Marken
Wooden houses on mounds and a lighthouse by the water. A former island with a story of its own.
Route by public transport ↗Wooden houses, still water, an imperial visit.
Fifteen minutes from Amsterdam lies a village of wooden houses along narrow ditches. Wealthy merchants and sea captains once lived here. Today you mostly hear ducks and bicycle bells.
In the Golden Age, Broek in Waterland was the country address of Amsterdam merchants, skippers and shipowners. Their wooden houses still line the water in soft colours. In the 18th century, French travellers called it the temple of Dutch cleanliness. Getting there is easy: the bus leaves from the back of Amsterdam Centraal (IJzijde) and takes approx. 15 to 20 minutes. Step off, wander through the village and give the rest of the day to the polder.
One day, four moments. How to get the most out of your visit.
Six places to complete your museum day.
Stroll past the wooden houses, little bridges and ditches. Look for the details: gables, doors and gardens on the water.
Rebuilt after its destruction in 1573. Inside are a richly carved pulpit from 1685 and ceiling paintings that only reappeared in 1989.
The little white tea house by the water is one of the most photographed spots in the village. A good place to sit and watch.
Two of the listed monuments in this protected village. The tram stop recalls the days when a tram linked Waterland with Amsterdam.
In season you can hire a canoe or small boat in and around the village. It is how locals saw Waterland for centuries.
Flat dykes, meadows and big skies. Ride to Zuiderwoude, Uitdam or on to Monnickendam.
For a century a sign pointed out the house where the emperor had stayed. It was simply not true.
On Tuesday 15 October 1811, Emperor Napoleon passed through Broek in Waterland on his way to Den Helder. Mayor Harmen Bakker only heard that morning that he was coming. The emperor stayed briefly, in the mayor's house. He liked the village so much that he wrote to Marie Louise that she should see it, and she arrived that same afternoon. Bakker was awarded the Legion of Honour for the successful visit. More than a century later, a later mayor hung a sign on his own house, Het Beroemde Huis, as if Napoleon had been there. The story still circulates, but it was a clever invention.
Where: Village centre, Broek in Waterland
Broek sits in the middle of Waterland. A short bus ride takes you to the IJsselmeer or into the city.
Wooden houses on mounds and a lighthouse by the water. A former island with a story of its own.
Route by public transport ↗An old harbour town with a distinctive tower and fish on the quay.
Route by public transport ↗Canals, The Night Watch and museums within walking distance of each other.
Route by public transport ↗Travel times are indicative. Live times on 9292.nl ↗.
In and around the village you will find a handful of B&Bs, perfect for a slow stay in the quiet of Waterland. For more choice, stay in Amsterdam: the bus takes you back to Centraal in approx. 15 to 20 minutes. From Broek, Marken, Monnickendam and Edam are an easy bus ride away. And in the evening the village is all yours.
Restaurants, shops and hotels near the museums, picked for museum visitors.