Alkmaar Noord-Holland
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Alkmaar is a small town in the province
of North Holland, 40 kms north of Amsterdam. Alkmaar is a popular
destination for tourists, with lots of small canals and drawbridges,
and of course the famous cheese market attracting thousands of
people from all over the world. The market, a tradition since
1593, takes place in Alkmaar's main square every Friday morning
between April and September. The Alkmaar cheese carriers’
guild is responsible for moving and weighing cheese during the
market. The guild consists of four groups with seven men in each
group. Each group (called a veem) has its own colour: red, yellow,
green or blue. The head of the four vemen is the 'cheese father',
i.e. supervisor, who carries a black stick with a silver knob.
The cheese carriers wear the traditional costume: a white suit
and a straw hat with a ribbon in the colour of their own veem.
It is a colourful sight so take your camera! |
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Places to visit in Noord-Holland |
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North Holland is a province situated
on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The
provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.
It is a head-shaped peninsula between the North Sea and the IJsselmeer,
where more than half of the province consists of reclaimed polder
land situated below sea level. North Holland's major cities and
towns are Amsterdam, Haarlem, Hilversum, Den Helder, Alkmaar,
Zaandam and Hoorn, and the island of Texel. This area is the
most important bulb province in the Netherlands where in the
early spring, the bulb fields help ensure that the landscape
of the province appears in glowing colours with a total area
under bulbs of 1,168,564 hectares (approximately 30,000 football
pitches). The greater part of them lie along the coast, on the
island of Texel and in West Friesia. Places of interest must
include the city of Amsterdam, historic towns like Volendam,
Marken or Broek in Waterland and Alkmaar, the Cheese Capital
of the Netherlands. |
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Where is Alkmaar? |
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Alkmaar is about 44 kms from Amsterdam
and Amsterdam Airport (Schiphol).
Alkmaar is about 100 kms from Rotterdam
and Rotterdam Airport.
By Air - Amsterdam's airport Schiphol (www.schiphol.nl) is
the Netherlands’ main international airport and the third
busiest in Europe. Rotterdam Airport (www.rotterdam-airport.nl)
is much smaller but has handy links to the UK, Germany and Mediterranean
destinations.
By Ferry - Several companies operate car/passenger ferries
between the Netherlands and the UK. Stenaline (www.stenaline.co.uk)
sails between Harwich and Hoek van Holland, while P&O North
Sea Ferries (www.poferries.com) operates an overnight ferry every
evening between Hull and Europoort (near Rotterdam).
By Train - The Netherlands has good train links to Germany
and Belgium and on to France.
By Bus - Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and a few of Holland’s
smaller cities such as Den Haag and Utrecht, are well connected
to the rest of Europe by long-distance bus.
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Alkmaar holiday homes - Accommodation in or close
to Alkmaar Holland
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Het Binnenhof
City: Limmen
Region: Noord-Holland
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 4 Persons.
Limmen lies 10 km. south of Alkmaar. Every Friday morning, in
the summer months, you can see the cheese carriers at work in
Alkmaar. This apartments complex lies centrally, at the passing
through road from the picturesque village Limmen. In the luxurious
complex ?Het Binnenhof? one finds 15 apartments which are situated
on the ground floor and 1st floor. The interior of the apartments
is luxurious and of a good standard. 24 hours per day you can
use the wireless internet connection in your apartment. There
is sufficient parking space with the apartments complex and you
have access to your own storeroom. Terrace with garden furniture. |
more details |
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