Waterland at a glance
Waterland is the polder area between Amsterdam-Noord, the Markermeer and Purmerend. Its villages lived from fishing, trade and above all milk: this is the home of Edam cheese. The landscape has changed little over the centuries, and part of the area still belongs to the municipality of Amsterdam.
| Village | What you see | From Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Durgerdam | Dyke village of wooden houses facing the IJmeer | Bike, via the ferry behind the station |
| Ransdorp and Holysloot | Meadow hamlets, the massive church tower of Ransdorp | Bike |
| Broek in Waterland | Pale grey wooden houses, the Havenrak pond, a tea pavilion | Bus 316, about twenty minutes |
| Monnickendam | Fishing harbour, Speeltoren carillon, regional museum | Bus 316 or 315 |
| Marken | Former island, green wooden houses, lighthouse | Metro 52 then bus 315, or boat from Volendam |
| Volendam | Busy harbour, costume photo studios | Bus 316 |
| Edam | Small canal town, cheese weigh house | Bus 316, about 35 min |
Opening hours and prices checked in October 2026.
Getting there: bus, boat or bike
By bus
EBS bus 316 leaves from Amsterdam Centraal and crosses the whole of Waterland: Broek in Waterland, Monnickendam, Volendam and finally Edam, the terminus, in about 35 minutes. It runs several times an hour during the day, less often in the evening and on Sundays. Bus 315 leaves from Noord metro station (metro 52 from Centraal Station) and serves Monnickendam and then Marken. On both, you pay on board by tapping your contactless bank card when getting on and off; other tickets are covered in our guide to getting around Amsterdam.
Between Volendam and Marken, the Marken Express boat crosses the Markermeer in about thirty minutes: a good way to make a loop without retracing your steps.
By bike
Waterland is flat, criss-crossed by cycle paths and starts a few minutes from the centre. Behind Centraal Station, the free ferries for pedestrians and cyclists cross the IJ day and night; the Buiksloterweg ferry docks next to the Eye Filmmuseum after a few minutes. From there, follow the signs of the junction network (knooppunten) towards Durgerdam or Broek in Waterland: the first fields appear after about twenty minutes of pedalling.
In strong wind, common on the dykes, the ride back can be long: check the wind direction before setting off and choose a short loop if it is blowing hard.
Broek in Waterland, the wooden village
Broek in Waterland, about ten kilometres from central Amsterdam, is the first stop of bus 316 and one of the most photogenic villages in the area. Its wooden houses, most of them painted a pale grey known as "Broek grey", line small canals crossed by drawbridges. In the 18th and 19th centuries, foreign travellers already came to admire the village's cleanliness and its tiny gardens.
On the edge of the Havenrak, the village pond, a white pagoda-shaped tea pavilion built in 1792 is nicknamed the "Napoleonhuisje": Napoleon is said to have had tea there with the mayor during his visit in 1811. The church, destroyed in 1573, was rebuilt around 1628 on its old foundations; it holds hundreds of tombstones.
The houses are lived in: stay on public paths. Allow an hour to walk around the village.
Monnickendam, the harbour and the Speeltoren
A former fishing town on the Gouwzee, Monnickendam has kept its harbour of traditional boats, its streets of gabled houses and its old weigh house, De Waegh, on the edge of the basin. Its skyline is dominated by the Speeltoren, a carillon tower.
The De Speeltoren museum, Noordeinde 2-4, covers the history of Waterland and the carillon. From April to October, it opens Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm; from late October to 1 April, only on Saturdays and Sundays, same hours (and Tuesday to Sunday during school holidays). Admission €7.50, €3.50 for ages 12 to 17, €2.50 for ages 4 to 11, free with the Museumkaart.
Marken and Volendam
East of Monnickendam, Marken is a former island linked to the mainland by a dyke since 1957: its green and black wooden houses cluster around the harbour and the church, and an 1839 lighthouse stands at its tip. Volendam, on the opposite shore of the Gouwzee, is the most visited village in the area, with its harbour, fish shops and costume photo studios. Opening hours, museums and the boat between the two are covered on our Volendam and Marken page.
Edam, the cheese town
The terminus of bus 316, Edam is the quietest stop: a small town of canals and white drawbridges, with its 1778 cheese weigh house, its museum in a merchant's house and, on Wednesday mornings in July and August, a re-enacted cheese market. For a large traditional market, the Alkmaar cheese market, on Fridays from April to September, is reached by train from Amsterdam.
Two day itineraries
By bus: Broek, Monnickendam, Marken, Volendam, Edam
- Bus 316 from Amsterdam Centraal to Broek in Waterland; an hour's stroll.
- Bus 316 to Volendam (about ten minutes); lunch on the harbour dyke.
- Marken Express to Marken, a visit of the village and a walk to the lighthouse.
- Back by bus 315 to Monnickendam, for the harbour and the Speeltoren, then on to Amsterdam-Noord and metro 52.
If you prefer Edam to Marken, stay on bus 316 from Volendam to Edam and return on the same line.
By bike: the village loop
- Buiksloterweg ferry behind the station, then towards Durgerdam along the IJ dyke.
- Ransdorp and Holysloot, through the meadows.
- Zuiderwoude then Broek in Waterland along the small polder roads.
- If you still have energy, Monnickendam to the north-east; otherwise, back towards Amsterdam-Noord and the ferry.
Allow a full day at a relaxed pace, with breaks. Rent a bike in Amsterdam the day before; our guide to getting around Amsterdam covers the cycling rules.
Further reading
Waterland goes well with cheese: our guide to Dutch cheese in Amsterdam covers the markets and cheesemongers. West of Amsterdam, the windmills of the Zaanse Schans make another half-day outing, and our day trips from Amsterdam cover Haarlem, Utrecht and Delft.
