Marken Tours and Activities
1 Review
Discover Holland’s cultural traditions during a visit to the fishing village of Marken, located on a peninsula an hour by road from Amsterdam. Local workshops and museums offer insight into a bygone era, while the village’s wooden houses, sail boats, and lighthouse provide a picturesque backdrop for exploration.
The Basics
Round-trip tours from Amsterdam offer easy access to the peninsula, and usually combine a visit to Marken with stops at Zaanse Schans, famous for its windmills, and Volendam, another fishing village home to a charming harbor and cheese factory. Private tours let you tailor your time in the village, while half-day tours help time-limited travelers cover more sights in less time. If you’re on a budget, take advantage of Super Saver deals to combine your trip with other must-do experiences at a reduced rate.
Things to Know Before You Go
- The village is generally accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, but it’s worth checking specific arrangements ahead of time.
- Don’t forget your camera, as picturesque Marken is perfect for holiday snaps.
- The preserved fishing village is a must for culture vultures, and history buffs.
- If you want to stay on the peninsula overnight, the nearby city of Monnickendam has a range of accommodation options and is home to a Michelin-star restaurant.
How to Get There
Take advantage of round-trip tours from the capital for hassle-free transfers, or catch public bus number 315 from Centraal Station to be there in just under an hour. It’s also possible to access the village by ferry from Volendam, or to cycle all the way from Amsterdam in around two hours
When to Get There
The village is busiest in summer, especially during the day. Visit in the late afternoon to avoid the rush and enjoy sunset vistas on the Markermeer lake. Winter visitors can skip the crowds almost entirely, though be aware that many restaurants and stores close during the off season.
Marken Highlights
Though it’s not open to the public, the 19th-century Horse of Marken lighthouse (Paard Van Marken) is a national heritage site and makes a striking feature on the skyline. The Marken Museum preserves a traditional house in all its former glory, complete with a collection of traditional clothing and an exhibition on the area’s history, while the nearby Sijtje Boes House (Kijkhuisje Sijtje Boes) contains a small museum and souvenir shop selling local handicrafts and artworks. Don’t miss the Klompenmakerij: a workshop devoted to traditional clog-making, where you can watch how the famous shoes are made and even buy some to take home as souvenirs.
Address: De Ruijterkade 34a, In the IJ hall of Central Station on the far eastern side, Marken, North Holland Province, Netherlands
5 Tours and Activities to Experience Marken
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Day Trip to Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam and Marken from Amsterdam
683
Discover the real Netherlands in this amazing tour through Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam, and Marken – the jewels of the Dutch countryside.
The visit starts in Zaanse Schans, where you will be able to take pictures of typical Dutch windmills that are still in use today. Afterward, we will drive to the Waterland area, passing through the beautiful villages from this part of the country: Edam, Volendam, and Marken. In Edam, we will walk through historic sites like the square where the famous Cheese Market used to take place. Then, near Volendam, we will visit a local cheese producer, where the cheese master will explain how they produce Gouda and Edam cheeses. In the clog factory, you will discover the secrets of this typical Dutch shoe. Then, travel back in time to the 17th century as we walk by cozy fishermen houses in Marken, the fishing harbor, and the protestant church.
Join us for an unforgettable day visiting Edam, Volendam, Marken, and Zaanse Schans.
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From
$35.12
From
$35.12

Private Half-Day Tour to Volendam & Marken Including Dutch Tasting
4
Take a break from the city on a half day tour of Volendam and Marken, two traditional villages just outside Amsterdam. The day’s itinerary includes a history museum, a fried fish tasting at a restaurant loved by locals, and a ferry ride to the island of Zuiderzee. In addition to navigating, your guide offers commentary and anecdotes often unheard by visitors.
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From
$123.98
Price varies by group size
From
$123.98
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Learn More

Marken, Volendam & Zaanse Schans: Cheese, Windmills and Clogs
4
Be Dutch for a day! A day full of windmills, cheese and traditional wooden clogs.
Covered with water, cows grazing the fresh grasses, colourful flowers and green-timbered houses, Zaanse Schans is home to what some call the Eighth Wonder of the World: the historic 18th-century windmills.
Everybody knows about cheese, but few know how it’s produced. Your private chauffeur guide will take you to the place where the magic happens, where the Dutch dairy gold is crafted. You will visit a local cheese factory in the picturesque fisherman village of Volendam, where you will be taught about the cheese-making craft and enjoy a delicious cheese tasting.
With windmills and cheese on board, it’s unthinkable to skip the traditional wooden clogs in this tour. Your driver guide will take you to the particular city of Marken, where you will witness how a shoemaker crafts the typical wooden clogs.
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From
$417.34
per group
From
$417.34
per group
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Learn More

Holland Bike Adventure (full day, 8 hours private tour)
The ultimate way to explore the lowlands with your own private guide!
Ready for the real Holland adventure?
The best way to discover the countryside is by bike, like the locals!
Leave the city behind and join me on this great tour to the flat countryside just north of Amsterdam. Visit busy fishing villages with wooden houses, learn more about the beautiful lake side cities from the Golden Age, cycle along dikes and ditches, see wooden draw bridges and windmills, visit a cheese farm and wooden shoe maker, take the ferry across the lake and much more!
This tour is a summer only excursion. You should be able to cycle 20-30 miles in a leisurely pace (shorter trips are possible!). There is ample time for relaxing, sight seeing and (souvenir) shopping and of course we will stop for a drink or lunch in a typical countryside pub. If you wish you can even try a typical Dutch pancake!
It will be a great and unforgettable experience. Only a few miles from Amsterdam but yet totally different.
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From
$326.99
Price varies by group size
From
$326.99
Price varies by group size

Amsterdam country side tour by car
Escape the city! A few miles outside Amsterdam lays the beautiful countryside of Holland. See the windmills, taste the cheese or see the wooden shoes. Go Dutch with your tour guide and get the real taste of Holland! Fantastic experience to do during bad weather. We come at places where no tourbusses can come.
We drive north to the small historic fishermen village of Marken. We have a short walk in the village where I explain some of the history. In the harbor of Marken we will stop at a local dutch cafe for coffee, tea and dutch apple pie. From Marken we drive to the wooden shoe and cheese factory. There I will show how cheese and wooden shoes are made. You can try to walk on wooden shoes and taste all the different kinds of cheeses. After the experience we drive to the traditional sawmill where they still saw wood as in the old days. The windmill shows the big industrial revolution in the 16th century. After that amazing experience we drive back to Amsterdam.
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From
$129.62
From
$129.62
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