With all of their winding canals, flower-boxed brownstone homes and ever present blue and white Delft pottery, even the largest cities in the Netherlands can seem to be charming in a small town sort of way.  You may arrive in Amsterdam at their large, construction-choked train station, then shuffle past loud, garish “coffee shops” and chain clothing stores near the start of the city center, but within a few minutes of walking the main streets, you will find yourself amid quieter lanes and neighborhood shops.

But even with the small village feel you find in large cities like Eindhoven, Utrecht and Amsterdam, I still wanted to spend a bit of time in the actual small towns of the Netherlands.  Last weekend my Dutch friend suggested we go to Volendam, a small yet quite touristy area about 30 minutes outside of Amsterdam.

Volendam has all the elements of Dutch village-ness with wooden shoe shops, old fashioned windmills and a photography studio where you can dress up in traditional Dutch garb (I narrowly missed donning a striped dress and winged white cap for a picture). This town by the water reminded me a lot of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts on a warm summer day: tourists, ice cream stands and souvenir shops along the main drag and winding lanes with wooden homes a little off the beaten path. While a sunny weekend day will bring you face to face with a bunch of Dutch and foreign tourists, that doesn’t take away from the charm of this pretty town.

Harbor side picture of Volendam

If you find yourself in Amsterdam for a few days, choose an afternoon to step out of the long line at the Anne Frank museum and take the 110 bus up the road to Volendam for an even more relaxing vibe.

Traditional Dutch outfit that you can wear for a photo

I just opted for a giant set of wooden shoes.

Traditional Dutch village building

Beautiful backyard garden in Marken, a short boat ride away from Volendam

Wooden Shoes for all

Wishing for a kiss – Delft pottery

Typical pace of life in Volendam