Volendam
For a fantastic trip back into ‘Old Holland’, head for Volendam, a picturesque town on the shores of the IJsselmeer, just 20 km north of Amsterdam.
With its countless windmills, churches and old-fashioned farmhouses, stepping out into Old Holland can feel like being in a Golden Age painting.
Old Holland towns such as Volendam, Zaandam and Alkmaar hark back to times of more honest crafts, showcasing the traditional skills the region was famous for: shipbuilding, fishing and cheese making. Alongside such classic industries, you can also experience the heritage of the industrial revolution – a time when smoking chimney stacks and spinning sails enabled the mass production of chocolate and biscuits.
