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Edam
ℹ️Practical info — Edam
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🌤 Weather — 5 days
📍 Nearby
Sights nearby
💡 Tips
- Visit the cheese market, if possible in July or August (Wednesdays), to experience the historical spectacle.
- Park outside the old center; the narrow streets are best explored on foot or by bicycle.
- Take a canal cruise to see the historic houses and bridges from a different perspective.
- Don't just taste the famous Edam, but also local Gouda in the traditional cheese shops.
🍽 Food
In the cheese shops around the Damplein you can taste different stages of maturation.
Look for a pancake house on the canal for traditional Dutch pancakes.
Great snack with local beer in one of the historic 'brown cafes' in the center.
🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots
Buy cheese as a souvenir directly in the downtown shops, often including vacuum packaging for travel.
Small, independent shops with local art, crafts, and clothing.
A quiet walk along the old defenses (Stelling van Amsterdam) in the greenery.
Rent a bike and ride to the nearby water for sweeping views and a fresh breeze.
Water temperature…
Edam is a world-famous town in the province of North Holland, inseparable from the cheese that shares its name. During the Golden Age, Edam was a prosperous trading and shipbuilding town, which is still reflected in its grand manors, pretty canals, and historic warehouses. The town was granted city rights as early as 1357 and developed into a maritime hub thanks to its strategic location on the former Zuiderzee. The historic cheese market, re-enacted for tourists during the summer months, recalls the time when Edam was the primary distribution center for the round, red-waxed balls of cheese. Architectural highlights include the Grote Kerk with its impressive stained-glass windows and the leaning tower of the Speeltoren. Edam has managed to preserve its authentic medieval structure almost entirely and, together with neighboring Volendam, forms a municipality that embodies the classic image of the old Netherlands.
- Location: North Holland, Netherlands
- Top sights: Palingsoundmuseum · Edam Fort · Volendam Museum
- Nearby: Purmerend (8 km)
- Population: ~7.380
Best time to visit & climate
The most pleasant time to visit is Jun–Aug.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | 4 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 8 | 5 |
| Rain mm | 75 | 64 | 53 | 40 | 57 | 63 | 81 | 90 | 70 | 78 | 76 | 81 |
Geography
Facts
- Granted city rights in 1357 by Count William V of Holland.
- World-renowned for Edam cheese, traditionally coated in red wax.
- Home to one of the largest hall churches in the Netherlands (Grote Kerk).
- The Speeltoren is famous for its carillon dating back to 1561.
- Historically a major center for shipbuilding and timber trade.
- The Edam Museum is located in the town's oldest brick house (c. 1540).
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Sights in the town Edam (17)
Frequently asked questions
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