When you talk about the Netherlands, it's hard to refrain from repeating the well-known facts . After all, the symbols of this country, which have become tulips, mills and cheese for a long time, know absolutely everything . And for sure everyone will immediately name the most "cheese" cities of the kingdom, Edam . But this series will be incomplete without one more name - Alkmaar . Those who are only discovering the Netherlands should definitely visit this "water-encircled" city, interesting not only with canals, cheese and the unique spectacle associated with it . However, for a good rest ie it is enough .
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How to get to Alkmaar
The city is located only 37 km from the capital Netherlands, Amsterdam, and get there from the easiest way . From the central railway station, trains leave for Alkmaar approximately every 15 minutes . The journey time to the destination is 40 minutes, and the ticket depending on the train and class of the car costs 6 . @ 10- 11 . 4 EUR . For an hour and 10 . 30 EUR in a second class car you can get to Alkmaar from Leiden, and for an hour and a half and 15 . 40 - from Rotterdam . Part of the train goes through Haarlem, so departure from there also will not be difficult . Part of the routes will require tourists to transfer from train to train . For this you need to switch from one platform to another, all the way is thought out and does not create problems . If you want to go straight train, then you need to go from Sloterdijk station .
There is a bus station at the railway station in Alkmaar. There buses come from the surrounding towns, located within a radius of 30 km from the city, and flights from other major cities. Some of them on the way to the end point stop near the northern part of the old city (Kanalad stop), which is convenient for tourists who are not burdened with luggage
The bicycling travelers need to tune in for 2-3 hours and be careful on the roads. Despite the availability of special bike paths on each highway, caution will not hurt. Problems with the fact that there will be no leaving your "iron horse" in the city, but those who rented a car will have to sweat in search of parking.
The fare is indicated in April 2011.
Search for tickets to the city of Amsterdam ( the nearest airport to Alkmaar)
The orientation and movement in the city
The railway station, as well as the bus station, are located very close to the old city of Alkmaar. In order to get there, you will need to get off the train station and turn left and move along the Stationsweg. After 5-10 minutes turn right to Scharlo, cross the bridge Singelgracht and now you are in the historic part of the city. Advice on further movement in Alkmaar and a reference on its museums can be obtained from the information center on the first floor of the Wessel Chamber at Waagplein
Alkmaar climate
Cloudy, light rain + 8 ° C in the afternoon + 8 ° C at night ° C water |
Cloudy, rain, thunderstorms + 5 ° C in the afternoon + 4 ° C at night ° C water |
Cloudy, light rain + 5 ° C in the afternoon + 4 ° C at night ° C water |
| Pro weather forecast in Alkmaar for 10 days | ||
| Average monthly temperature, ° C | ||||||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sen | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Day | + 5 | + 5 | + 8 | + 11 | + 16 | + 18 | +20 | + 21 | + 17 | + 13 | + 8 | + 6 |
| at night | + 1 | + 1 | + 2 | + 4 | + 7 | + 11 | + 12 | + 12 | + 10 | + 7 | + 3 | + 2 |
| water | + 7 | + 7 | + 8 | + 8 | + 16 | +16 | + 17 | + 17 | + 12 | + 12 | + 4 | + 4 |
Cuisine and restaurants of Alkmaar
Cheese tasting at the fair and beer in the thematic museum for a full meal is not enough . Even if the beer in the bar with an old brewery is more than 80 varieties and it is served with snacks, you will still want something more during the day . Then the hungry tourists will choose from which to choose . A snack on fast can be served in fast food establishments, such as Burger King, MacDonalds, Subway, or shaurma and kebabs that have spread here as well. . You can eat in one of the many cafes with concentrated around the Waagplein, for example, in Café de Lindeboom, De Koperen Pot or Café Joey's . From pastry can recommend De Boer and Multi-Vlaai Alkmaar . The town presented world cuisine to suit all tastes: Mexican Rose's Cantina, Australian - Australian Dining & Wining, European - Abby's Restaurant and t . d . The local cuisine is answered by Schots Hielander, Grand Café 't Gulden Vlies and expensive but decent restaurant in the Hof Van Sonoy .
Shopping and shopping
Questions, what to buy in Alkmaar, usually does not arise . Here it is more appropriate to ask how much cheese to take, and what grade . Something I want It's difficult to tie in this regard, everyone has different tastes (but the main product of the cheese fair is given to try), but you can recommend visitors to bargain . Waagplein, of course, not an oriental bazaar, but many sellers are happy to join the game and are gambling, otvoovyvaya a price for the farmer cheese head . There, at the fair, and everywhere in the old town you can buy a variety of souvenirs . and the prices for the same traditional clogs, hat, toy windmills and wooden tulips significantly lower than in the capital .
B lshinstvo souvenir and antique shops are located in the western part of the city, close to the station. If you want to visit the Noorderarcade shopping center, you can reach it via the pedestrian bridge across the North Dutch Canal
Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Alkmaar
The most important entertainment, for which many people go to Alkmaar, are cheese fairs and show cheese porters . they are held between April and September, on Fridays, from 10 am to 12 . industrious Dutch do not make exceptions in the schedule even when the day of the fair at the fall festival in honor of the Queen's country of birth . So the tour s will be able to fully enjoy the spectacle of carrying cheese heads on wooden stretcher koromysloobraznyh, unchanged since the Middle Ages more . All furnished with all diligence: porters, vendors, supervisors and souvenir hawkers dressed in old clothes, the orchestra performed national melodies, before bidding on the Waagplein square the representative of the clergy comes out and the mayor of the city .
After the fair is over, acquaintance with the main local wealth can be continued in the Waag, the Chamber of Worship (the building itself is very expensive Civaux), where the second and third floors of the museum is located cheeses . After his move to the beer museum, opening 12 . 00 on Tuesdays and Fridays, from 10 to 00 days . cheese fairs (understanding people! ) and from 13 . 00 on weekends (Monday is already a heavy day, the museum and the bar are closed at it) . Visit the wonderful stove museum and the museum of history and art of the city . Admire its mills, sculptures and ancient buildings city hall, the home of the mayor, the tower Hof von Sonoy, the cathedral of St. Lawrence, the church of St. Joseph ... or just wander through the narrow bridge like toy streets, walk along the many canals, or go on a boat trip around the town: in fact, as you may recall, Alkmaar means "Surrounded by water ».