Volendam and Marken - Are they worth the trip?

In our last video, we spent the day in the cozy dutch town of Edam. Many people travel to Edam, as well as Volendam and Marken on the same day. We needed to go back and see what we missed in the very old dutch fishing village of Volendam and the once island (now a penninsula) of Marken.
Are these destinations worth the day trip from Amsterdam?
#volendam #marken #amsterdamtravel #amsterdamvlog #expatsinamsterdam #travelvlog #thenetherlands #dutchtravel #netherlandvlog
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✼ ABOUT US ✼
We are Nate and Katrina, two Americans living in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and traveling as much as we can to see what there is to see! Call us expats, immigrants, whatever... just call us already.
We balance work life with travel... as best we can! We would love to visit every country in Europe while we live here, and definitely keep a list of our global “must visit” destinations.
We try to give you a true view of us and how we travel and explore the world. Lots of food, definitely some jokes, and probably some swearing…. Hope you enjoy taking these trips with us!

[@qazatqazah]

Fun fact: the word "mannequin" (display doll, person showing clothes) was derived (in French) from the (south-)Dutch word "manneke", which means "little man".

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Very cool! Thanks for the info!

[@peterjanssen2105]

nice video again, those cigar bands were really beautifully made, and in Marken it was also very nice, thanks again

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Thank you for watching! Those cigar bands were crazy to see in person! 😳

[@mirreamsterdam935]

I suggest visiting the Zuiderzeemuseum in Enkhuizen. It is a big open air museum.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Thanks for the recommendation!

[@woutersplinter4981]

Great suggestion indeed, but steer clear of the weekends and holiday/vacation weeks. Due to the risk of it being invested by certain loud little people...

[@sanderjansen5187]

I have lived since birth for 30 years on Marken, I loved it there as a kid, it was quite save with no cars. Tourists are always around you but in the evening the island is deserted.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

That makes sense. It seems like a beautiful place to grow up! Thanks for watching!

[@ageoflove1980]

The thing about Volendam is that its much more than just the tourist shops and restaurants. It still very much has a unique culture all of its own. For starters, its Catholic which is very unusual in this part of the country. It obviously has to do with the fishing industry and the fact that although its not an island, in reality it was for much of its history. There were no roads there, it was all surrounded by big swamps and the only way you could get there was by boat. So, very isolated although it really doesnt seem like it when you look at current maps. Further more, they have their own dialect, also a result of the tight community. Its so unique that even though im Dutch, I understand very little of it when locals talk to each other. Living there now for 1 1/2 years after 30 years in Amsterdam and Im loving it. Its almost like this otherworldy enclave and very peaceful, safe and overal just nice. I dont live near the Dijk though, just a typical residential area with the typical Dutch row houses. But after 30 years in De Pijp it feels like a palace! Haha! Winters are a bit boring though, but the bus back in to the city only takes 20 minutes so its very close. Volendam always had an impact much larger than it size suggests. Like they have a top division foorball club, although sadly they relegated this season. As the museum shows, they also have a very active music industry with lots of singers and bands with national and some even international fame. Its also the place in the country where the least people leave. Doesnt matter how wealthy or succesful people get, they stay right there in the town. Because of that, it has grown very wealthy over the years. Later in the evening and deep in to the night when all the tourists are gone, De Dijk turns in to a vibrant nightlife district for the locals and they really know how to party, hard...

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Great info! Thanks for watching along!

[@ageoflove1980]

@@nateandkatrinadotheworld And thank you for the content. I really like your self aware tongue-in-cheek style!

[@lbergen001]

Great jazzy video again👍👍. Still I noticed some hesitation for a herring...😊

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Thank you! We still don’t have the courage to try herring on camera… 😂

[@Dutchbelg3]

Edam , Marken and Monnikendam are the places to visit together with Hoorn and Enkhuizen and maybe Alkmaar. Volendam is VERY touristic as it is closest to Amsterdam. Did you ever go the the Zaanstreek ? There is the open air exhibition " Zaanse schans" which comemmerates the first European industrial zone energized by wind power! There are still a lot of windmills that in this case were not used for water management but for sawing, crushing pigments for the paint industry - my father worked at Pieter Schoen the first true paint producer in the Netherlands in larger scale. Also musterd was produced , plant based oil (lijnzaad) , chocolate (Van Houten) and yes also cheese. Because of all these local products Albert Heijn started in Zaandam. Another great museum is "Het Zuiderzee museum" in Enkhuizen ! BTW as you already said: Volendam is a fishing village.. So that might make you realise: How authentic is a cheese factory at the harbour? 😛

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

So many places to visit and so little time! Thanks for the info and watching along!

