More about: 5 Best Day Trips to Zaanse Schans and its Windmills from Amsterdam
Amsterdam is an exciting city, with a unique aesthetic and plenty of interesting sights to see.
But why not take advantage of this trip to Holland to see other places within the country? Don't hesitate and embark on a trip to Zaanse Schans and the beautiful Dutch countryside.
1. Excursion to Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam and Marken from Amsterdam
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a few hours and immerse yourself in the rural life of the Netherlands, this tour to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam is just what you need. In just 5 hours you will visit four of the most picturesque and traditional villages in the north of the country, accompanied by an expert guide who will take you back to the 17th century.
What is this tour all about?
Departing from the centre of Amsterdam, you will start your adventure in Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum with working windmills, typical houses and craft workshops. Afterwards, you'll head to Volendam, a fishing village with sea views and charming streets. There you will visit a cheese farm, where you will learn how Dutch cheeses are made and have a tasting session.
The route continues to Marken, an island village connected to the mainland, known for its wooden houses and seafaring traditions. You will also have the opportunity to visit a clog workshop, where you will see how these iconic wooden shoes are made, and you can even try on a pair.
What will you see?
- Windmills at Zaanse Schans
- Fishermen's houses in Volendam
- Cheese tasting at a traditional farm
- Clog workshop in Marken
- Traditional shipyard and historical canals
2. Zaanse Schans tour with optional canal cruise
If you want a typical Dutch experience without getting too far from the city, this tour to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam is perfect for you. In half a day, you will immerse yourself in the history, gastronomy and crafts of the Netherlands, accompanied by an expert guide who will make the tour enjoyable and enlightening.
What does this tour consist of?
The experience begins with a guided tour of Zaanse Schans, a museum village known for its traditional windmills. As you walk among them, you will learn about how they work and their historical importance in the production of food and energy.
Afterwards, you will stop at a cheese farm, where you can taste a variety of Dutch cheeses and learn how they are made, from fresh milk to the final product. Finally, you'll visit an authentic clog factory, where you'll see first-hand how the craftsmen carve these iconic wooden shoes.
As an extra, you can add a cruise along Amsterdam's canals at the end of the tour to round off the day with panoramic views of the city from the water.
What will you see?
- Windmills at Zaanse Schans
- Cheese farm including cheese tasting
- Traditional clog factory
- Optional: Amsterdam canal cruise
3. Excursion to Edam, Zaanse Schans, Marken & Volendam from Amsterdam
If you're looking for a full-day getaway that shows you the best of the Dutch countryside, this tour from Amsterdam to Edam, Zaanse Schans, Marken and Volendam is one of the most comprehensive you can do. In addition to the iconic windmills and fishing villages, it includes a visit to Edam, the famous home of Edam cheese, which is not often featured on other similar tours.
What is this tour about?
Accompanied by a professional guide, you will depart by bus from Amsterdam and travel through the most emblematic landscapes of the north of the Netherlands: centuries-old windmills in Zaanse Schans, traditional wooden houses, farms, canals and harbours. In Edam, you will learn about the history of its famous cheese and take part in a cheese tasting, including other varieties such as Gouda.
In Volendam, you will visit a clog-making workshop where a master craftsman will show you how this typical shoe is made. Finally, you will pass through Marken, a village with colourful houses, farms and canals that look like something out of a fairytale.
What will you see?
- Windmills in Zaanse Schans
- Cheese tasting in Edam
- Houses and fishing harbour in Volendam
- Traditional clog workshop
- Canals and countryside in Marken
4. Excursion to Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam
If you've already seen the essentials of Amsterdam and fancy discovering a more natural and tranquil side of the Netherlands, this tour to Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans is a perfect choice. Unlike other more popular tours, it includes a visit to Giethoorn, a charming village nicknamed the 'Dutch Venice' for its canals and thatched roof houses.
What is this tour about?
The first stop will be Zaanse Schans, the famous open-air museum where you will learn about the history of windmills, see typical houses and learn about traditional crafts such as clog making and Dutch cheese production. A tour that will take you back to the Netherlands in the 18th century.
Afterwards, you will head for Giethoorn, one of the most photogenic villages in the country. Here you will have the opportunity to take a boat trip along its canals, enjoy its fairytale scenery and stroll through its narrow streets at your leisure. All this accompanied by an expert guide and with transport from Amsterdam included.
What will you see?
- Windmills and workshops in Zaanse Schans
- Clog and cheese making
- Boat trip on the canals of Giethoorn
- Traditional houses and rural landscapes
- Free time to explore Giethoorn at your own pace
5. Electric bike tour to Zaanse Schans and Zaandam from Amsterdam
If you feel like getting out of the city in an active but not exhausting way, this electric bike tour from Amsterdam offers the perfect combination of nature, history and fun. Unlike other tours, this tour also includes a visit to Zaandam, a picturesque village on the banks of the river Zaan with a very distinctive architectural style.
What does this tour consist of?
Over the course of about 4 hours, you will cycle through the Dutch countryside on an electric bike with a professional guide in a small group, allowing for a relaxed and close experience. The first stop will be in Zaanse Schans, where you can explore the famous windmills, symbol of the country, and learn about their historical relevance in industry and agriculture.
You will then continue to Zaandam, known for its green wooden houses, quiet streets and friendly atmosphere. There you will have free time to stroll around, visit local shops or sit on a terrace overlooking the river.
What will you see?
