Daytrip from Amsterdam to traditional villages	Roundtrip from Amsterdam to Marken and Volendam
Lighthouse Marken	Volendam

Traditional Dutch Architecture

Daytrip from Amsterdam to traditional villages

At a stone’s throw from Amsterdam, you find the former island of Marken. Dams and polders now connect the island with the mainland. The island is a tourist hotspot in summer. We went there mid-winter and the village was deserted. But Marken surely embraced us with its charms. We walked around for a couple of hours and visited a wooden shoe factory, the Marker Museum, and the Reformed Church. Unfortunately, it was too cold and rainy to walk to the lighthouse “Het Paard”. This long-distance walking route on a dam is ideal for a summer picnic. Well, it was a winter day and we stayed indoors and finally had a hot chocolate and apple pie in one of the cafes along the harbor.

Roundtrip from Amsterdam to Marken and Volendam

Bus 311 to Marken leaves from behind the Central Station in Amsterdam. If you go on a day trip to Marken you could get off the bus in Monnickendam. A friendly village on the lakeside of the “Ijsselmeer”. From Marken, you can jump on a boat to Volendam. There is a regular hourly service from March until late October. From Volendam, you catch bus 312 back to Amsterdam. On the way back you might want to jump off the bus at the village of Zuiderwoude and dine at a local scenic restaurant.

Lighthouse Marken

If you are in Marken walk over the dike to the Lighthouse of Marken. Everyone calls the Lighthouse the Horse of Marken. This lighthouse was designed by Jan Valk and built in the year 1839. The Lighthouse is located on the eastern tip of the island of Marken and has a light height of 16 meters and a light range of 9 nautical miles. The light keeper’s house next to the tower is inhabited. The house of the lighthouse keeper is not open to the public so respect their privacy.

Volendam

Volendam is a village located in the municipality of Edam-Volendam, in the Dutch province of North Holland. Volendam is the most famous fishing village in the Netherlands, located near Amsterdam and on the west side of the IJsselmeer. The fact that Volendam is a fishing village is one thing, but what makes the village special is that there are a lot of famous singers of the Dutch song from there. Well-known singers from Volendam are Jan Smit, Nick and Simon, BZN band without a Name, and the Cats. So if you are interested in their music? Look them up on YouTube.

Volendam is a nice place with very friendly residents. All year round there are fishing boats in the harbor of Volendam. The harbor is cozy and there are plenty of cafes to enjoy a coffee with apple pie. A delicious freshly baked fish or a herring with onions is also always available. If you are lucky you meet a local dressed in traditional clothing.