Volendam
Fishing village on the IJsselmeer, with a busy dyke and plenty of fishing history.
Route by public transport ↗
An island of mounds, timber and wind.
For centuries Marken was an island in the Zuiderzee. Its wooden houses huddle together on man-made mounds, the werven. At the end of the dyke stands a lighthouse.
Marken shows how people lived with the water: houses on mounds, on stilts and pressed together for shelter. The Marker Museum tells the story of the fishermen, the traditional dress and daily life on the island. Only since 1957 has a dyke linked it to the mainland. The bus leaves from the back of Amsterdam Centraal (IJzijde) and takes approx. 35 to 45 minutes. Start at the museum, walk out to the lighthouse and, in season, take the boat to Volendam.
One day, four moments. How to get the most out of your visit.
Six places to complete your museum day.
A traditional Marken house furnished as it used to be, with local dress and stories of island life.
The 1839 lighthouse stands on the eastern tip of the island. You cannot go inside, but the walk along the dyke is worth it.
Wooden houses in traditional Marken colours around the old fishing harbour, where the catch once came in.
Each mound is a tiny neighbourhood, with narrow alleys and small bleaching greens. Walk from the Kerkbuurt to the others.
When the mounds were full, islanders built on piles. Moskou and Siberië are the oldest that survive.
In season the Marken Express crosses the Gouwzee to Volendam, turning your day into a loop.
Marken sits on the Gouwzee, between Waterland and the IJsselmeer. By water or by road, somewhere new is close.
Fishing village on the IJsselmeer, with a busy dyke and plenty of fishing history.
Route by public transport ↗Old harbour town with a distinctive tower and smoked fish on the quay.
Route by public transport ↗Wooden houses by quiet ditches, once the country address of Amsterdam merchants.
Route by public transport ↗Travel times are indicative. Live times on 9292.nl ↗.
Marken itself has only a few places to stay. Nearby Monnickendam has hotels and B&Bs for every budget. By bus you are soon on Marken, in Volendam or back in Amsterdam. In the evening you dine by the harbour once the day-trippers have gone.
Restaurants, shops and hotels near the museums, picked for museum visitors.