Located on the east bank of the Zaan River, just north of the small city of Zaandam lies the traditional Dutch village of Zaanse Schans.
If you were ever keen to find one place that encompasses so many great icons the Netherlands is famous for in such a lovely, natural and historical setting, then Zaanse Schans is where I would recommend you visit.
We are talking about windmills on the river, Dutch riverboats, traditional clogs, gouda, edam, and other cheeses, green-painted houses, and crafts. Even the famous Dutch tulips are grown in this area, although not to the same scale as the region around Keukenhof. Nevertheless, the natural beauty in and around Zaanse Schans on the Zaan River is so pretty and you can just imagine what it would have been like living here a couple of centuries ago.
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The Zaan River and its windmills
Situated in the province of North Holland, within the Zaan District, the Zaan River only runs for some 14 km from its source around Starnmeer to its mouth at the North Sea Canal.
History tells us that people have been living along the banks of the Zaan River as early as the year 1000. The Zaan River is also quite famous for its part in the industrial revolution with more than 1000 windmills built along the river during the 17th century to process grain, spices, wood, oil and paint. This area also had large shipyards where there was good access to the largest port in the world at that time, Amsterdam. Even though the Zaan Region is considered one of the oldest surviving industrial areas in the world, you really couldn’t tell this from how lovely the river and the land around here looks today.
From the time of the Dutch Golden Age to now, there are still dozens of windmills that exist along the Zaan River, although there are only 8 that are still operating in Zaanse Schans which you can visit. These were built after 1574 and are:
De Huisman (The Houseman), a mustard mill
De Gekroonde Poelenburg (The Crowned Poelenburg), a sawmill
De Kat (The Cat), a dyemill
Het Jonge Schaap (The Young Sheep), a sawmill
De Os (The Ox), an oilmill
De Zoeker (The Seeker), an oilmill
Het Klaverblad (The Cloverleaf), a sawmill
De Bonte Hen (The Spotted Hen), an oil mill
Visits to the windmills cost €5 each or €2.50 for children 6-12. You will find traditional craftsmen at work and be able to see how they create their products.
A number of towns/villages along the Zaan River are actually named after the river itself including Koog aan de Zaan, Westzaan, Oostzaan, Zaandijk, the city of Zaandam and of course the village of Zaanse Schans.
Arriving at Zaanse Schans
The village of Zaanse Schans is described as a conservation area and open-air museum with Dutch windmills and Zaan houses, together with working mills, workshops, and manufacturing of traditional foods and crafts that continue to this day.
While it has certainly developed over recent years to become a significant tourist destination, Zaanse Schans still manages to allow visitors a genuine glimpse into their traditional trades of producing clogs, cheese, weaving, chocolate, craft making, grounding spices, and oil with their mills.
It is quite impressive how well these activities have been continued within their original buildings which have been well preserved over a couple of centuries. The other thing worth noting is that the day we went, it wasn’t overly crowded with tourists and it was easy to explore the village and the Zaan River at your own pace and stop into the various trade centers to watch tradespeople practice their craft. There were still lots of visitors but as the village and general area occupy a large site, it doesn’t feel like there are people everywhere.
Below are the main highlights James and I enjoyed while we wandered around.
Clog Making
Entering the building where clogs are made proved to be an interesting experience. These days most clogs are made for the tourist market although some Dutch people, including some at Zaanse Schans, wore them with pride as they went about their daily work.
Traditionally, skilled artisans made clogs by hand and could produce up to seven pairs each day. Today, clogs are made by machines, but clog makers still do make them by hand at the Clog Workshop.
Here we saw how clogs were made as well as seeing the finished product displayed for sale in their shop.
Cheese Making
Having the traditional Dutch cheese-making process of their famous Gouda and Edam explained, followed by a tasting of a number of different varieties was another enjoyable part of the village.
Exploring the Zaanse Schans Village, Canals and Gardens
Many of the Zaanse Schans’ characteristic village houses are now used as museums, gift shops, or workshops while others are still private residences. Some of the Zaanse Schans’ remaining windmills are also open to the public.
Wandering through the village is a lovely experience. The buildings are spaced out among the gardens, fields, and canals making it so pleasant to wander around the entire area of the village along the banks of the Zaan River.
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The residents take pride in their gardens and the residences are all kept really neat and tidy and you get the impression that the inside of the homes would be just as nice.
