nearby Volendam.
The town is small enough to explore in an hour or two. Rent a boat and head out onto the IJsselmeer, or just wander the streets and enjoy the quiet. Edam makes a nice day trip from Amsterdam and can easily be combined with Volendam, Alkmaar, or Hoorn.
Guide
When to Go
The ceremonial cheese market runs on Wednesday mornings in July and August, from around 10:30 to 12:30. It is a theatrical recreation of the old trade rather than a working market — the last real cheese auction ended in 1922 — but the spectacle is genuine: white-suited porters carry the rounds on wooden stretchers and the Waag officials go through their weighing routine. Outside these weeks, Edam is quieter and more pleasant to wander without the day-trip crowds from Amsterdam.
Spring and early autumn are the best times for cycling the IJsselmeer polders. The flat lanes around Edam pass through a landscape of windmills, cows, and reclaimed sea floor that looks much as it has for centuries.
