Event Details
Welcome to the Gouda Cheese Market 2026
For centuries, cheese has been traded every Thursday morning on the historic Markt square in Gouda. From Thursday, 2 April 2026 to Thursday, 27 August 2026, the traditional Gouda Cheese Market takes place every week from 10:00 to 12:30. The only exception is 14 May 2026 (Ascension Day), when no market is held. Admission is completely free.
What Happens at the Cheese Market?
Farmers and cheese traders negotiate prices in the traditional Dutch way through handjeklap (a hand-clapping bargaining ritual). Once a deal is struck, the cheese wheels are carried to the historic De Waag (cheese weigh house, built in 1670) to be weighed. The authentic spectacle brings to life centuries of Dutch cheese trading tradition.
Highlights
- Traditional cheese trading via handjeklap on the historic market square
- Cheese weighing at the De Waag weigh house (built 1670)
- Hands-on activities: cheese making, guessing cheese weights, getting weighed yourself at De Waag
- Demonstrations of traditional Dutch crafts at market stalls
- Weekly live entertainment: choirs, dance groups and the historic barrel organ De Lekkerkerker
- Freshly made stroopwafels and poffertjes at the market stalls
- Free admission
Dates 2026
The Gouda Cheese Market runs every Thursday from 2 April to 27 August 2026, from 10:00 to 12:30. The only exception is 14 May 2026 (Ascension Day), when no market is held. On sunny days the market fills up quickly, so arriving early is recommended.
Visitor Numbers & Recognition
The Gouda Cheese Market attracts over 100,000 visitors each season from the Netherlands and abroad. In 2025, around 70% of visitors came from outside the Netherlands, with Germany and France topping the list. In 2025 the market received a TripAdvisor Award as one of the world's top-rated attractions (Top 10%). The market has been kept alive since the 1980s by a large team of volunteers and remains a living piece of Dutch heritage.
Around the Market Square
Gouda is world-famous for its cheese, stroopwafels, clay pipes and pottery. The compact historic city centre with its medieval lanes, canals and magnificent town hall is well worth exploring. Right on the market square you will find the Gouda Cheese Experience, an interactive museum dedicated to the history of Gouda cheese.
Visitor Tips
- Arrive at 10:00 AM as the market closes at 12:30 and fills up fast on sunny days.
- Travel by train: Gouda is directly on the Amsterdam/The Hague rail line.
- Admission is completely free of charge.
- Combine your visit with a stroll through the historic Old Town and a stop at the Gouda Cheese Experience.
- Visitors can get weighed at De Waag themselves, a popular and memorable experience.
