Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans: Our most recommended tours and activities

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  1. Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam and Marken Day Trip

  A visit to Amsterdam and the Netherlands would not be complete without having seen the picturesque Dutch countryside. First stop is the quaint village of Zaanse Schans, where you will walk around and be able to admire the well-preserved historic windmills and houses.  Next, head to the fishing village of Volendam. Visit a cheese shop that still makes cheese using the traditional Dutch method. Enjoy lunch at a traditional fish restaurant, before visiting the Volendam Museum and the Old Dutch Bakery.  In Volendam, try to spot the recognizable Dutch traditional costumes often featured on tourist postcards and posters. Afterwards travel back in time to the quaint island community of Marken.

  Fantastic day out with a great tour guide and driver, who kept us entertained. Plenty time giving to see everything and the demonstrations were excellent. Highly recommend this tour

  Reviewed by Kathryn Murray, 9/27/2021
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  2. From Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans, Edam, & Marken Full-Day Trip

  Immerse yourself in the culture of the Netherlands on this amazing tour through the jewels of the Dutch countryside. The tour starts from Amsterdam’s Central Station and heads to the first destination of the day, Zaanse Schans. Spend some time admiring the typical Dutch windmills of the town, and learn about how they are still used today. Next, drive to the Waterland area to arrive at the second stop of the tour, Edam. Walk around some of the town’s most historical sites, including the town square where the famous cheese market used to take place. Then head to Volendam to visit a local cheese producer and learn from the cheese master about the production of Edam and Gouda cheeses. Head towards a clog factory next to discover the secrets of this typical Dutch shoe. Then, travel back in time to the 17th century as you wander through the fishermen’s houses in the Marken, and explore this ...

  Wonderful interesting tour. I saw many out-of-the way places that I enjoyed so much. Slow pace so we can take photos. Very good English-speaking. Price for value is Excellent! Highly recommend, top marks.

  Reviewed by Jagmeet, 9/27/2021
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  3. Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam & Marken Spanish Tour

  Depart Amsterdam by luxury bus on this 8-hour, small group, Spanish-language tour and head north of the city to see the historic windmills of Zaanse Schans on the banks of the river Zaan. Explore the traditional 17th-century houses and a collection of beautifully preserved windmills from the nation’s industrial heritage. Continue on to visit Edam, a beautiful town known worldwide for its cheese. Before the end the day, go to Volendam and Marken, passing many authentic polders, the name given to land reclaimed from the sea. Wander down narrow streets, past colorful houses and visit the harbors full of fishing boats. You will have some free time to shop for souvenirs and sample the local fish specialties. Back in Amsterdam, you will be dropped off at the meeting point.

  I have to say this was one if the not the most incredible tour we’ve had so far! I want to start off by saying that our guide Estefanía was the best in every possible way to describe it, incredibly knowledgeable about each of the sites we visited in North Holland, super accommodating of our individual needs and of the group, managed tour time perfectly well, and overall a super sweet, exemplary tour guide which others should emulate! The tour itself was breathtaking, impressive sceneries and activities, the towns we visited were honestly so beautiful they looked like scenes taken out from movies or posters! Will definitely book with Camaleon again, and hopefully we’re booked with the same AWESOME tour guide! Gracias Estefanía de parte de la familia Soto-Rivero. :)

  Reviewed by Jose D, United States, 1/2/2020
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  4. Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans 3-Hour Small Group Tour

  Starting from Amsterdam, enjoy a comfortable drive to Zaanse Schans. There, hear your guide tell you about the sights and history of this unique, small village and region. Visit a wooden shoe workshop to see how the traditional wooden clogs are made. Also, enjoy a trip to a local cheese farm to learn how the Dutch Gouda cheeses are made. There, taste all kinds of delicious cheeses. After hearing about the magnificent windmills from your guide, enter one to see how these wind-powered industries operate. Get out on the balcony to experience the power of the wind yourself and to enjoy the lovely view of the countryside. After your guided tour at Zaanse Schans, head back to Amsterdam.

  Great tour and guide! Parked at one location, then walked to all attractions. Moderate amount of walking involved.

  Reviewed by Anonymous, 7/15/2021
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  5. From Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans Windmills Half-Day Tour

  Meet your guide and driver at a central meeting point just across from Central Station Amsterdam. A comfortable, air-conditioned single deck bus will take you to today’s destination in just 20 minutes. The windmill village Zaanse Schans is an open air museum that houses a collection of working windmills, wooden houses, barns and shops dating back to the 18th and 19th Century. All these buildings were brought here from 1961 onwards bringing back to life this most prosperous period of the Zaan region. In its golden age the Zaan Region developed into an industrial area on a scale never seen before, with 600 active windmills: wooden factories powered by wind. In these small factories many tasks were being executed with the aid of wind energy: wood sawn by machine, grounding spices, oil for food and paint, flower, cocoa powder and many other things. The prosperity in the 18th and 19th cent...

