landmark
Zaanse Schans
A riverside open-air village of working green windmills, clog makers and cheese sheds just north of Amsterdam.
10 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeNetherlandsNorth Holland
Purmerend
North Holland, Netherlands · Europe
About Purmerend
Purmerend works well as a base: 10 minutes from Ilpendam, 11km from Marken.
Purmerend is in North Holland, Netherlands, with about 80,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Ilpendam, about 5 km away.
Purmerend (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌpʏrməˈrɛnt] ) is a city and municipality in the west of the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The city is surrounded by polders, such as the Purmer, Beemster and the Wormer. Purmerend's population grew relatively slowly until the 1960s, when it increased from aroundRead more
10,000 to over 80,000 by 2020. This expansion has turned Purmerend into a commuter town; many inhabitants (14,200 in 2011) work, go to school or spend leisure time in Amsterdam. Purmerend is part of the Randstad, one of the largest conurbations in Europe.
The municipality of Beemster merged into the municipality of Purmerend on 1 January 2022. The extended municipality has a population of about 96,000.
Where to Stay in Purmerend
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Purmerend.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Purmerend.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Purmerend?
Within an hour or so of Purmerend: Zaanse Schans (10 km), Marken (11 km), Dam Square (15 km), Royal Palace Amsterdam (15 km).
Are there any good drives near Purmerend?
The nearest famous roads are Houtribdijk, Afsluitdijk and Brouwersdam.
Where is Purmerend?
Purmerend is in North Holland, Netherlands, about 5 km from Ilpendam.
Road trip
Drive to Purmerend
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Purmerend. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 80,117
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Netherlands
- Region
- North Holland
- Timezone
- Europe/Amsterdam
- Coordinates
- 52.5050, 4.9597
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Netherlands
Watch for cyclists. They generally have priority.
Full driving guide for NetherlandsTags
Worth the detour from Purmerend
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
photogenic
Marken
Former Zuiderzee island village on a causeway north of Amsterdam, its green-and-black wooden houses raised on stilts and mounds against floods; walk out to the Paard van Marken lighthouse on the dike.
11 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Dam Square
Historic heart of Amsterdam flanked by the Royal Palace, the Nieuwe Kerk, and the National Monument.
15 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Royal Palace Amsterdam
Imposing 17th-century palace on Dam Square built during the Dutch Golden Age, still used for royal functions.
15 km · about 30 min drive
museum
Anne Frank House
The preserved hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during World War II, a powerful memorial to the Holocaust.
15 km · about 30 min drive
cafe
Winkel 43
Corner café on Amsterdam's Noordermarkt whose towering cinnamon-heavy appeltaart with whipped cream is widely held to be the Netherlands' best apple pie: the queue on Saturday market morning is part of the ritual.
15 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Amsterdam Canal Ring
UNESCO-listed 17th-century canal system forming concentric half-circles through Amsterdam, lined with narrow merchant houses.
16 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Artis Royal Zoo
The oldest zoo in the Netherlands, founded in 1838, combining a zoo, aquarium, planetarium, and botanical garden.
16 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Purmerend
- 34 kmHoutribdijkA 26 km dike road (N302) running straight across the water between Enkhuizen and Lelystad, splitting the IJsselmeer from the Markermeer with sea views on both sides.
- 68 kmAfsluitdijkA 32km causeway sealing off the Zuiderzee, this dead-straight engineering marvel is one of Europe's great driving roads.
- 74 kmErasmusbrugRotterdam's swan-necked cable-stayed bridge soars over the Maas, a striking modern icon glowing over the river at night.
Driving in Netherlands
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€2.04/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Purmerend.
Plan a trip around Purmerend
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Purmerend.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.