Alkmaar, Netherlands city tour and boat ride

We are visiting the small and historic Dutch city of Alkmaar. It's in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands about 10 km from the coast and 40 km northwest of Amsterdam. You might not spend the night here, but it makes a lovely daytrip destination with its large number of historic buildings, many shops large and small, lots of Dutch food, lovely canals and one important event.
In this vbideowe’re going to show you that there is a lot more to see in town besides the cheese market, so by all means spend a few more hours when you get here and walk around in the charming little pedestrian zone, and take a boat ride through the scenic canals passing a lot of very old brick bridges and buildings.
The historic center of the old city is relatively small, just about a kilometer across with several main shopping streets for pedestrians so you can easily walk around in a couple of hours and maybe take an hour for a meal and spend at least half a day here, or maybe the full day with the cheese market, then shopping, eating, strolling, and just enjoying the pedestrian atmosphere of this historic old city.
It's especially lively on cheese market day with lots of sidewalk stands set up selling crafts and foods, and clothing, all kinds of souvenirs, some big wooden shoes, and of course you'll have a variety of different types of locally produced cheeses.
The sidewalk stands are carrying on a long historical tradition because up until the 19th century, most food and agricultural products were traded on street markets.
We'll see a lot more of the city coming right up including a canal boat ride. But first a little discussion of how to get here.
Most visitors to Alkmaar are staying in Amsterdam and coming up here as a daytrip.
Perhaps the best way to get here is by train directly from Amsterdam Central Station -- just takes about 35 to 40 minutes to get up here and you will have the services of the excellent Dutch rail system with departures four times an hour on trains that are clean and smooth and not expensive.
Recapping our walk starting at the train station. We have gone through the middle of the old city and now have reached the center of the shopping and cultural area.
And here we've got sidestreets as well that are fascinating for strolling along and doing some more shopping.
These blocks in the city center preserve that 17th-century pattern of canals and narrow streets with many historic buildings we have reached the most beautiful part of Alkmaar.
Here are all of the elements of a traditional Dutch city come together what you would hope to find when you visit Holland old brick buildings along the canal Terrace restaurant with a view of the passing parade of people with shops and benches and flowerpots in the street lamps.
You might consider this the center of town with this impressive bridge in front of the Weigh House and leading across the canal to a lovely little shopping district with more of these pedestrian lanes with little boutiques tucked away. You could wander for hours.
This neighborhood in front of the Weigh House is action central for all the boats going through the town. Here you'll find several different choices for joining up with a boat tour. Some of them are just casual friends getting together, others are organized by various companies in town.

[Ann-sbkc]

Thank you for showing my old home town! Dankjewel ( thank you)

[ashleyhughes]

Awesome video where staying in Alkmaar while in Netherlands 🇳🇱 thank you for sharing

[leahrabinsky]

Loved this Video of Alkmaar my beloved birth city, you are doing a great and lovely job Mr Callan, your enthausiasm makes people wanna go there instantly not only with this video but the other Netherlands videos as well and especially the dutch train system comment that was so nice .
Thank you so much 🧀

[sleepmasterscanada]

This is a really well put together video, thank you very much!

[brucekliewe]

Always enjoy your informative and well photographed presentations, Dennis. I had to smile at the young lady at 5:36 pedaling her way to school. I smiled but she certainly didn't look too happy to be school bound.

[madanrudra]

Alkmaar is so fascinating. Thanks for ur this lovely video and ur information.

[lattelegend]

Beautiful city, very informative. I'll have to add this to my wish list for future travels.

[rpgr]

Very nice video! Lived in The Old City of Alkmaar for 30 years. Best regards!

[Eniolane]

My beloved City Second home, I lives in Alkmaar for 13 years out of 15 years I lives in Holland. I got married in Historical Town house, with my beautiful Dutch wife, may a soul rest in peace. Alkmaar heel moie bijzonder stad.

[muhammadsheraz]

Wao, incredibly looking Great. Love to watch your travel videos, much love and respect from Pakistan. 🌷🌷🌷

[santiagopalacio]

Soy de Argentina, conocí Alkmaar en 2015 y quedé encantado, ojalá pueda volver pronto. Es hermoso.

[piepo]

Nice video, good information, clips, and speaking voice! We are planning to move from the big city in a small village next to Alkmaar. I have visited twice, but for a short time, so it was fun to have a tour for our future lives.

[Zoza]

I live there, At least in Heerhugowaard next to Alkmaar, yeah Alkmaar is ok pretty normal here..

[abanana]

Hey do you know if alkmaar is good for fishing? Awesome video btw!

[HedgingBoy]

As always, an amazing video! I visited Amsterdam, The Hague and Zaanse Schans in Feb this year and your videos make me feel to visit the rest of the Netherlands as well. It's stunningly beautiful :)

[leopardtiger]

Lovely Alkmaar, I was in Alkmaar in 1971 with my girl friend.. Romantic trip Holland is always clean beautiful friendly Civilised country in Europe. The Dutch people are super and Dutch food products are pure clean delicious.

[eagerbob]

Nice video. However I’ve seen plenty of trains/ metros with parts that were a little bit dirty. But that is partially because of my experience.

[freudsigmund]

5:13 fun fact: this location is about the worst cycling infrastructure in Alkmaar.

[rinryn_]

I am from alkmaar, and i saw my own house there

[isabellarigby]

if you ever go to alkmaar don´t use the kraak use the grachten rondvaart alkmaar it is mutch better