I will complement information about the tours of the Netherlands the story of two wonderful small towns.
In general, at any point in the country, you can easily go from Amsterdam one day, and there is something to see here: Primorsky Rotterdam (unfortunately, it was erased from the face of the Earth during the second world and recreated in glass and concrete, so you may not like the lovers of the old days) , the Motherland of the Vermeer and the famous Delfish Dishwood, famous for many artists, and also by gave the name of the New York district - Garlember's city and much more. But in order to give tourists to feel the air and the spirit of the Netherlands, travel agencies are carrying to show customers of EDAM and VOLAND.
If you are traveling with a group, this tour usually includes as an additional item in the program for a fee to 100 euros per person; Do not refuse, it is worth it.
Edam
"Cheese capital" countries. It was here that the Edam cheese appeared in a red shell: so that the cheese could be stored longer, and his wax covering his wax, he was spoiled in an old head over a burning manure, but there was nothing to fear in contemporary - this technology has already gone into oblivion. Together with cheese production in Edam: now there are no more cheese here than in any other area of the country, but the city is proud of its traditions. Next to the oldest cheese store installed a monument to raw heads.
Edam stands on a small river. As everywhere in the Netherlands, the soil here is overshadowed by moisture, therefore the Channels of the Praights everywhere, and in Edam, as in Amsterdam - many bridges, of various. There are very vintage.
By the way, it can be noted that Edam, Voledam, Amsterdam - the words-brothers with the general root of "Dam" - "Dam". Without this hydraulic structure in Holland, no city was built, and now it is not built.
As for Edam, the main thing is for what you need to go here is the atmosphere of the old little town. Here are surprisingly charming streets with an indispensable thikhodny channel in the middle.
And impressive sizes of the cathedral.
The hosts of low brick houses keep the memory of the ancestors and their classes. Tourists still show the pharmacist house with antique visual agitation in the window. In the past, advertising was even more terrible than now, do not find?
Streets are clean and relatively deserted. People prefer to sit in homes and do business, and only tourists will join there and here.
Let, most importantly - so as not to be lit and have not spoiled green plantings. Pay attention to the trimming trees characteristic of the Netherlands: Gardeners made crowns almost two-dimensional!
In memory of Edam, of course, you should buy cheese in a local shop. By the way, he will cost a little cheaper than in Amsterdam.
Voledam
The fishing town on the shores of the bay fell apart from the sea is voltent. Now he turned into a popular resort and reminds all crowded seashest towns: the smell of fried seafood on the embankment, under the clubs of smoke from the roasting flaps a huge crowd - not to push back, and full of small souvenir shops.
Throw a look at the bay: there is a fishing island there, where from the city on the ferry carry excursions for a fee. Ride if there is such an opportunity. On the island of life remained almost the same as hundreds of years ago, civilization raised little sliced from the shore.
All, except the embankment, the streets of Volendam are small, narrow and are a real labyrinth.
Walking on it is nice, every second house I want to take a picture, but some kind of warning signs hang: "Photos - 2 euros!" The photo of this inscription will not be here, I had a threat to me. I introduce you to the house that does not like to be photographed so much.
A trip to Edama and Volandam takes you only half a day, but here you will see the measured Dutch life, which is not left in the crowded people Amsterdam and for sure you will make a lot of wonderful photos!