Tips and Things to do in Zaanse Schans, The Netherlands

One of the most popular day trips from Amsterdam is Zaanse Schans. Located about 12 miles (19 km) from the city center, this neighborhood of Zaandam gives visitors a glimpse into thow the Zaan District’s residents lived and worked during the industrial revolution from the 18th to 19th centuries. It felt like visiting a large outdoor museum on the Dutch culture and history. Don’t miss doing any of these wonderful (and many free) things to do in Zaanse Schans.

History

Dutch architect Jaap Schipper thought of building a conservation area like Zaanse Schans in 1946. The whole idea became reality starting in 1961 when the foundation was created to build a typical Zaans residential area during the Industrial Age. From 1962 to 1975, many of the historic buildings and windmills were moved here or rebuilt for preservation.

Visit the Windmills

Windmills have almost become the iconic symbols of The Netherlands. You can’t miss the windmills lining the river here. We visited Amsterdam almost 10 years ago during a stopover and never had the opportunity to see any of these windmills. So, seeing these was quite special.   

The Zaan region was a major industrial powerhouse during the 17th and 18th centuries. The area had about 600 active windmills producing many products at its peak. There are now only 10 still operating here in Zaanse Schans. Visitors can go inside a few of these historic windmills to see how they look and operate.

Most of the windmills charge about 5 euros to enter. I recommend going into at least one of the working windmills to see how they work. It was quite loud with all the working machinery. The platforms outside also offer a fantastic view of the area and see the sails up close.

Inside the windmills

We also went into the De Zoeker oil mill that has been around since 1672. It was transported to Zaanse Schans in 1968. It was so interesting to see the engineering and machinery of the windmill inside. We found a man working here and watched as the peanuts were turned into peanut oil through the windmill’s mechanical process. Bottles of peanut oil along with handcrafted items were sold here for souvenirs.  

There were also exhibits on the history of this particular windmill which at one time was also a spice mill. We found the video interesting that showed the making of the peanut oil. We also climbed the steep stairs that led to the outside platform for some wonderful views of the area.

The De Zoeker Molen windmill was free to enter. We also saw all the gears working to grind different types of spices. It was another interesting process. Various types of spices were also sold here.  

There were also two miniature windmills here which were once used for stone grinding and draining water out. They were adorable and almost looked like small playhouses for kids. 

Watch Clog Making

Another thing synonymous with The Netherlands are the wooden clogs footwear or “klompen” in Dutch. There was a whole building dedicated to the clogs here. It wasn’t hard to miss it with large, yellow wooden clogs outside of it. They’re ideal for those cheesy touristy photos. We really liked the one in the front with these two giant clogs and smaller ones hanging on the wall as a backdrop.

They had various exhibits showing the different kinds of clogs used for various occasions. Who knew they even had ones for weddings, with wheels and some for Sunday wear? The decorations on the clogs make the Sunday ones more special with paintings of flowers and religious scenes.

Clogs were mainly used by locals when they had to get around The Netherland’s muddy landscape a couple of centuries ago. They were usually black or unpainted. They were meant to be only for outdoor use for protection from dirt and mud.  

But, it evolved into using them indoors with beautiful paintings and some have become quite elaborate. The decorations were at first used as a way to differentiate them from all the others. Contrary to popular belief, the Dutch don’t walk around the streets wearing clogs. Today, some farmers still wear them.    

There was also a short video to watch while visitors before going into the shop. Don’t miss it since it was actually quite educational.

The shop has a demo area where visitors could actually see the staff making the clogs from start to finish. It was incredible to watch them transform what looked like a simple wood with some water into a clog in a matter of minutes.

Need a clog souvenir? There was no shortage of colorful clogs here of various sizes and even comfortable clog shaped slippers to take home. The choices were quite overwhelming. It almost made me wish I had room in my luggage so I had these to walk around the house.

Sample Cheese

The Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm is a wonderful replica of a cheese farm. Throughout the day, cheese makers dressed in their traditional costumes told visitors about the different cheese varieties. There was also a demonstration on cheese production.    