[@rwiersema]

Just an FYI "Roze" as in "Roze koeken" simply translates to: pink :)

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Always learning! Thanks for the info!

[@DavidNijman]

Great vid as usual ;-) It's always a pleasure to see your vids/vlogs!

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Thank you for following along! It means a lot to us!

[@artogden7681]

We enjoyed your recent vlogs on Edam, Volendam and Marken we booked a tour (yes Nate a tour on a bus with people) to hit those spots on our trip to Amsterdam 3-day pre-cruise in mid-July. Thank you for sharing. Art and Rose

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Haha, even though we sometimes have opinions about those tour buses… The bus tours are a great way to see places outside of Amsterdam without needing to rent a car! We hope that you have a great time while you’re here! 🤗

[@MableM1985]

Another great vlog! We’ve been watching you guys since Iceland (that’s right, we are part of the OG 400!). We have another YT channel and had the cigar band house on our list for awhile for a destination idea. I haven’t seen anyone else cover it so far- so great pioneering!

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

OGs in the house! Thanks for following along! Definitely go check out the cigar band house in person! The video will never do it justice! 🤗

[@MartinWebNatures]

Love the video guys ❤️👍

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Thank you for watching! 🤗

[@aislingbooks]

Smoked eel is actually a delicacy that Volendam is known for. In 2005 I got suckered in on a tour of all those touristy northern villages and the folks on the bus were buying smoked eel like mad. Like you, herring isn't a personal fav...and neither is eel. But I did think they were cool to see at the museum aquarium in Den Helder.

[@RaisorbladeJoe]

bwah, when I was a teenager, like donkey years ago, Volendam and Marken where really cool and as a day trip it was faboulous. I went back 2 years ago, and I wasn’t really impressed. Way too touristic. But I can imaguine as a tourist, you probably like it

[@Jan.Folkersma]

Dutch word of the Day: 'palingsound' (eel music) aka music from Volendam. Very popular in the '70s and sadly it never went away. Search for BZN, the Cats. Then. Roze koeken. Pink yes. You know where they get the colour from? In the listed ingredients it comes up as 'e120'. It is lice blood. Yes. And it is in many many things that you can find in the supermarket. Also things that are not pink at all. Look up cochinille lice. There are clips of how it is harvested. You will never eat a roze koek again. (I know, I love frikandellen, kroketten and mexicanos etc and I dont want to know bla bla bla) Almost 8000 subscribers! Speed is picking up. So next time Venice? Can't wait. Love!

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

This has completely ruined the roze koek for us. Ugh. 😣

[@jolandafrijlink6103]

I like that you don't take yourselves that serious 😊.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Life is too short! We are glad that you can see the humor in these silly vlogs. 😂 Thanks for watching!

[@maevajesse]

I went to Volendam and didn’t like it, I mean, it was fine but boring, I had read that it was very touristy, and it was indeed. Funny, I went to the same bakery where you bought those cakes 😁 Marken, where I’ve been twice already, is my favorite place of the Waterland 🥰 and there is a very nice craft beer that you can only enjoy there by the harbor (unfortunately it doesn’t exist in a bottle)

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

That’s awesome. The bakery treats were delicious! We will have to go back to try the Marken beer. Thanks for the tip! 🫶🏻

[@Misha1138]

After your last two videos, I'm even more convinced that you should visit the Nederlands Openluchtmuseum (Dutch Open Air Museum) in Arnhem. And it's HUGE so plan accordingly (not so many tourists and/or vloggers though)

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

It’s super high on our list!

[@NickyKok-ts2km]

if you are brave try the herring. Maybe you guys like it. Just try it once and let your followers know what you think of the herring. Oh and miracles do happen, i don't think this video is annoying. I actually like this video.

