Towns Near Amsterdam, the Best Tours

There is undoubtedly plenty 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've compiled a list of what I consider to be the best village tours in Amsterdam, so that if you're travelling to the Dutch capital, you can include them in your itinerary.

A small harbour town 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'll see the Volendam cheese farm.

If you're on your own... You can either take the ferry from Amsterdam or take the bus, which costs around €5 per ticket.

Useful information

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

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

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

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

Useful information

• Price: From €30.
• Duration of the trip: between 6 and 7 hours depending on the number of destinations you plan 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 travellers as one of the most Instagrammable destinations northwest of Amsterdam. It is a small islet that was for a long time separated from the Netherlands until a dike was built connecting it to the Volendam area.

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

If you're on your own... Take the ferry to Marken or bus 315 from EBS Waterland in the centre 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, a visit to Zaanse Schans will make you feel as if you have stepped through the time barrier straight into the 17th and 18th centuries. Typical medieval houses and impressive windmills are details of this magical visit not to be missed.

As this is a small area that can be covered in a short time, many tour companies combine this visit with exploring other northern towns such as Edam.

If you're on your own... Take the Sprinter train from Amsterdam Sloterdijk station 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 the picturesque municipality of Giethoorn is known, is located in the province of Overjssel and can be visited on a half-day trip from Amsterdam, as it is only an hour and a half from the capital.

It is another excursion not to be missed, as its numerous canals, wooden bridges and thatched cottages make it particularly charming. A stroll through this fairytale village is a highly recommendable experience.

But if you combine it with a visit to the Afsluitdijk closure dike, you will have a very complete day with this tour. You will be able to walk along the 32 kilometres 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 tour: about 9 hours, so you will have to book 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 do 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 transport from Amsterdam city centre to Lisse and back: this type of tour to Keukenhof Gardens from Amsterdam includesa tour of the city's most important sights, 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 centre 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 on 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 town located about 30km from Amsterdam. Its main attractions are the cobbled streets, old buildings and the South Kennemerland National Park; a 3800 hectare nature reserve close to the sea. Most of the tours to Haarlem you will find are **private,**locally guided toursfrom Amsterdam for small groups of 4 to 6 people.

In addition to the comfortable and safe transport to and from Amsterdam, the most interesting s ights such as the Central Market Square in Haarlem, the medieval church Sint-Bavokerk, the Theehuis de Haarlemmerhout which is considered the oldest park in the Netherlands and many more are included.

If you are on your own... you will have several transport 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 these are private tours they are available from €175 with the possibility of taking small groups of up to 4 people.
• Duration of tour: 5 hours including return journey from Amsterdam.
• Recommended if... If you are travelling as a family or with a small group of friends, the price may well compensate for the individual costs when using other transport 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 food, as the street food is above all delicious.

Tours to this destination are usually of two types: private tours with an expert guide or combined tours that take in 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 are on your own... The best alternative is to take the Sprinter train from Amsterdam Amstel station to the city centre of Gouda.

Useful information about Gouda

• Price: Whether it is a private tour or a multi-destination tour, the price for this experience starts at 100€.
• Duration of the tour: Depending on the number of destinations you 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 get a taste of the most delicious Dutch culture.

Located northwest of Amsterdam in the province of Noord Holland, Alakmaar is one of the largest towns outside 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 which operates on Waagplein only on Fridays from April in Amsterdam to September in Amsterdam.

It is common to find travellers combining a visit to Alkmaar with a visit to the city of Zaanse Schans as they are on the same route only 30 minutes apart. In Alkmaar you will visit the famous cheese market, if in season, the beautiful buildings and you can also take a cruise along the city's canals.

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

Useful information

• Price: This type of experience can cost around 50€.
• Duration of the tour: Considering the round trip you will need to set aside at least 5 hours of your itinerary.
• Recommended if... Visiting Amsterdam in the operating months of the Cheese Market is one of the most famous and traditional cheese markets in Europe.

The Zandvoort area is one of the favourite beach resorts of the Dutch. Located just 38 km from the city centre, if you visit Amsterdam in the summer it is worth a trip to the coast for a charming village and a calm beach.

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

If you' re on your own... From Amsterdam city centre at Sloterdijk station you can take the Sprinter train to Zandvoort for a 30-40 minute ride.

Useful information

• Price: Private tours are available from 80; the price does not include train tickets but usually 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 by the sea.

Located towards the southwest of the region and only 15 km from the centre of Amsterdam, the small town of Weesp is one of the closest and most accessible. If you are planning a short trip such as an excursion to Weeps and the famous windmills it 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 centre 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 tour: It will depend a little on the number of stops on the tour route but you should allow a minimum of 3 to 4 hours for 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.