My favorite part was visiting the farm shop. We were happy to see a cheese shop here after all the cheese sampling we did around Amsterdam. The Henri Willig company has been around since the 1970s.

This shop had so many cheese varieties from their traditional collection to the artisan cheese. One can spend hours here or use this sampling as a meal supplement. There was a large cheese bar area supervised by women dressed in traditional Dutch costumes.

We made our way around it tasting every cheese laid out. They were all so delicious and we were in cheese heaven. There were so many options which ranged from unique ones like green or red pesto to coconut. Our family’s favorite was the organic jersey.  

They also sold various mustard flavored sauces for cheese pairings. For dessert, the traditional Dutch stroopwafels (wafers with syrup in the middle) were also sold here with samplings of course. It was easy to assemble a meal basket here and take it outside for a picnic with the windmills as a backdrop.

Tip: If you have a rental car, you can visit the Henry Willig cheese farms near the towns of Edam and Volendam. The Jacobs Hoeve and Organic Jersey farm had many cows to see up close. They even showed how they mechanically milk them which was such an interesting process. There was also a large shop with free samples of course.   

Go Biking

Getting around bikes is part of the Dutch culture. Like many areas in the Netherlands, it was quite flat here with many paved trails. There were several routes and trails that bikers can follow along the area including a path along the windmills.   

There was a bike rental place here that offered various sizes including bikes for children or had carriers for kids. Bike rentals were also available at the train station.

Shop for Souvenirs

Many of the craft workshops have adjacent shops to buy their handcrafted items like the Weaver’s House, pewter foundry and the De Kat paint Mill. Don’t forget the cheese shop! We are still enjoying our Dutch cheese many weeks later. There were also some stores exclusively selling standard Dutch souvenirs and gifts. We found prices to be quite reasonable and comparable to Amsterdam stores.  

See Local Houses  

While Zaanse Schans looked very much like a tourist area, it also served as a neighborhood for a small number of residents. There were several colorful and charming houses here typical of a small traditional Dutch Village during the 18th and 19th centuries.

We adored the bridges and small stream flowing around it. We enjoyed walking around some of the designated paths and catch a glimpse of the locals’ gardens and backyards. The swan swimming along totally completed this picturesque scene.    

Explore Museums

There were several museums here at Zaanse Schans to learn more about the Zaans region’s culture and history. It gave visitors a real sense of what life may have been like during the Dutch Industrial Age. Many of the museums were also housed in authentic buildings.

The Zaans Museum and the Verkade Experience provides many interactive displays. It also allows visitors to see how the Verkade company created their biscuits and chocolate treats.  

There were also interesting museums like the Zaanse Time Museum which shows a variety of clocks and Dutch timepieces history associated with the Zaanse region’s industry over the centuries. The Windmill Museum shows how the various windmills produced different products over the years highlighting their contributions to the industrial boom.

These museums cost about 5 Euros to enter. Get the Zaanse Schans card if you want to visit several of the museums. For 15 Euros (10 Euros for kids 4-17 years old), it offers free museum admission tickets plus discounts on souvenir and museum shops.

A few of the museums were free to enter like the Bakery. Don’t miss going inside and tasting the Duivekater (Zaanse sweet bread). It smelled heavenly in here and was hard to walk out empty handed. The Albert Heijn Museum Shop offers a glimpse of how grocery shopping was back then. Jisper House is a fisherman’s cottage where visitors can dress up and pose in traditional Zaan costume. Sadly, we didn’t get the chance to do this.    

Pose for Tourist Photos

There are many opportunities here for the quintessential Dutch photo to share with family and friends over social media. The windmills provide the perfect backdrop for these photos. Our personal favorites were these large yellow clogs to put your feet in or sit inside. You can also go inside Jisper House to put on costumes for the ultimate tourist photo.  

