Cheese, glorious cheese. It’s everywhere in Amsterdam, but these are the five finest cheese experiences in the city.
Amsterdam is well known for many things: its canals, its dubiously named coffeehouses, and for its oft-irate cyclists. But there’s another common sight peppered around the Netherlands capital: cheese shops, filled with giant yellow blocks of the delicious stuff. While trying to work an entire wheel of cheese through customs in your hand luggage would be inadvisable, tastings in Amsterdam are highly recommended. If you’re searching for the perfect cheese tour, some of the following are paired with wine, others with sightseeing, and all of them involve plenty of tastings.
Cheese Tasting by Henri Willig with Wine
Henri Willig is one of the foremost Dutch cheese makers, well known for its gouda and a wide range of other delicious dairy creations. Guests at this 45-minute cheese-tasting workshop get to sample five different cheeses, along with three dips that include two types of mustard or – in a stroke of mad genius – a cheese dip for your cheese, plus a short introduction to how each variety is made and what makes their flavours distinct.
But the fun doesn’t end there. If anything truly tickles your taste buds, there’s also a discount at the Henri Willig shop for participants afterwards, making it all too easy to leave with a wedge or two to enjoy at home – or, if you can’t wait that long, back at the hotel before bed. From €16 per person.
Amsterdam Walking Tour with Cheese Tasting
Cheese always tastes better when you’ve worked up an appetite first. This 3.5-hour walking tour is a perfect way to combine an introduction to the city with an immersion into the world of Dutch cheese. Explore the Royal Palace at Dam Square, the Oudekerkstoren in the middle of the Red Light District and many other top sights along the way, with plenty of stories and local history included.
Afterwards, you’ll be accompanied by your guide to the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store for an immersive, hour-long cheese-tasting session featuring a range of classic Dutch varieties and expert tuition by on-site staff, with opportunities to ask questions as well. Tours run regularly throughout the week. From €41 per person.
Private Amsterdam Cheese Fondue Canal Cruise
Amsterdam’s canals are always enjoyable to explore, but there’s perhaps no better way of doing so than with lashings of mouth-watering cheese to hand. Aboard an electric canal boat, you and your small group of fellow private tour guests will travers the iconic waterways while savouring authentic cheese fondue (including the obligatory fresh bread, pickles and other accompaniments), all expertly paired with wine.
To make things even more indulgent, and to wash it all down, there’s an open bar with wine and beer (plus soft drinks) available too, so you can really go to town if you wish – just don’t stand too close to the edge after your second plate, especially if the boat hits a gentle swell! From €57 per person.