  Good tour make sure you check the weather sunny days will give you the best experience

  Reviewed by Thaddeus, 7/29/2021
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  6. Amsterdam: Volendam, Edam and Windmills Live Guided Tour

  Escape the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam on a half-day guided tour of the Dutch countryside, starting with a 20-minute drive to the windmill village of Zaanse Schans. This outdoor conservation area is situated on the banks of the Zaan River and is home to traditional 18th and 19th century architecture, including several functioning windmills. Watch live demonstrations of craftsmen at work, including a clog maker crafting the famous wooden shoes of the Netherlands. There will be some free time to explore the village on your own, before traveling through the distinctive polders (land reclaimed from the water) of the Beemster area. From there continue on to Edam, also commonly referred to as the pearl of the Zuiderzee. Edam’s ancient streets and tranquil canals are lined by beautiful 17th century buildings, including the leaning Carillon tower, the Great Church, and town hall. Most famou...

  The cheese making demonstration in Edam was very interesting and the variety of cheeses available to taste was enlightening. The windmills in Volendam were beautiful and the tour inside was fascinating. Volendam itself was a lovely village but touristy, a larger version of Holland Michigan.

  Reviewed by Brad, 8/27/2021
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  7. Amsterdam: Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket for 1-3 Days

  Travel easily in Amsterdam and the surrounding area by purchasing an Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (ARTT).  You can use the ARTT for unlimited travel by train (2nd class) between any of the following stations in Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Region: Amsterdam Amstel, Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA, Amsterdam Central station, Amsterdam Holendrecht, Amsterdam Lelylaan, Amsterdam Muiderpoort, Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam Sciencepark, Amsterdam Sloterdijk, Amsterdam Zuid, Duivendrecht, Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, Halfweg-Zwanenburg, Haarlem, Haarlem Spaarnwoude, Overveen, Zandvoort aan Zee, Zaandam, Zaandam Kogerveld, Purmerend Weidevenne, Purmerend, Purmerend Overwhere, Koog aan de Zaan, Zaandijk Zaanse Schans, Hoofddorp, Diemen, Weesp, Almere Poort, Almere Centrum, Almere Muziekwijk, Almere Parkwijk, Almere Buiten, Almere Oostvaarders, Lelystad Centrum, Diemen Zuid, Naarden-Bussum, Hilversum, Hilve...

  It is really a good option to travel in amsterdam and its region. The only bad aspect of it is that you can not active it online and you must go to the centers to active it. So online sale is a joking.

  Reviewed by Siamak, Germany, 8/13/2020
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  8. Amsterdam: Volendam, Edam, & Zaanse Schans Small-Bus Tour

  Leave Amsterdam for half a day on this guided tour of the rolling Dutch countryside. Sit back and travel comfortably in a minivan with your fairly small group to the rural village of Edam. Take a walk through the quaint streets of Edam. En-route to Volendam, stop to visit an old cheese farm to see how authentic Dutch cheese is made. Indulge in trying some of these huge spheres of delicious cheese. Upon arrival in Volendam, follow your guide on a journey through the fishing village’s winding streets. Hear about how this bustling place was once the harbor for neighboring village Edam. Enjoy some free time to eat lunch. Next, move on to visit the windmill village of Zaanse Schans where you can see the authentic windmills. Once used to ground spices, dyes, lumber, oil, cocoa powder, and many other items, these mills are still in use today. Some are now living museums where you can learn a...

  Très belle excursion avec Richard comme guide et Jan comme chauffeur. Une belle immersion dans les traditions.

  Reviewed by Anonymous, Switzerland, 9/21/2021
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  9. From Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans and Giethoorn with Boat Ride

  Start your day with a drive through the green countryside on your way to the reconstructed village Zaanse Schans. Here, visit a clog workshop and see a demonstration of clog production. Stroll along the village's pathways and marvel at the old wooden houses. Wander along the banks of the Zaan river and take in panoramic views of the typical dutch windmills. Continue to the picturesque town of Giethoorn. Take a boat ride along the canals, view the picturesque fairy-tale houses and enjoy free time for wandering through the village. On the way back to Amsterdam, pass the great polders – land reclaimed from the sea. If it is the season, there will also be some flowering tulip fields along the way where you can stop for pictures.

  Perfect tour for a day to see and visit other ! Definitely worth the money and the driver-guide was incredible!

  Reviewed by Andreas, Cyprus, 8/30/2021
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  10. From Amsterdam: Villages and Windmills Tour

  The first stop on this 8-hour trip from Amsterdam will be the windmills in Zaanse Schans. Continue to the region of Waterland, and visit the villages of Edam, Volendam and Marken. Your guide will tell you about the history of each place and the churches and traditional houses of the 15th century. Visit a factory where the clogs popular in this part of the country are made. Learn how they produce world-famous Dutch cheeses as well. Spend some of your free time enjoying a meal (not included in the tour price), before returning to Amsterdam at around 5:30 PM.

  Was a good day out of the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam,and to learn a bit about The Netherlands.

  Reviewed by Mike, 3/9/2020