OK, where to even begin with the adventure that was our family trip to Landal Volendam? We’ve just come back from a week-long adventure to the Netherlands. You know how sometimes, you just need that perfect blend of comfort, excitement, and a touch of the unexpected to make a holiday memorable? This trip was this, every single moment.
A Family trip to Landal Netherlands
Let’s backtrack a smidge, to the very start. We flew from from Cardiff to Amsterdam with KLM for the first time and let me tell you I love Cardiff airport! It’s so quiet and an absolute breeze to fly from. We were spending one night in Amsterdam (we stayed in this family hostel as a base) before we set off to Volendam. Whilst I love Amsterdam as a city, Volendam felt like a world away from the hustle and bustle whilst being only 30 minutes away! So after a action packed day we took the bus from Amsterdam Noord and it was a really smooth journey and kids under 12 go free.
Arriving at Landal Volendam we were immediately in love with the design and architecture of the Landal lodges with their quintessinal Dutch slanted roofs and green and red facade. This Landal Greenparks site is fairly small which gives it a familiar friendly feel to it and we found ourselves greeting the other guests most days as we sat in our garden
Landal Volendam
We chose a 6-person bungalow which felt spacious yet cozy, modern with just the right touch of home. And the sun shower, have you ever heard of a sun shower? (We hadn’t and now I’m convinced we need them in the UK too). These showers are equipped with UVB lamps that kickstart the natural process of Vitamin D production in your body, just like the actual sun would (but in a controlled environment, so much safer). The Landal Volendam bungalows also come with your own personal Suana in your bathroom too which was very fun!
After a trip to the local supermarket (which FYI was a less than ten-minute walk from the location), we set about drinking a glass of wine in the sun whilst nibbling on the local cheese we had just bought ready for the next few days ahead.
Volendam to Marken
Speaking of exploration, one of the highlights during our stay here was hopping on the boat to Marken. It’s not every day you set sail across the IJsselmeer, with seagulls escorting you to a quaint island steeped in history. Marken was a palette of green meadows, wooden houses, and stories tucked in every corner. Historically Marken and Volendam were separated by one town being protestant and the other catholic, so the architecture between the two is quite different making it worth a trip to experience them both.
Visiting Volendam
Back at Landal Volendam, every day felt like a new discovery. The park itself although small was designed with families in mind. Bike rentals are an option which I think we would have done if we’d stayed a little longer but as we had planned activities for both our full days we passed on them this trip. There is a small playground in the grassy square in the middle that my eight-year-old loved. It’s also worth noting that in good weather the outdoor pool at Slobbeland is just next door which looked like great fun!
What really struck me, beyond the beauty and the myriad of things to do and the great location, was the sense of community. The smiles from strangers, the helpfulness of the staff, and the laughter of the kids on site.
Food – oh, the food deserves a chapter of its own. Honestly, as well as the cute bakeries and waterside restaurants the supermarket in Volendam was like a day out in itself. Tom said the apple pie from the store was going straight into his top three apple pies he’s ever eaten and it wasn’t even a fancy one, that’s how good the food is there. Whether we were indulging in traditional Dutch cuisine on the Volendam harbour or something a bit more familiar to the kids (hi fries and mayonnaise) it was all SO good.
Our stay at Landal Volendam was such a brilliant part of our adventure in the Netherlands. From the comforting embrace of our sun shower-equipped bungalow to the adventures across the waters to Marken, each day was a mix of adventure and comfort.
So if you’ve been wondering about taking your family holiday out of the UK and trying out one of Landal Greenparcs Netherlands locations then I’d highly recommend their Volendam location.
(we stayed at Landal as part of a press trip but all words and thoughts are my own)
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