South Holland
South Holland’s food markets: the Gouda cheese market on Thursday mornings from April to August, handjeklap, the Waag and stroopwafels.
At a glance
- Home of the Gouda cheese market, Thursday mornings from April to August
- Gouda, the town that gave its name to Gouda cheese
- The Green Heart, the farmland between the province’s cities
- Rotterdam and The Hague, the province’s two largest cities
- 1food festival
Food festivals in South Holland
Ralf Roletschek, CC BY
Cities and towns in South Holland
Michielverbeek, CC BY-SAMap of South Holland
What to taste in South Holland
Gouda cheese (Goudse kaas)
Sold by age, from young to extra mature (jong, belegen, extra belegen), traded by handjeklap at the Gouda market.
Stroopwafels
Thin waffles sandwiched with caramel syrup. Gouda has a stroopwafel factory open to visitors.
Poffertjes
Small, puffy pancakes dusted with sugar, made at the stalls of the cheese market.
South Holland is the province of Gouda, whose cheese is still traded by a slap of hands on Thursday mornings from April to August. The province runs along the North Sea coast, from The Hague to Rotterdam, with farmland and polders inland.
Cheese country in the Green Heart
The Green Heart (Groene Hart) is the band of meadows and polders between the big cities of the west, where dairy cows graze and Gouda-type cheese is made on farms.
| Place | What to see for cheese |
|---|---|
| Gouda, the Markt | The Thursday cheese market, April to August |
| Gouda, the Waag | The 1668 weigh house where the cheeses are weighed |
| Agnietenstraat, Gouda | The Gouda Cheese Experience, with a tasting |
The Stichting Goudse Kaas explains the link between land and cheese.
- Peat soil: it limited what the land around Gouda could be used for, so dairy farming became the main living. Cheese farms still work near the town.
- A trading town: on the IJssel and the Gouwe, Gouda grew as a port of transit between Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Its old cheese warehouses still stand.
South Holland: two cheese markets, two provinces
- Gouda (South Holland): Thursday mornings, from the first Thursday of April to the last of August.
- Alkmaar (North Holland): Friday mornings, from the last Friday of March to the last Friday of September.
The Gouda market is a living display: the real cheese trade now happens elsewhere, and volunteers have kept it going since the 1980s, says the organiser.
Gouda on a Thursday
- Before 10 am: the organiser advises arriving on time, as many visitors come in fine weather.
- At the Waag: during the market, visitors can be weighed in pounds of cheese. The Gouda Cheese Experience includes a tasting.
World food in Rotterdam’s Markthal
The Markthal in Rotterdam counts more than 100 food spots, sorted by cuisine on its own site.
| Cuisine | Food spots |
|---|---|
| Asian | 26 |
| Dutch Delight | 20 |
| Mediterranean | 16 |
| Middle Eastern | 7 |
| Caribbean | 5 |
Before you go
- When: the Gouda cheese market runs on Thursdays, 10 am to 12:30 pm, from the first Thursday of April to the last of August.
- Trains: the Dutch rail network links Gouda, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht.
- Airport: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Rotterdam The Hague Airport serve the province.
- Alcohol: the minimum legal age to buy alcohol in the Netherlands is 18.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Gouda cheese market?
Every Thursday from 10 am to 12:30 pm, from the first Thursday of April to the last Thursday of August, except on Ascension Day.
Is Gouda in South Holland?
Yes. Gouda lies in the province of South Holland, in the Green Heart between Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht.
Is the Gouda cheese market free?
Yes. Entry to the market is free, says the organiser.