What to expect from a cheese market in The Netherlands?

Latest update: 4 August 2023

If there’s one thing I love, it’s cheese. Fortunately, the Netherlands is known for its cheese, so you can visit cheese markets in Alkmaar, Edam, Gouda, and Woerden. But what can you expect from a Dutch cheese market?

What is a cheese market?

A cheese market is a piece of Dutch tradition. There is evidence that cheese markets have occurred in the Netherlands since the 14th century. Cheese markets were THE place where farmers and merchants met to trade cheese.

Nowadays, the cheese markets in the Netherlands are mainly a tourist attraction. There is no more actual trading between cheese farmers and buyers.

What happens at a cheese market?

The cheese markets in the Netherlands attract a large audience. Both from the Netherlands and abroad. You can see a demonstration. What happens on the square is usually explained through the loudspeakers in several languages.

Before your arrival, the Cheese Guild has already set up all the cheeses on the square. As soon as the market opens, the cheeses are inspected. The inspectors and traders do this by looking at the cheeses and tapping, smelling, and tasting them. If the cheese is good, the negotiation begins via the old-fashioned handshake.

Has the cheese been sold? Then the cheese carriers come into action. They carry up to 160 kilos of cheese across the square to the scales on wooden carriers. Those wooden carriers are called berries, and the cheese carriers are two men in white suits who wear straw hats with a tie. If you look closely, you will see that the color of the tie or hat and the berries always match. These cheese carriers usually have a good pace.

The cheese is also weighed at the cheese market. Once that has been done, the cheese carriers may carry the cheeses to the buyer.

There are several market stalls around the square: cheese stalls, fish stalls, and more. At some cheese markets in the Netherlands, there is also a barrel organ, a full brass band, or a horse and carriage.

Visiting the Dutch cheese market: is it worth it?

Well, a cheese market is such a typical Dutch tradition that you must see it once. But it’s not very legendary. Don’t expect too much of it! The demonstration is fun, but you have seen it after fifteen minutes. Or at least, I have. So try to combine your visit to the cheese market with something else fun in the city.

Where can you go to the cheese market in the Netherlands?

There are still four cheese markets in the Netherlands that you can visit. Unfortunately, the cheese market in Hoorn has stopped because the cheese market has gone bankrupt.

• Cheese market Alkmaar
• Cheese market Edam
• Cheese market Gouda
• Cheese market Woerden

Cheese market in Alkmaar

The cheese market in Alkmaar has existed since 1365. If you come early, you can already see the setters at work. These people start putting the Gouda cheese in the right place on the square at 7 o’clock in the morning. That is quite a job: it’s 30,000 kilos of cheese. That’s about 2400 cheeses.

Right next to the cheese market in Alkmaar is the Dutch Cheese Museum (here). Upon entering, you will get a small piece of cheese, and you can watch a video about the cheese trade in Alkmaar. You can also learn more about cheese making and history in the museum. If you’re in Alkmaar for the cheese market anyway, you better visit the cheese museum too, right?

There is a market around the Waagplein and in the streets around it. Buy cheese, eat a fish, and walk around to check out all the stalls. It’s all a bit too crowded for me, so I decide to explore Alkmaar another day.

Where is the cheese market of Alkmaar?

The cheese market of Alkmaar can be found on the Waagplein. This is the Google Maps location.

When is the cheese market in Alkmaar?

The cheese market in Alkmaar is every Friday morning from April to September. It starts at 10 am and ends at 1 pm. In July and August, there is also a cheese market on Tuesday evenings. This one begins at 7:00 pm and ends at 9:00 pm.

Cheese market in Edam

Of course, the famous Edam cheese is traded on the cheese market in Edam. That’s that round cheese, maybe you’ve seen it before? This ball of cheese weighs about 1.7 kilos. Until 1992 the cheese was sold on the market, and then it went quiet for a while. The tourist cheese market has been active since 1989.

What is nice about the cheese market in Edam is the supply of cheeses via water. Men dressed in a farmer’s smock arrive with a wooden boat at the unloading ramp to give their cheeses to the cheese carriers. After the cheese has been ‘sold’, it is loaded onto an old-fashioned horse cart.

You can buy cheese in the Kaaswaag next to the cheese market, but the cheese girls also sell it directly from the cheese market. And in Edam, you can also go to The Story of Edam Cheese (here). It’s an interactive exhibition about Edam cheese. Buying a ticket in advance on cheese market days might be smart because it can get very busy. Buy your ticket here.

Where is the Edam cheese market?

The cheese market of Edam takes place on the Jan van Nieuwenhuizenplein. This is the Google Maps location.

When is the cheese market in Edam?

The cheese market in Edam is only open in the summer. You can visit the Edam cheese market every Wednesday morning from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm in July and August.

Cheese market in Gouda

Gouda cheese is, of course, traded on the Gouda cheese market. At this cheese market too, you will see the Frisian horses with cheese brikken (traditional horse carts) in the city.

On the Markt, you can also see the ancient Goudsche Waag, where cheese farmers have their cheese weighed. There is also a Cheese and Crafts Museum in the Goudsche Waag. It offers a short tour. On the days when there is a cheese market, it is wise to make a reservation because the cheese market attracts many people. Buy your ticket.

If you stay a little longer in Gouda, you can also do a cheese and wine tasting or cheese and beer tasting in the Goudsche Waag. Unfortunately, you must gather nine friends or family members, because you can only do this starting from 10 people.

If you have seen everything in and around the cheese market, you can stop by the Gouda Cheese Experience (here). Everything here revolves around the Gouda cheese. You will learn about its history, how it is made, and more. It will keep you busy for about an hour. Buy your ticket here.

Where is the Gouda cheese market?

The Gouda cheese market takes place on the Markt, in front of the Goudse Waag. This is the Google Maps location.

When is the cheese market in Gouda?

You can visit the Gouda cheese market from April to August. Every week there is a cheese market on Thursday. It starts at 10 am and ends at 12:30 pm.

Cheese market in Woerden

Farmer’s cheese is traded on the cheese market in Woerden. The first cheese market in Woerden was back in 1885. But because more and more dairies are being built and trade no longer takes place on the market, the market is in decline.

At the cheese market of Woerden, you can also see the typical demonstration of the cheese trade. In addition, there are two special editions of the Woerden cheese market every year. At the beginning of June, there is a grass cheese market. That’s the first cheese of the season. It is made from the milk of dairy cows that go out to pasture for the first time after the winter. So they are finally eating fresh grass again; you can taste that in the cheese.

On the last Saturday in August, there is a historic cheese market. Then people are dressed in local traditional costumes, and there are tug-of-war competitions. And essential for the cheesemakers: the prizes for the Boerenkaas inspection are handed out.

After visiting the cheese market, you can go to the Kaaspakhuis or the Woerden Cheese Experience in Woerden. The entrance includes a guided tour where you will learn more about the cheese-making process. On market days, buying a ticket in advance is wise to ensure a spot. Buy your ticket here.

Where is the cheese market of Woerden?

The cheese market of Woerden can be found on Kerkplein This is the Google Maps location.

When is the cheese market in Woerden?

You can visit the Woerden cheese market from April to August. The cheese market is then on Saturday morning from 10 am to 12 pm.