[@robinroberts3335]

Great place Guys very lnteresting you look at the mannequins watch the eyes 👍🏻😎they well blink .

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

They were quite life-like and not in a good way. 😂 Thanks for following along with our antics!

[@ikke5212]

😊😊

[@PatQuakernaat]

Volendam is a tourist trap, but good for pictures I guess. The artists are "famous" with Dutch elderly only ! Their music is called the Paling Sound (eal sound) 🙂 You should have done a picture in local clothes .... lol Volendam is famous for its smoked eal .............. surprised you did not find any.

[@Hrn250]

we always got smoked fish from the broeders de Boer in the havenstraat in Monnickendam. At the time one of the best fish smokehouses and perhaps still the only one? who still smokes his eel etc in the traditional way.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We usually stay away from seafood so, admittedly, we didn’t even try to find smoked eel. 😂 Thanks for watching!

[@aerosnake77]

You found the paling pop hall of fame :p

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Who knew?! 😂

[@adventuresbyrust]

I have some wooden shoes. They are fun. Nice arch support. Won't rot on you... 😂

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

That’s very cool! We’ve tried some on and aren’t sure if they’re as comfortable as we thought they would be… 😜

[@woutersplinter4981]

​@@nateandkatrinadotheworlddid you guys try on new ones? Or were they allready walked in? Because for wooden shoes to be really comfortable, you have to buy new ones and then break them in, so that they form to your feet.

[@Hrn250]

Marken is absolutely NOT a tourist trap. It’s very unique with it’s wooden houses and inhabitants.

[@ageoflove1980]

It is partially. Many tourgroups get dropped off the bus and are funneled into the harbour to spend their money and then its back on the bus again. Its not as "bad" as De Dijk in Volendam though. Tourst trap doesnt necessarily means a scam, its a thing like that clog factory, just there for tourists, but still nice to check out if you are not familiar with them and they make a nice souvenir I suppose. My favorite area is the little beach near the lighthouse, especially on a quit day with nice weather. I cycle there all the time.

[@Hrn250]

@@ageoflove1980 You don't have to take an organized tour. There is a bus from Amsterdam to Marken and then you walk at your own pace across the island along the water near the wharves and to the beach near the lighthouse. You eat at your own pace and enjoy it your way. And if you are a good cyclist, you go by bike. From Marken you can take the boat to Volendam and back if that is also your wish.

[@ageoflove1980]

@@Hrn250 Yeah I know man, im from Volendam, I cycle there all the time. Just pointing out that Marken certainly has tourist trappy vibes here and there when you see these huge tourgroups. But there are also beautiful little spots away from the tourgroups and those I like best.

[@Hrn250]

@@ageoflove1980 Ha Nice 😊, It has changed a lot in recent years. Volendam has always been quite touristy, Marken hardly until it was discovered. There was no need for a hotel because it had to be 'the island' for the residents again in the evening. Not every Marker is happy with how busy it is now compared to a few years ago, but hey, times are changing.

[@ageoflove1980]

@@Hrn250 I know, last friday I had a little argument with three ladies, I think from Spain who decided to walk all next to each other blocking the entire cycle path... So I kind of pointed to the footpath and shouted that they were walking in the wrong place. I dont think they liked that very much buit cmon... There were clear signs... One for bikes and one for pedestrians... We have to educate these tourists a bit, eh? Dont mess with Dutch people on bikes ! :D

[@buddy1155]

After Giethoorn these towns might be the largest tourist traps in the Netherlands.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

You’ll love where we spent the day. Coming soonish… 🤣😉

[@buddy1155]

@@nateandkatrinadotheworld You should go to places like muiden, sit on the terrace at "ome joop" along the locks and wait for German tourists that don't understand how a lock works and tie up their ship to the shore. Afterwards you should go to the restaurant "graaf Floris" (make reservation). There is also a castle, but that is bit touristly like all castles. Naarden and Amersfoort are also worth visiting in that area.

