The Dutch have no shortage of beloved and unique culinary traditions, and there’s one that has a special place in the nation’s heart: gouda cheese. Produced in the Netherlands since 1184, it’s one of the oldest cheeses in production and perhaps Holland's most prized export, and the city of Gouda itself even has a market dedicated to the cheese.

The summertime Gouda Cheese Market has been in business since 1395, and will make you feel like you've been pulled into the 14th century. Wheels of beautiful, orange gouda are brought to the town square on horse-drawn carts and stacked in rows before Gouda's city hall, where the farmers trade with each other with theatrical flair.

You’ll also find vendors selling regional produce and crafts and an abundance of the city's medieval charm: Dutch choirs, chamber music groups, and a traditional barrel organ rotate in weekly performances. The Gouda Cheese Market is held Thursdays between April and September, so plan your trip to Gouda around then.