Towns Near Amsterdam, the Best Tours

There is undoubtedly much to see and do in vibrant and eclectic Amsterdam, but what about the surrounding areas? Visiting Amsterdam and not taking a moment to see some of the quaint villages nearby is practically a crime, especially when they are so varied, so beautiful and so accessible.

Below I have compiled a list of what I consider to be the best village tours in Amsterdam, so that if you are traveling to the Dutch capital, you can consider them in your itinerary.

A small port city with a population of 22,000 inhabitants located 22 km northwest of Amsterdam. Visiting Volendam is a truly enjoyable experience as a result of its quaint seaside village charm and beautiful architecture.

Tours to Volendam include free and safe transportation from Amsterdam. Most are usually marketed as part of a package tour that includes nearby towns such as Edam; inside the town you will see the Volendam cheese farm.

If you go on your own... You can either take the ferry from Amsterdam or take the bus which costs about 5€ per ticket.

Useful information

• Price: from approximately 39€ per person.
• Duration of the tour: The tour will take about 5 hours depending on the destinations.
• Recommended if... You want a nice fishing village.

A small town of only 7,000 inhabitants near Volendam and located 22 km from the center of Amsterdam, Edam is famous for the delicious cheese produced here: Edam cheese. For this city you can find Amsterdam bike tours that move a group of travelers from the center of Amsterdam to tour the northwestern part of the countryside; it is one of the favorite getaways of the Dutch in Amsterdam.

This type of excursion is often marketed as a shared tour to visit several villages in the coun tryside including strategic stops in Edam, Marken and Volendam. For this type of adventure it is possible to get a guide in English to explain the most interesting aspects of the area but you must book in advance.

If you go on your own... The bus line EBS Waterland makes trips from the center of Amsterdam, the ticket price is about 5€. You can also take the ferry to Marken.

Useful information

• Price: From 30€.
• Duration of the excursion: between 6 and 7 hours depending on the number of destinations you wish to visit.
• Recommended if... you want to enjoy the best of the countryside northwest of Amsterdam without worrying too much about planning your trip.

The beauty and charm of Marken is certainly hard to put into words, rated by travelers as one of the most Instagrammable destinations northwest of Amsterdam. It is a small islet that was for a long time separated from Holland until a dike was built connecting it to the Volendam area.

Due to the proximity to other beautiful destinations the best alternative is always to take a tour that includes the route Volendam, Marken and Edam. These usually include the accompaniment of a private guide at all times, visiting the highlights at each destination and admiring the windmills in the northwest of Amsterdam.

If you go on your own... Take the Ferry to Marken or the EBS Waterland bus line 315 in the center of Amsterdam.

Useful information

• Price: Approximately 40€ per participant.
• Duration of the tour: about 5 hours depending on the route and destinations.
• Recommended if... You want to get to know the beautiful architecture of Amsterdam's old fishing villages.

Located 20 minutes northwest of Amsterdam, visiting Zaanse Schans will make you feel as if you have crossed the time barrier straight back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Its typical medieval houses and impressive windmills are details of this magical visit that you can not miss.

Since it is a small area that can be covered in a short time, many tour companies combine this visit with the exploration of other northern towns such as Edam.

If you go on your own... You will have to take the Sprinter train from Amsterdam Sloterdijk station to get to Zaandam Kogervel. From here you can walk or take the 391 Connexxion bus.

Useful information

• Price: about 36€ for individual excursions to this destination.
• Duration of the tour: about 8 hours depending on the time at each stop.
• Recommended if... You want to see some of the most beautiful windmills north of Amsterdam.

"The Venice of Holland", as this picturesque municipality of Giethoorn is known, is in the province of Overjssel and can be visited by taking a half-day trip from Amsterdam, as it is only an hour and a half from the capital.

It is another unmissable excursion since its numerous canals, wooden bridges and thatched cottages make it a special charm. Strolling through this fairytale village is a highly recommended experience.

But if you also accompany it with a visit to the Afsluitdijk closure dam, you will have a very complete day with this tour. You will be able to walk along the 32 kilometers of this engineering work that connects the northern part of the Netherlands with the Wadden Sea.

Useful information

• Price: Approximately 80€ per participant.
• Duration of the excursion: about 9 hours, so you will have to reserve almost the whole day.
• Recommended if... You want to get to know the "Dutch Venice" and marvel at its dreamy little houses and canals.

If you can only take one tour from this list, Lisse and the beautiful **Keukenhof Gardens **should be among the first choices. Also known as The Garden of Europe, it is the largest garden area in the world. If you visit Amsterdam in spring the spectacle of the flower field is truly breathtaking.

In addition to an experienced guide in your language and round-trip transportation from the center of Amsterdam to Lisse: this type of Keukenhof garden tour from Amsterdam includesa tour of the most important places in the city, a visit to the Gardens and interesting destinations in the surrounding area.

If you are on your own... Take the Sprinter train from Amsterdam city center to Sassenheim station in Lisse. Arrive at Noordwijk bus station take route 361 and from the stop in Lisse, Meer en Duin walk a few minutes.

