Meet the cheese
The Dutch are cheese-heads. Archeological digs have proven that cheese was already being made on Dutch soil thousands of years ago. A military report by Julius Caesar even mentions how surprised he was about the cheese production of these Low Countries. Being the cheese-heads we are, cheese was initially only made for personal consumption. It wasn’t until the Middle Ages that Holland started exporting cheese and gained an international reputation as “cheese land”.
It's all about the cheese in Holland
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Types of Dutch cheese
Most people have at least heard of Gouda and Edam cheeses—try the many other Dutch cheese types as well.
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Dutch cheese brands
The cheese industry in Holland is a main economic driver; cheese and flowers are the largest Dutch exports.
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Dutch cheese shops
In Amsterdam, visit multiple cheese shops and taste the flavors of different regions of Holland.
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More about cheese
Cheese in Holland
Cheese has been made in Holland back as far as 200 B.C.E.; Julius Caesar mentions Dutch cheese in his logs.
Read MoreTransport regulations
Holland has a rich history of cheese exporting that extends back to the times of Roman occupation.
Read MoreGet a taste of the "yellow gold"
Dutch cheese production is currently in the hands of dairy factories, which produce and export hundreds of millions of tons of cheeses every year. The cheese markets in Alkmaar, Gouda and Edam remind us of the origins of a flourishing cheese trade and have become popular tourist attractions. The Dutch still love cheese and eat about seven pounds of it annually per person. Just like Julius Caesar, let yourself be surprised about the many types of Dutch cheeses and sample the country’s “yellow gold”.
Worth a visit: top 3 cheese markets
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Cheese market in Gouda
The Gouda cheese market is held in summer in front of the Gouda City Hall and the cheese weighing building.
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Cheese market in Edam
The Edam cheese market was historically the hub of the city, where farmers brought their cheeses to for sale.
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Alkmaar Cheese Market
4/6/13 Until 9/7/13Discover the unique cheese market spectacle in Alkmaar.
Alkmaar Cheese Museum
The Dutch Cheese Museum in Alkmaar is designed to explain the history of cheese making.
Read MoreFamous Dutch cheese and the city