[@2coixos]

The 6 years that I went to primary school I always whore traditional Dutch clogs and because I had to wait at the Haarlem central bus station every day to change busses to go to school, I was photographed many times by tourists.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

That’s awesome! 👏🏻

[@Ed19601]

I wore wooden shoes for a big part of my childhood, changed to shoes to go to school. Wooden shoes are just way mire comfy. They do require a different way of walking though

[@Sam-tv5ve]

Just go to nearby Edam and Monnickendam instead, quieter and nicer :)

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Yes! We loved Edam! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYilpoicj7upaJo

[@Sam-tv5ve]

@@nateandkatrinadotheworld Cool! Glad you liked it. I looked at your Alkmaar and Leiden videos too, very cute. Both Alkmaar (not the cheese market though) and Leiden are on the list of places I tell people to visit if they are here for more than a couple of days. I usually say tier 1 - Amsterdam, Haarlem, Amersfoort, Utrecht, Maastricht and tier 2 - Alkmaar, Leiden, Zwolle, Zutphen, Delft, Groningen , Dordrecht, tier 3 - Den Bosch, Leeuwarden, Den Haag, Kampen, Hoorn, Deventer. Maybe there are some places there you havent seen yet!

[@mavadelo]

Of course they are a tourist trap. Still definitely worth it though. Just be prepared to see more tourists than people from the area. But if you are interested in the area and its history, enough places will offer that... at a price of course.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We agree that it’s still worth it! You have to find the positives in every location you visit, right? 🤗

[@machielstouthandel2940]

Leuke video 😊😊keep it up

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Thank you for watching!

[@BenStevens17]

Whats gonna be the next two?😂😅

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Wait and see! 🤗

[@BenStevens17]

@@nateandkatrinadotheworld ok ill be waiting! when does it come out? sorry im begging so much lol

[@armandovanhaaren9823]

Did you have your picture taken in traditional volendam attire ?

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

😂 No, definitely not. Neither of us have ever had the patience for something like that!

[@armandovanhaaren9823]

I did when i was little and i look super cute in them . I still love that picture 📸

[@adventuresbyrust]

Cow clogs 🤣🤣🤣

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

He’s pigeon toed, too! 😂

[@notredame6847]

Never go to touristic places there are so many beautiful places free of charge . I am 23 years living here never go there , I find too expensive even for the local people.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We like to experience different types of places and then form our opinions because you never know! And yes, Volendam is touristy but we love learning about the history of little villages like this! 🫶🏻

[@ollie7381]

@Nate. Volendam had and does have indeed many musicans. The music is sometimes referred to as "paling sound". You know what 'paling' means in English. Maybe you have tasted it already, I find it better than raw herring. One of the bands from the ''70s is The George Baker Selection. One of his songs ""Little Green Bag"" was used in Quentin Tarantino's movie 'Reservoir Dogs'. Here is the link to the song, do you recognize it? kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3uthIRobt1rack

[@pietergreveling]

If Nate was single he would be a cat man, sitting at home with at least 15 cats! 🤭🤪✌🏼

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Katrina here: No need to be single… I would approve of that in our relationship. 😂

[@martijnkeisers5900]

Marken is gorgeous but Volendam is not worth visiting.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We are glad that we saw it for ourselves but Marken was definitely the favorite of the two. Thanks for watching!

[@AdLockhorst-bf8pz]

Volendam is famous for two things; fish and Columbian nosepowder. 😳 😸 "and wooden shoes with a strategically placed splinter on the inside" ... for *THREE* things. 😺 "en de kater met een kater¹" 🫣 ... *FOUR* things? ¹ tomcat with a hangover - you just learned ONE Dutch word: *kater*

[@ariekiewiet7214]

Without seeing the video: Volendam NO

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

To each their own. We like to visit places we’ve never been before so we can form our own opinions on it. Hopefully you watch the vlog and see that there are nice places about it even though it is somewhat touristy. 🤗

[@qualitytraders5333]

No, they're not worth the trip. There are hundreds of videos available online. Save hundreds of dollars.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We might have to disagree with you there. If all we did was watch videos of things that were online, we’d never go anywhere! 😂

[@Ed19601]

TBH....no, not worth it.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

To each their own! Thanks for watching.

[@Ed19601]

@@nateandkatrinadotheworld well, your video was worth it