More about: 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 an adventure into the beautiful Dutch countryside.
Take an organised trip to Zaanse Schans
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.
Combine your Zaanse Schans tour with other visits such as Edam, Volendam and Marken or the Keukenhof Gardens
If you want to make the most of your day out of Amsterdam and get to know the Dutch countryside, you can complement your Zaanse Schans tour with a visit to Edam, Volendam and Marken or even with a trip to the Keukenhof tulip gardens.
Whichever option you choose, you'll have the opportunity to get to know the country much better and take advantage of the capital's proximity to amazing natural sites.
What does a trip to Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam and Marken include?
- Professional guide.
- Transport by bus.
- Visit to the windmills of Zaanse Schans.
- Visit to the cheese market or the tea houses by the Edam canal.
- Visit to the village of Volendam, a clog workshop, a traditional cheese factory and free tasting of typical products.
- Visit to the island of Marken.
Tips for visiting the Zaanse Schans
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 visit 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 talking about 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 back then. 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 thanks to 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 town are its 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 the town 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 close 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. Don't miss it!