Marken

Marken is a village in the Waterland and Zaan Region, North Holland, Netherlands on a peninsula in the IJsselmeer lake. It is known for its characteristic wooden houses and traditional costumes. It used to be an island in the former Zuiderzee, but is now connected to the mainland by a causeway.

Understand

Marken

This picturesque little village was originally situated on an island. Floods were regular and often disastrous. To protect their belongings and themselves from the water, the inhabitants created artificial dwelling hills on which they build their houses. As fishery became the main economic activity, the population grew rapidly. When the Afsluitdijk was finished in 1932 and the IJsselmeer lake created, access to the sea was blocked and fishery activities almost came to an end. When a dike between Marken and the mainland was built in 1957, Marken ceased to be an island. Nevertheless, the village still has the look and feel of a fishermen's town and an island. For over a century, it has drawn in visitors who wanted to have a glance at its traditional costumes and picturesque houses.

Please understand that this is a normal village, with people that have been living here all their lives.

• VVV tourist information point, Havenbuurt 19c, ☎ +31 299 820 046, [1]. There's a small information point in Marken, where you'll find some leaflets and maps. For more tourist information services, head to nearby Monnickendam.  edit

Get in

By bus

• Bus 315 (R-NET) runs from Amsterdam Central Station to Marken and back, and passes through Broek in Waterland and Monnickendam, approx. 35 minutes. A one-way ticket to/from Amsterdam is 10 EUR, if you have an OV-chipkaart it is only 4.43 EUR.

By car

If you're coming from Amsterdam, take the A10 trunk road and then follow the N47 to Monnickendam and from there the N518 to Marken. You cannot park your car inside the village. The supervised car park at the entrance to the village costs 4 EUR per day plus 0.50 EUR extra per additional passenger (as of 2014). Alternatively, you can leave your car on the causeway leading up to the village for free.

By bike

A great way to get to Marken is by bike. There are many cycle routes that will take you there.

• From Amsterdam Central Station: 51 or 45 km.
• From Purmerend train station: 45 or 37 km.

By boat

In the tourist season (mid March - end of October), there is also a ferry connection from and to Volendam, which leaves once every 30 to 45 minutes.[9]. One-way ticket 7.95 EUR, return ticket 9.95 EUR.

You can also take your own boat to Marken. The village has a small marina providing water, electricity and toilets, with a capacity of 33 boats.

Get around

Marken is a village and you can easily get around on foot. Alternatively, you can rent a bike via:

• DagjeMarken, ☎ +31 6 423 058 28, [2].  edit

Volendam and Monnickendam have a larger number of bike rental options, and are at comfortable biking distances from the peninsula.

See

Marken's main attractions are its lovely old wooden houses, and the traditional atmosphere and folkloristic elements.Traditional costumes are now rarely worn, and mainly to please the tourists, but they are still worth seeing. Most of the village is designated a Protected Cityscape, and many of its wooden houses are listed as National Monuments. Some houses are placed on wooden poles, to protect them from the water. The main sights include:

• Paard van Marken (Horse of Marken), Vuurtoren 1. This lighthouse on the eastern end of the peninsula is one of the best known in the country. This 1839 structure is 16 meters high and is a National Monument. It can be seen from a long distance, and the site itself offers great views of the IJsselmeer. Not open to visitors. (52°28′,5°8′) edit
• Marker Museum, Kerkbuurt 44-47, ☎ +31 299 601 514, [3]. 10AM-5PM, Su12AM-4PM. In this small museum you can see a traditional Marken house as it would have been decorated in the old days. There's traditional clothing on display and a lot of information on the peninsula's history. Not all information is in English, though. The museum is only opened during the tourist season (1 April - 2 November 2014). 2.50 EUR, under 12 yrs old 1.25 EUR.  edit
• Kijkhuisje Sijtje Boes (""Look-inside), Havenbuurt 19, ☎ +31 299 601 451. In the early 1900s, a lady called Sijtje Boes started the first souvenir shop in Marken. Today, it is a tiny museum displaying the original interior of Sijtje's shop. Free entrance.  edit
• Grote Kerk, Kerkbuurt 13. 9AM-5PM. This protestant church, dating from 1904, is most notable for the wooden ship models hanging from the walls. Free entrance, on Sunday only opened for church service.  edit

Do

• Wandelroute rond Marken over de dijk is a pedestrian/cyclist path that goes all around Marken over the dike (10 km). It gives access to a wide open landscape view, birds, farms, small settlements and of course the famous lighthouse Paard van Marken.
• Guided tours with a guide in traditional costume can be booked with Rond Marken, ☎ +31 299 475 085, [4].  edit.

• Gouwzeeroute, [5]. A 48km cycling route starting in Purmerend and passing through Volendam, Marken and Monnickendam.  edit

Visiting Marken is also a good opportunity to visit the fishermen's harbour of Volendam. This can be done by taking a ferry from the harbour of Marken.

Polder landscape around Marken

Buy

Marken has been a popular tourist destination for decades and souvenirs can be found all around. You will find a good range at the Sijtje Boes house, which is the oldest souvenir shop in town. Marker Folklorestoffen (Buurt II 5) sells the typical fabrics that the traditional Marken costumes are made of. On Rietland 4 you will find a shop that sells the actual costumes.

Eat

Marken has a few restaurants. As Marken is originally a fishermen's town, typical Dutch sea food can be sampled there. However, don't expect any culinary highlights - Marken is mainly visited by day trippers, with the accompanying level of service.

• De Taanderij, Havenbuurt 1, ☎ +31 299 602 206. Nice view over the harbour. The food and service get mixed reviews.  edit
• Restaurant Land en Zeezicht, Havenbuurt 6, ☎ +31 299 601 302. Nice location and a lovely outdoor terrace. The food gets mixed reviews.  edit
• De Visscher, Havenbuurt 22, ☎ +31 299 601 304, [6]. This pub serves decent food and has a great view.  edit
• Snackbar De Verkeerde Wereld, Buurterstraat 20, [7]. This cafeteria sells fries and snacks, but also has a range of simple dishes for lunch and dinner. Baguettes and omelets but also fried fish, steaks, spareribs etc. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.  edit

Hotel Hof van Marken also has a restaurant.

Sleep

Accommodation is limited on the peninsula, and most people stay in Amsterdam, Volendam or Monnickendam. There is a hotel though, and it gets good reviews.

• Hotel Restaurant Hof van Marken, Buurt II 15, ☎ +31 299 601 300, [8]. This nice hotel is in a great location in a National Monument. The clean rooms are decorated with antiques and old pictures of the village. Bathrooms are small and the stairs narrow, breakfast is not included in the price. The downstairs restaurant serves French cuisine and is one of the best dining options in town. 95 EUR for a double.  edit

The nearest camping sites can be found in Uitdam, Amsterdam, Broek in Waterland and Edam.

Contact

• Postal services, Boxenring 40A (inside Deen supermarket). 8AM-6.30PM, Sa8AM-6PM, closed on Sundays. At the supermarket, you will find basic services such as (international and national) stamps. For more specific services, you will have to go to Monnickendam.  edit

Get out

Amsterdam city centre is about a 30 minute drive away. Nearby villages include:

• Monnickendam
• Volendam
• Broek in Waterland
• Edam

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!