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- Paard van Marken (the red-and-white lighthouse): The island’s photo ID — climb the short path out to the tip for intimate sea views, salt air, and the classic shot of Marken’s coastline up close.
- Het Markermuseum (Marker Museum): Small but rich: costume collections, old fisher’s gear and displays that explain how Marken’s island life, clothing and traditions evolved when the Zuiderzee still ruled daily life.
- Marken harbour (de haven): A compact working harbour with wooden jetties, bobbing fishing boats and cafes clustered where locals and visitors watch the light change on the water — great for people-watching and snacks.
- The wooden houses and narrow streets: Walking the residential quarters is the point — rows of raised green wooden houses, narrow alleys and stoops that show how people
- Paard van Marken (the red-and-white lighthouse): The island’s photo ID — climb the short path out to the tip for intimate sea views, salt air, and the classic shot of Marken’s coastline up close.
- Het Markermuseum (Marker Museum): Small but rich: costume collections, old fisher’s gear and displays that explain how Marken’s island life, clothing and traditions evolved when the Zuiderzee still ruled daily life.
- Marken harbour (de haven): A compact working harbour with wooden jetties, bobbing fishing boats and cafes clustered where locals and visitors watch the light change on the water — great for people-watching and snacks.
- The wooden houses and narrow streets: Walking the residential quarters is the point — rows of raised green wooden houses, narrow alleys and stoops that show how people adapted to life on stilts and sea breezes.
- The dike & walking route to the lighthouse: Low, windy and utterly Marken — the dike walk gives perspective on reclaimed polders, birds, and the way the village sits against the water. Perfect at sunset.
- Traditional clog workshop: Small local woodworkers still demo or sell hand-carved clogs; it’s tactile, quick to visit and actually connects you to Marken’s craft history (you can buy a wearable souvenir).
- The village church and churchyard: A modest, historic wooden church with an atmospheric graveyard — it anchors the village’s old community rhythm and is worth a quiet look for local history and architecture.
- Local smokehouse / fish stalls: Marken was a fishing village — the smokehouse and fish sellers near the harbour offer smoked eel and other local seafood. Tasting here feels more authentic than eating the same kitsch in bigger tourist spots.
- Small galleries and craft shops in former fisherman’s houses: Tucked-away studios and galleries show local painters, printmakers and makers working from tiny, characterful spaces — a good place to find unique, locally made gifts.
- Markersche Land (the surrounding polder viewpoints): Short walks out into the surrounding lowlands reveal how Marken related to the sea and land: drainage ditches, cattle, and those open panoramas that explain why the dike mattered so much.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.