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Cheese carriers at the Alkmaar cheese market
G.Lanting, CC BY

Cheese

Cheese markets, cheese festivals and food tours in the regions where cheese is made and traded, with market days and dates checked at the source.

Alkmaar Cheese Market, in the Netherlands, is held on Friday mornings between late March and late September, with cheese carriers crossing the Waagplein: an easy day trip, and worth reaching early for a place near the front. Cheese in Bra, Slow Food’s event in Piedmont, takes place every two years in September and spreads across the whole town, so check which year the next edition falls in before planning around it. In Bologna, food tours of the old centre walk through the region behind Parmigiano Reggiano, with stops at shops and stalls. A cheese trip pairs well with a visit to a dairy or a maturing cellar, where you can taste the same cheese at different ages.

Cheese festivals by month

Overview of the crowded exhibition hall at the Salon international de l'agriculture in ParisThesupermat, CC BY-SACheeseFeb 27 to Mar 7

Paris International Agricultural Show

The Salon International de l’Agriculture at Porte de Versailles, 27 February to 7 March 2027: regional produce, tastings, hours and getting there.ParisView
Wide pedestrian avenue lined with flowers and church towers in the town of BraDavide Papalini, CC BY-SACheeseSep 17 to 20

Cheese in Bra

Slow Food’s cheese event in Bra, Piedmont, held every two years: the 2027 edition runs from 17 to 20 September, across the town.BraView
Cheese carriers at the Alkmaar cheese marketG.Lanting, CC BYCheeseEvery week

Alkmaar Cheese Market

Alkmaar’s cheese market on the Waagplein: cheese carriers and a square full of wheels, Friday mornings from late March to late September.AlkmaarView
Rounds of Gouda cheese laid out on the cobbled market square in front of the town hallRalf Roletschek, CC BYCheeseEvery week

Gouda Cheese Market

Gouda’s cheese market on the Markt, Thursday mornings from April to August: handjeklap, weighing at the Waag, free entry, stroopwafels and tips.GoudaView

Cheese experiences

Piazza Maggiore with its arcaded palazzo in BolognaRosapicci, CC BY-SAFood tour2 to 3.5 hours

Food tours in Bologna

Guided food tours in Bologna’s old centre with four operators, in the morning or at aperitivo time: 69 to 89 euros per adult, two to three hours.BolognaView
Cobbled pedestrian rue Montorgueil lined with café terraces and food shops in ParisElaine from Baltimore, MD, CC BYFood tour1.5 to 2.5 hours

Food tours in Paris

Guided food tours in Le Marais and around Montorgueil with three operators: 65 to 129 euros per adult, from a Sunday breakfast to an afternoon walk.ParisView

Top destinations for cheese

The Eiffel Tower rising above the Seine in Paris under a blue skyNicolas Halftermeyer, CC BY-SA4 listings

Paris

Fête du Pain, ParisParis International Agricultural ShowSalon du Chocolat Paris
Rows of round cheeses laid out on the square at the Alkmaar cheese marketDonarreiskoffer, CC BY-SA1 listing

Alkmaar

Alkmaar Cheese Market
The Asinelli and Garisenda towers of Bologna rising against a blue sky with cloudsVanni Lazzari, CC BY-SA1 listing

Bologna

Food tours in Bologna
Wide pedestrian avenue lined with flowers and church towers in the town of BraDavide Papalini, CC BY-SA1 listing

Bra

Cheese in Bra
Gouda's Gothic town hall on the market square under a blue skyMichielverbeek, CC BY-SA1 listing

Gouda

Gouda Cheese Market