- Scenic electric bike tour through the Dutch countryside
- Windmills in Zaanse Schans
- Traditional architecture in Zaandam
- Free time in the village
- Wooden houses, colourful facades and local shops
How are the organised excursions to Zaanse Schans like?
Windmills, cheese dairies, clog makers, tea houses, lakes, beautiful flower beds... If you want to discover the treasures of rural Holland, the best option is to take a day trip to Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam and Marken by bus. The first stop on this tour is Zaanse Schans, a village on the banks of the river Zaan, famous for its windmills.
If you want to discover what life was like in Holland in the 17th and 18th centuries, a stroll through this little village in the Dutch countryside is a good way to do so. Get your camera ready because its bucolic landscape looks like something out of a fairy tale and you'll want to take pictures all the time.
The windmills by the river are the main attraction of Zaanse Schans. The guide explained that this region became the country's first industrial region in the 17th century with more than 600 windmills built to produce oils, dyes, paint, wooden planks and to grind spices.
Tips for visiting the Zaanse Schans on a day trip
What do you need to bring?
- Comfortable clothes and shoes.
- An umbrella or mackintosh is always a good idea in the Netherlands because the weather is variable and it can rain at any time.
- A bottle of water and some snacks
- A desire to have a good time.
Travelling with luggage?
Don't worry, you can leave it on the bus during the tour. When you get back to Amsterdam, the driver parks right next to Central Station so you can take the train to the airport or to your next destination.
When is the best time to take a trip to the Zaanse Schans?
May to October is the best time to visit Amsterdam or any other part of the country.
- Spring is a special time because the fields are in bloom and nature is at its most beautiful.
- Summers are mild, days are longer and temperatures are around 26°C, so sightseeing at this time of year is a pleasure.
- In autumn, on the other hand, the days start to get shorter and it is necessary to put on some warm clothes as the weather starts to cool down.
- Winters, due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, are cold with frequent rain, fog, frost and strong winds. In other words, the weather is not as favourable as at other times of the year for hiking, although for some people it can also have its charm.
What Edam, the town of the popular Dutch cheese, looks like
The next stop on this tour of the Dutch countryside is Edam, and when you think of this little town, you can't help but think of its cheese. In the 17th century, Holland was already exporting this famous product and since then it has been going to every corner of the world for centuries.
This trip gives us the opportunity to visit its famous traditional cheese market, which has been in operation since the Middle Ages and in summer they organise historical re-enactments so that tourists can see what it was like in those days. Visiting the Edam cheese market with a guide is a very interesting experience that keeps a part of the city's history alive.
But Edam is more than just cheese. It is a beautiful town located 20 kilometres from Amsterdam in an area called Laag Holland that looks like something out of a fairy tale.
Strolling through the old town of this typical village on the banks of the IJsselmeer lake you will find small shopping streets, pretty little tea houses by the canal and cosy terraces where you can have a drink. Some of the main sights are St. Nicholas Church, the Town Hall, the 16th century Carillon and the Edam Museum.
What is Volendam, the port of Edam like?
Situated between Edam and Marken, this little fishing village, just 20 minutes from Amsterdam, is one of the most beautiful and authentic villages in the Dutch countryside with its beautiful harbour, narrow streets and colourful houses.
Therefore, the best way to discover Volendam is on foot. The guide will lead you through amazing places so that you can take beautiful pictures of the tour while she explains the history of Volendam and its connection to the sea.
During the tour you will see places like the Doolhof and the Dijk, two old quarters full of fishermen's houses in a maze of narrow, highly decorated streets and canals, which have fascinated many artists for centuries.
You will also see places like the dyke of the fishing port, its beautiful churches, its shops... and you will discover the origins of this town as the port of Edam.
But before the tour of the town we visited a traditional cheese factory where they explained to us how they make typical cheeses of the region such as Gouda or Edam and at the end we were treated to a free tasting of traditional products that were delicious. It was one of the most enjoyable moments of the day because I love this kind of excursions.
Then we were taken to a traditional clog workshop or "klompen" as they are called in Dutch. Like tulips or windmills, these wooden shoes are another national icon of the Netherlands. During the visit, the master clog-maker will show you how they are made and some of his most striking creations. I've never seen anything like it before and it's quite a laborious and curious handicraft process - a must-see!
What is Marken, the idyllic island, like?
On the other side of the IJsselmeer lake, just opposite Volendam, lies Marken, an island that was separated from mainland Holland in the 13th century by a storm.
One of the things that struck us most about this village are the wooden houses on earthen and artificial mounds called "terpen". They are unique in the world! The guide explained to us that they were built this way to avoid the damage caused by rain and floods, which are very frequent in this area.
It is amazing to see the great ingenuity that these people had to cope with the tides despite the fact that the water was gradually gaining ground on the village. For centuries, the people of Marken lived in isolation and it wasn't until 1957 that a dike was built that ended the flooding and allowed it to become a peninsula by connecting it to the mainland.
As you wander into Marken you'll notice that this place is full of charm, no wonder film director Tim Burton was inspired by it for his film 'Big Fish'.
Strolling through the streets and taking a closer look at the fishermen's cottages and Protestant churches gives you the feeling that you are walking through a museum village that has managed to maintain its authenticity despite the passing of the years - it's like taking a trip back in time to the Dutch Golden Age!
If you like this tour, you might be interested in...
A trip to Amsterdam is a great way to get out of the city and see other places in one day, isn't it?
In the article The best excursions from Amsterdam you'll find some great suggestions to complete your trip to the Dutch capital, so don't miss out!