Planning a trip to the Netherlands in 2023? The charming capital city of Amsterdam might be the obvious choice – but if you’ve been there, done that and are looking to explore a different side to the country, then head to the north-western province of Noord-Holland.
Bordered by Friesland and Groningen to its east, and by the North Sea to its north, this beautiful and culture-packed region has a long and fascinating history behind it and has drawn influences from a variety of different cultures over the years that have shaped it into what it is today.
From quaint Dutch villages to bustling cities, Noord-Holland has something to offer for everyone and is home to a plethora of famous sights and activities. Visitors can expect stunning vistas and plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation.
Noord-Holland is an ideal location to visit by car, bus, or bicycle, and if you’re keen to include Amsterdam in your itinerary then it’s close enough to visit them both even within just a few days. If you’re looking to rent a car so that you can explore the region at your own pace then BB&L will provide a car for you to pick up at your starting destination in the Netherlands, with drop-off facilities also available at your final location.
Places to visit in Noord-Holland
Alkmaar’s cheese market
Since the 1300s, cheese has been sold on the main plaza in Alkmaar, and although it’s no longer a significant source of income, the Kaasmarkt still draws large crowds, so if you plan to visit then be sure to arrive early.
There’s an art to cheese shopping. Buyers begin by smelling, crushing, and tasting each cheese before embarking on an intense round of haggling to ensure they get the best price, with payments for the cheeses made at the cafés positioned around the plaza, according to custom. Even if money is no object for you, it’s fun to get involved with the traditional cheese market vibe and you’ll, of course, come away with some tasty varieties to try alongside a good bottle of wine back at your hotel.
Alkmaar can be reached easily by train, which makes exploring the city and market on your own simple enough – but there are also some excellent guided tours available if you prefer to have your itinerary organised for you.
Edam
Despite being the home of one of the world’s most popular cheeses, Edam seldom has large crowds and is a charming, attractive, and affluent town characterised by tidy brick houses, high gables, swing bridges, and narrow canals. Founded by farmers in the twelfth century, it briefly flourished as a shipbuilding hub in the seventeenth century, with access to the Zuider Zee.
Edam cheese has been a famous Dutch export product for centuries, and has been transported to every corner of the globe since – but there’s nothing like trying it in the place it originated. In this eponymous town, you can explore 18th-century cheese warehouses and enjoy a tasting session before purchasing some of your own to take away with you. But the town is about more than just cheese, and with its quaint pavement cafés and terraces and an array of great shops and boutiques, there’s plenty to do to while away a relaxed afternoon.
Enkhuizen
Located 19 kilometres east of Hoorn, Enkhuizen was formerly one of the nation’s most significant seaports and today, it remains a quaint seaside town you won’t want to miss when visiting Noord-Holland.
Its town centre, which forms a rough circle, features an outer ring of bastions, a canal on one side and the old sea dyke on the other, and is remarkably well preserved. With its ancient streets, narrow canals, and pretty harbours the city looks extravagant. Walking from end to end takes around 20 minutes and is a pleasant stroll that will allow you to take in the local sights in all their glory.
Awash with beautiful architecture and filled with pretty streets, Enkhuizen is bustling during the summer months with tourists who moor at the port for a day trip, and the buzzy atmosphere and pleasant weather make it one of the best times to experience it.
If you have some time to spare, then head to the Zuiderzeemuseum, a vast indoor and outdoor museum comprising 130 different buildings with around a dozen rooms dedicated to rotating yearly exhibitions on various elements of the Zuider Zee. Just a short stroll from the centre of Enkhuizen, it also boasts several beautifully rigged and carefully varnished sailing vessels, along with an ice-cutting boat, which were created initially from Urk to maintain the commerce routes opened between the island and the mainland.
If you’re flying into Amsterdam, you can rent a car from Rental Schiphol to begin your Noord-Holland exploration and get to know a side to the Netherlands you’ve never seen before.