Useful information

• Price: This type of experience is available from 60 € per person in a group tour.
• Duration of the tour: With the tour to the flower fields and other destinations you should reserve between 6 and 9 hours for this experience.
• Recommended if... You want to marvel at the beautiful Dutch flora and get to know one of the most beautiful flower fields in the world.

Haarlem is a beautiful old Dutch city located about 30km from Amsterdam. Its main attractions are the cobblestone streets, old buildings and the South Kennemerland National Park; a nature reserve with 3800 hectares close to the sea. Most of the tours to Haarlem you will find are private tours with alocal guide from Amsterdam and for small groups of 4 to 6 people.

In addition to the comfortable and safe transportation to and from Amsterdam you will visit the most interesting places such as: the Central Market Square in Haarlem, the medieval church Sint-Bavokerk, the Theehuis de Haarlemmerhout considered the oldest park in the Netherlands and many more.

If you go on your own... you will have several transportation options, the Sprinter train with tickets available from 10€ per trip or the Connexxion buses with tickets from 4€ per trip.

Useful information

• Price: As private tours are available from 175€ with the possibility of taking small groups of up to 4 people.
• Duration of tour: 5 hours including round trip from Amsterdam.
• Recommended if... You are traveling as a family or with a small group of friends the price may well compensate for the individual costs when using other transportation alternatives.

Gouda is a city located about 70 km south of Amsterdam, famous all over the world, as you can probably guess, for its popular Dutch cheese markets and delicious stroopwafels. Visiting Gouda is synonymous with immersing yourself not only in beautiful scenery but also in delicious gastronomy as its street food is above all delicious.

Excursions to this destination are usually of two types: private excursions with an expert guide or combined excursions that include other destinations such as the city of Rotterdam and Keukenhof Gardens. However, inside Gouda you should visit: the market, the central square and the Sint-Jans church.

If you go on your own... The best alternative is to take the Sprinter train from Amsterdam Amstel station to the city center of Gouda.

Useful information

• Price: Whether private or a multi-destination tour, the price for this experience starts at 100€.
• Duration of the tour: Depending on the number of destinations you will visit it can be a minimum of 4 hours (Gouda only) and up to 8 hours if you visit other cities.
• Recommended if... you want to take a bite of the most delicious Dutch culture.

Located northwest of Amsterdam in the province of Noord Holland, Alakmaar is one of the largest towns on the outskirts of Amsterdam and its cultural, gastronomic and architectural offerings are well worth a stroll through its streets. The most interesting attraction is its famous Cheese Market that operates in Waagplein only on Fridays from April in Amsterdam to September in Amsterdam.

It is common to find travelers who combine a visit to Alkmaar with a visit to the city of Zaanse Schans as they are on the same route with only 30 minutes difference. In Alkmaar you will visit the famous cheese market, if it is in season, its beautiful buildings and you can also take a cruise on the canals of the city.

If you are on your own... The easiest way to get there is to take the Intercity direct: Amsterdam Central Station.

Useful information

• Price: This type of experience can cost around 50€.
• Duration of the tour: Considering the round trip you should reserve at least 5 hours of your itinerary.
• Recommended if... Visit Amsterdam in the months of operation of the Cheese Market is one of the most famous and traditional in all of Europe.

In the Zandvoort area you will find one of the favorite beach resorts of the Dutch. Located just 38 km from the center, if you visit Amsterdam in summer it is worth a trip to the coast to see a charming village and a beach with calm waters.

Guided tours to Zandvoort are mostly private, a tour guide accompanies you and your group (can be friends or family) from the starting point in Amsterdam, to get to know the most interesting aspects of the small town and then spend hours of fun on the sand.

If you go on your own... From the center of Amsterdam at Sloterdijk station you can take the Sprinter train to Zandvoort in a 30 to 40 minutes trip.

Useful information

• Price: Private tours are available from 80; the amount does not include train tickets but generally allows for a small group of participants.
• Duration of tour: You should reserve at least 5 hours of your itinerary for this tour.
• Recommended if... You visit Amsterdam in good weather and want to spend a few refreshing hours at sea.

Located towards the southwestern part of the region and only 15 km from the center of Amsterdam, the small town of Weesp is one of the closest and most accessible. If you are planning a short trip as an excursion to Weeps and the famous windmills can be well worth it.

Due to the proximity to the city the best excursions to Weeps and the windmills are the famous bike tours through the Amsterdam countryside. From the center an expert guide takes the tour group through the countryside on a relaxing, fun ride that you can only do in Amsterdam

If you go on your own... the best way to get there is to take the Sprinter train from Amsterdam Central Station and the travel ticket will cost approximately 10€ each way.

Useful information

• Price: Bicycle tours to the Weeps area and the windmills are available from 75€ per person.
• Duration of the tour: It will depend a bit on the number of stops on the tour route but you should reserve a minimum of 3 to 4 hours to do the bike tour.
• Recommended if... you want to enjoy the Dutch countryside in a different way or if you want to take a fast train ride to see and photograph the beautiful windmills.