Gouda Cheese
If you love cheese, you’re certainly familiar with Gouda. But Did you know that the cheese is named after the historic city of Gouda, located in South Holland and with a population of about 70,000? Gouda is a traditional yellow Dutch cheese that makes up about 60% of the country’s cheese production but the city is known for much more than just their cheese. Gouda is also well known for its fine candle production, clay pipe production and delicious waffles, a treat of hot caramel sandwiched between two freshly baked waffle-like cookies.
Gouda is a great place to go for a daytrip since it is located in close proximity to Amsterdam and Utrecht. When you visit Gouda, we suggest that you visit the outdoor markets, especially the famous Gouda Cheese Market. The market takes place from April to August on Thursday mornings from 10am to 1pm. You will see that the dock Brought in on traditional carriages called briks, and you will see farmers and traders negotiating prices in front of the historic Weigh House. The Weigh House is also located where the Cheese and Crafts Museum is located, telling the story of Gouda’s traditional trading products, many of which you can buy in the gift shop.
The city itself is an architectural marvel, with buildings That date back to the 15th century. That one building can trace its origins to the 15th century is the Town Hall, the City Hall. This is another backdrop of the famous cheese market and is actually one of the oldest Gothic city halls in the whole country. Inside the Town Hall is an impressive collection of art-based tapestries created in the 17th  century by Gouda resident David Ruffelaer. In December, the City Hall is illuminated by candles on the inside and out during the Christmas event called Gouda at Candlelight.
Other historical structures include St. John’s Church, a beautiful Gothic basilica that was built in the 16th  century. In addition to this, there are many interesting museums celebrating Gouda’s unique history, such as the South Holland Gouda Resistance Museum and the Museum Harbor.
How to get there:
It’s easy to get to Gouda from Amsterdam (about 55 minutes by train) and Utrecht (about 20 minutes by train).
