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Voykit pocket guide · Netherlands
Volendam
Go for half a day, not a night: harbour, dike and old centre in 3–4 hours, then ferry to Marken or walk to Edam.
Volendam is a former Zuiderzee fishing village 20 km north of Amsterdam, and one of the most visited day-trip stops in North Holland. The draw is compact: a small old centre, a working harbour and a dike lined with shops and restaurants. It is a half-day stop, best paired with Marken by ferry or Edam on foot.
- Country
- Netherlands
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowds), school holidays
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards dominate; some shops and cafés are card-only and a few supermarkets accept debit cards but not all credit cards, so carry both.
- Daily spend
- Budget €40–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- KPN, Vodafone and Odido run the networks; Lebara and Lyca sell cheap prepaid SIMs in supermarkets and at Schiphol.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Police non-urgent 0900-8844
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard continental two-pin; UK and US plugs need adapters.
- Tipping
- Café: Round up.; Restaurant: 5–10% for good service; tell the server the total when paying by card.; Taxi: Round up.; Hotel: Not expected.
- Water
- Tap water is among the best in Europe; restaurants may charge for it, so ask.
- Toilets
- Stations charge about €0.70–1; cafés expect you to buy something; free urinals (and a few public toilets) in city centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €3–4 |
| Herring or kibbeling snack | €4–8 |
| Smoked eel, small portion | €10–18 |
| Restaurant main course on the dike | €18–28 |
| Beer, terrace | €4–6 |
| Bus Amsterdam–Volendam, single | €5–7 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €8–15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AMS · Amsterdam Schiphol
- Train to Amsterdam, then bus 110/112/118/373 from Amsterdam Noord; 1–1.5 h door to door
Typical fares
- Bus Amsterdam → Volendam
- €5–7 single, 30–40 min
- Volendam → Marken ferry
- about €15 return, 30 min, summer only
- Taxi Volendam → Edam
- €15–20
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is walkable end to end in about 20 minutes. Bikes are useful for Edam and the polder; a summer ferry runs from the harbour to Marken every 30–45 minutes.
See and do
Known for
- Harbour and dike
- Traditional costume photos
- Smoked eel and herring
- Palingsound music
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Marken | Summer ferry from Volendam harbour | 30–45 min |
| Edam | Walk or bike along the N247 | 25–35 min on foot |
| Zaanse Schans | Bus to Purmerend or Amsterdam, then train/bus | 1.5–2 h |
| Monnickendam | Bus 110/112/118 or bike | 30–45 min |
| Broek in Waterland | Bus via Monnickendam or bike | 45–60 min |
| Purmerend | Bus 113/213 | 30–40 min |
Sleep
- Harbour and dike
- Hotels and B&Bs on Haven and the dike; central, but noisy at night in summer.
- Old centre (Zeestraat area)
- Quiet streets behind the dike, 5 min walk to the water; museum and tourist office here.
- Marinapark (Pieterman)
- Holiday park with apartments and a few hotel rooms, 15–20 min walk south of the harbour; good for groups and longer stays.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HalloHAH-loh |
| Thank you | Dank je weldahnk yuh vel |
| How much is it? | Hoeveel kost het?hoo-VAYL kost hut |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan ik met de kaart betalen?kan ik met duh kaart buh-TAH-lun |
| Where is the ferry? | Waar is de veerboot?vaar is duh VAYR-boht |
| One smoked eel, please | Eén gerookte aal, alstublieftayn guh-ROAK-tuh aal, als-tuh-BLEEFT |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; three cheek kisses among friends; avoid: Hugging new acquaintances
- Directness: Say what you mean; expect honest, blunt answers; avoid: Taking bluntness as rudeness
- Punctuality: Be on time; diaries plan weeks ahead; avoid: Dropping in unannounced
- Money: Split bills; pay your share; avoid: Showing off wealth
- Homes: Bring flowers or a small gift; congratulate everyone at a birthday; avoid: Expecting dinner if invited for coffee
Scams and watch-outs
- The dike is packed 11:00–16:00 in summer; go before 10:00 or after 17:00.
- Restaurants on the waterfront are tourist-priced; quality varies, so check the menu before sitting.
- Summer Marken ferry can sell out on busy days; buy a return and note the last sailing.
- Harbour-area noise reaches the dike hotels at night in summer.
Very safe; the real issues are pickpockets in the summer harbour crowd and bikes on the dike. Water is cold year-round — no swimming from the harbour walls.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Volendam yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Harbour and dike
- Traditional costume photos
- Smoked eel and herring
- Palingsound music
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Volendam, revision 5288038 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5288038
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Volendam
Naar dit adres, alstublieft
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Volendam; most are in The Hague, some consulates in Amsterdam.
Bus stops and the ferry dock are within 5 min of the dike.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/volendam). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.