Observe Animals

It was a pleasant surprise to find a small enclosure here with some farm animals like adorable and chunky goats and chickens. They looked quite different than the ones we have at home. We enjoyed watching the goats especially interact with each other. Of course, this was a popular area for children to hang out.   

See Craftsmen at Work

This area was also filled with a variety of artisans where visitors could see them in action. Some of these houses were operating as their respective crafts buildings before they were transported here.

These two shops charged a minimal rate of about 2 euros per person. The Weaver’s House showed visitors how the Dutch created sails and lived in this house with five looms. The Tiemstra Coopery shows the art of making wooden barrels.  

Other workshops were free like the CacaoLab and the Pewter Foundy. The CacaoLab offered a chocolate making workshop and showed how chocolate was made from cacao beans using traditional tools. Delicious chocolate treats were for sale and we enjoyed our hot chocolate milk while walking around outside. Don’t miss the Tinkoepel Pewter foundry which has daily demonstrations on how pewter products are made with no machinery.    

Cruise the River

Since Zaanse Schans is by the River Zaan, there were several opportunities to see it from the water and provided a different perspective of the area. How neat would it be to sail on a former cattle boat? The Cow Boat offers guided tours passing windmills and cow pastures that can be combined with lunch or dinner packages. This boat tour only operates from April to October.

There is also a 25-minute Windmillhopper boat that was limited to 12 guests. This guided tour cruises past the Zaanse Schans windmills and gives in-depth information about them.   

Tips for Visiting Zaanse Schans

• Getting to Zaanse Schans
  • By Train:  Take an NS Sprinter from Amsterdam Central Station (direction Uitgeest) to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans station. There are about four trains per hour and it takes less than 20 minutes. As of 2019, tickets were €6.60. Follow the signs to Zaanse Schans which is about a 15-20 minute walk.
  • By Bus: The Industrial Heritage Bus Line #391 from Amsterdam Central (IJ-side) takes visitors directly to Zaanse schans and takes about 40 minutes. The bus stops right in front of the entrance. There are about four buses hourly.  The 90 minute “Bus Tram Metro” ticket costs €6.50.
  • By Water: There is also a ferry that transports visitors from Amsterdam Central Station to Zaanse Schans. The mini cruise includes a two-hour round trip transportation to/from Amsterdam and four hours to wander around Zaanse Schans. Check the times and prices on (zaanferry.nl)
  • By Car:  We rented a car which gave us a lot of flexibility with our itinerary and were able to see more attractions around the area. The drive was pretty easy and straightforward using Google Maps on our smartphones. Parking was 10 euros and there were plenty of spaces. We also visited the nearby towns of Zaandam, Edam and Volendam before and after Zaanse Schans.

• Plan to spend at least three hours here to get the most out of the free attractions. If you want to visit the museums, allocate a bit more time.
• Wear layers. we were here in late March. It got a bit windy on some occasions. There’s a reason these windmills were located here and were working well.
• Where to Eat: We liked the Zaans Museum Café. They had affordable sandwiches, pizzas desserts with a great view of the windmills.

*Have you visited this area?

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Where to Stay in Amsterdam

• Hampton by Hilton Amsterdam / Arena Boulevard – We stayed for four nights at this hotel. Located about 15-20 minutes by train from the airport and the central area, it is a convenient location and a great price point. It is located right by the Arena train stop with restaurants and an IMAX theater nearby. We enjoyed the complimentary buffet breakfast and the spacious rooms.

• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Amsterdam Centraal Station – Several friends have stayed at this hotel and recommend it. Located near the Centraal Station and within walking distance to the heart of Amsterdam and its many attractions. Its SkyLounge offers great city views. Of course, they have the delicious and famous chocolate chip cookies.
• INK Hotel Amsterdam – MGallery – A friend was looking at this hotel and brought it to my attention. I would love to stay here next time. It is housed in an old newspaper building and the rooms look so neat. The hotel looks so interesting. It is also located in a great central location with a tram stop outside and within walking distance to many attractions.

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