Alkmaar is famous for its traditional cheese market on Waagplein, the square in front of the old weighing house. On market mornings, thousands of cheese wheels are brought in, stacked, carried, weighed, inspected, and moved around the square. When that much cheese is sitting out in the open, warming slightly in the sun, the smell spreads fast.
It is not only the cheese itself. Part of the tradition involves checking quality. Inspectors take small samples using a special cheese drill, then feel, bend, and smell the sample to judge ripeness and texture. That hands on inspection releases aroma, especially from aged cheeses, which are naturally smellier than mild ones.
Add crowds, stalls, and nearby cheese shops selling and slicing more wheels, and the scent can hang in the air for hours. Wind direction matters too. On a breezy day, the smell drifts through the lanes around the square. On a still day, it stays trapped between the old buildings, which makes it feel like the town is wrapped in a cheese cloud.
If you are planning a visit, Alkmaar’s cheese market is typically held from the last Friday of March to the last Friday of September on Friday mornings, and there are also Tuesday evening markets in July and August.