Lying about 15 miles northeast of Rotterdam, Gouda is most famous for its eponymous cheese. One of its most prized attractions, De Waag on the town square, was once a weighing house for cheese traders and now features an exhibit detailing the entire cheese making process. Also on the square is the 15th-century town hall, one of the oldest in the Netherlands. On Thursday mornings during the summer, the town’s Markt turns back into a traditional cheese market, something not to be missed.

Gouda weather essentials