A small Dutch town north of Amsterdam, known worldwide for its round, wax-coated cheese. Its 17th-century cheese market and narrow canals lined with brick houses tell its trading past.
Edam, a small town 30 minutes from Amsterdam, produces the world-famous round wax-covered cheese that bears its name. Walk along canals lined with 17th-century merchant houses, step inside St. Nicholas Church to see stained glass windows from 1602, and visit a 16th-century merchant's house with an engineering marvel - a cellar that rises and falls with water levels. In July and August, you can watch farmers bring their cheese by boat to the weekly market, continuing a tradition from the 1500s.
The Weekly Cheese Market
Every Wednesday morning in July and August, the central square comes alive with the traditional cheese market. Local farmers arrive by boat and horse-drawn cart with large wheels of Edam cheese. Watch as traders dressed in white negotiate prices and transport cheese on wooden stretchers, maintaining customs from the 1500s.
The Edam Museum
The museum occupies a 16th-century merchant's house, where you can see how traders lived during the Dutch Golden Age. The building's most fascinating element is its floating cellar - an engineering solution that moves up and down with changing water levels to prevent structural damage.
St. Nicholas Church and Town Center
The St. Nicholas Church stands tall in Edam's skyline, its 15th-century walls containing stained glass windows that local guilds commissioned after the 1602 fire. At the Town Hall (built 1737), you'll see decorative Louis XIV doors, and the building still serves as a wedding venue.
Fort Edam
Outside the town center, Fort Edam forms part of the UNESCO-listed Defence Line of Amsterdam. Built between 1880 and 1920, the fort overlooks the surrounding wetlands and former Zuiderzee. You can visit on Wednesdays from 10:30 to 15:00.
Maritime History
During the 1600s, Edam operated 33 shipyards. The town's cheese became a valuable trading commodity because it stayed fresh during long sea voyages. One significant ship built in Edam was the Halve Maen (Half Moon), which Henry Hudson sailed during his 1609 exploration voyage.
Getting There and Around
Take bus 314 from Amsterdam Central Station to reach Edam in 25-30 minutes. You can explore the compact town center on foot, with most sights within the old city walls. From spring through summer, canal boat tours operate regularly.
