Once serving as a gateway to the Zuiderzee, Makkum is a historic fishing village to the north-east of Amsterdam. During the 17th and 18th centuries, it was an important hub for brick and ship manufacturing. Makkum is famously home to Royal Tichelaar Makkum, one of the oldest ceramics companies in the Netherlands.
Gaze up at the soaring spire of the historic Waag, where meat, butter and cheese were weighed from the late 17th century. It is now occupied by a small museum detailing the people, events and industries that have shaped the village. The Waag overlooks a leafy square with benches for watching the world go by.
Makkum is a charming base for exploring the IJsselmeer, with boats, stand-up paddleboards and kite surfing equipment available for rent. On the other side of the village is Aldfaers Erf, an open-air museum that recreates traditional village life. Surrounded by a peat meadow, the area is famously the birthplace of Frisian pedigree cattle.
Getting there
Makkum is just over an hour’s drive from Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Buses connect to Makkum while the village is small enough to explore on foot.