Cheese Market Alkmaar

In a country that has over 1.5 million cows grazing its meadows, it comes as no surprise that a lot of cheese is being made here. So much, that it is impossible for the Dutch to eat it all. That is why we have invented the cheese market. Since as early as the Middle Ages, cheese trade in the Netherlands is centred around these markets.

Cheese tasting and buying

Today, the cheese trade is not dependent of these markets any more, but from April until September it is still possible to see how the Dutch used to organize their cheese trade. Every Friday at ten o’clock sharp the bell rings at the Waagmarkt in Alkmaar for the Cheese market Alkmaar. This is the cue for the cheese carriers to bring out the cheese. Then, the samplers and traders come out. All the cheese is inspected by knocking the exterior, weighing and of course tasting. Once the cheese is sold, the cheese carriers carry the cheese to the buyers’ lorries using wooden barrows.

The lovely town of Alkmaar

If you want to witness this classic way of trading cheese, you have to be on time. The Cheese market Alkmaar starts at ten o’clock sharp and ends around noon. That leaves the rest of the day for visiting the cheese museum, do some shopping in Alkmaar’s small boutiques and, of course, taste some of the delicious cheese yourself! If you want to visit Alkmaar comfortably, you can take a tour there, click here for more information.