Journey to the heart of Gouda and find out what makes the world crave this Dutch city's famous cheese. Housed in an enormous Gouda, experience a unique, interactive show that introduces you to all aspects of the Gouda cheese universe. Discover the traditions and the taste of authentic Gouda. Begin your experience in Gouda's city center. Get ready to hear the odes to the cow as you enter the exhibit, designed inside a giant Gouda cheese. Then, embark on a trip through time and learn about the centuries-old tradition of cheesemaking. Continue your Gouda discovery experience with hands-on, interactive panels. Try out virtual milking, cheese-turning, and find out the time-honored tradition of "clapping hands." Next, follow the lifespan of a wheel of cheese as it goes from the polder to the cheese market and then to you.

Sample local food and drinks at a historic restaurant located in the center of Gouda, the origin of the famous Gouda cheese. This local restaurant is an oasis of tranquility in the city center and serves both old favorites and some local specialties that you might not have tried before. Enjoy dishes that will give you a taste of the area and make a selection from the following options: • Tasting of Dutch cheeses - 4 different kinds of Dutch cheese with accompanying snacks and toast • High tea - consists of hearty and sweet treats that are served in courses. The dishes change seasonally and unlimited tea is included • Cheese fondue - various varieties are available and the flavors are adapted to the season. Fondues are served with brown and white baguettes, tomatoes, bell peppers, sautéed potatoes, and mushrooms• Beer tasting - Dutch specialty beers from 3 breweries with light snacks included • Unlimited pancakes

Enter the Goudsche Waag and find yourself in another world. Take a guided audiotour of the building and learn about the centuries-old Gouda crafts. Taste the flavor, from beer to plateel, syrup waffles to cheese. Get the whole story. Explore the ground floor museum of the De Goudse Waag historic building. View the different products that were weighed and traded there, and discover the secrets contained in the sculptures.  

Book your entry ticket to the city hall of Gouda and wander through this magnificent building that’s been the jewel of the market square for over 5.5 centuries. Discover the Wedding Hall, the Mayor's Room, the Council Room, and the Civic Hall in the basement. As you explore the rooms in the town hall, from the basement where meat used to be inspected to the attic where until recently the city council met, gain insight about the town and its people. Learn about the various renovations that illustrate how fashion and taste have changed over the centuries. In the Middle Ages, Gouda was already an important center due to its position near the rivers Hollandsche IJssel and Gouwe. As the town grew in importance, it needed a new and impressive town hall. The new town hall cost more than half the town’s annual budget. The town hired Jan Kelderman III, a member of a famous Mechelen-based family of architects. More than a hundred skilled workers from home and abroad worked for two years to create this elegant palace. In 1450, the building was more or less complete. The steps and landing were added 150 years later. 

Be driven directly to Gouda on a comfortable 1-hour journey. Pass the typical Dutch polder landscape on the way. Begin a walking tour of Gouda and learn about the city’s history. See highlights like the famous cheese Weighing House (De Waag), the town hall, and Sint Jan church. During your trip to Gouda, you do not only get to taste the famous Gouda cheese, but also the famous Stroopwafels (syrup waffles). Visit a real cheese farm or the Cheese experience. After Gouda, be driven through the idyllic countryside beside rivers, passing country mansions, windmills, and farmland in the direction of Oudewater. Go for a short stroll over cobblestones as your guide shows you the city's highlights. After this inspiring journey, be dropped off at your hotel, vacation address, boat pier, or Schiphol Airport.