When you consider that this is a village that receives almost a million visitors each year, the paths and atmosphere still have a similar feel to rural areas that are not popular tourist attractions.
There are a wide variety of walking routes throughout the area. You can also download the Zaanse Schans App on your phone, which turns into a virtual tour guide providing you a lot of information as you make your way through the lush meadows, village tracks, canals, and fields.
Cruising the Zaan River
There are boat tours you can take to experience the river and the windmills from the water. This was an enjoyable highlight of the day for us. Our boat was ‘de Zaan’, part of the Windmill Cruises fleet. Windmill Cruises are based at a dock that you will easily find along a riverside path right alongside the village.
Our boat had a skipper/guide and a person looking after refreshments on board. The skipper provided us with a lot of interesting information about the history of the windmills and the whole area. Learning about things we were seeing as we glided up and down the Zaan while enjoying drinks was a great way to enjoy our time.
Information for visitors
Zaanse Schans is one of the Netherlands’ best-loved attractions, combining traditional Dutch living and produce with a beautiful area of North Holland’s countryside.
The outdoor part of the village and surrounding area is open to view without paying admission, but opening times and entrance prices vary at each of its museums, workshops, and windmills. Remember that most of the wooden houses are lived in and cannot be visited.
The windmills can be entered for a small fee – however, if you want to visit them all, it would cost you €20. Buying a Zaanse Schans Card for €15 will give you some discounts, and includes free entrance to one windmill.
Bearing in mind the relatively close proximity to Amsterdam, entry to many of the paid attractions is included in the cost of the City Card. The windmill cruise is also included as part of the City Card deal.
Getting here:
Many tourists choose to visit Zaanse Schans as part of a guided tour or excursion. Organized tour bookings and tickets are broadly available from tourist offices in Amsterdam and other major centers throughout the Netherlands.
However, the village is also easy to reach under your own steam by car or public transport. Rental cars again are available to hire everywhere. Public transport options are all reliable, clean, and easy to follow.
Choose the transport option that suits you best:
By Train: Catch the train from Amsterdam’s Central Station. A 15-minute train ride will take you to Koog-Zaandijk and it’s a 10–15-minute walk from the station through the village of Zaandijk. Just follow the signs and look for the windmills!
By Bus: From Amsterdam Centraal Station, take a 40-minute bus 391 (Connexion) to Zaanse Schans.
By Car: From Amsterdam, take the A10 trunk road and then first follow the A8 to Zaandam and then the A7 to Leeuwarden, exit Zaandijk/Zaanse Schans. There is a large car park on the east side of the open-air museum which costs €10 per car, per day.
By boat: The Zaanferry, official boat transport Amsterdam – Zaanse Schans, sails every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and in the summer also on Sunday from Amsterdam Central Station (Steiger 14) to the Zaanse Schans and back. A single ticket costs € 10.00 and a return only € 15.00. The ticket is valid all day and you can board and disembark unlimited times. Boat tours from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans are offered by various companies. Alternatively, you can also rent a boat.
A great location to appreciate Dutch nature and heritage
This destination really is a perfect cross between experiencing some natural beauty of the Dutch countryside with immersing yourself in the traditional culture of the people and some typical Dutch products so iconic to the Netherlands.
Have you visited Zaanse Schans on the Zaan River in the Netherlands? If not, would this appeal to you? Please do share your thoughts in the comments below. Thank you for reading.
Outdoor adventure enthusiast that loves nature having travelled locations across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
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Great post! Thanks for such good coverage of a beautiful place in the Netherlands. Would be so nice to visit this area.
Thank you very much, Nick. So pleased you liked this post. I found the whole area to be so lovely.
Zaanse Schans looks like a village in a children’s book. Every things placed perfectly from each other. It will be a wonderful day when visiting this place. Cheese tasting, watching the clog making, visiting the windmills, cruising the river… all of them sounds very interesting.
Thanks very much, Umiko. It makes for a wonderful day to explore and experience this lovely place.
I have never been to the Netherlands. For me, this Western European country has always seemed like a pretty picture with fairy windmills and endless tulip fields. Therefore, to visit Zaanse Schans would be so exciting. I do hope we will all be able to travel safely again soon.
I had the same impression prior to visiting, Arūnas, and the Netherlands certainly lived up to its reputation for being such a beautiful country. Well worth making plans to see once it is safe to travel again.
For people taking the train, the train station has been renamed ‘Zaandijk-Zaanse Schans’ to make it easier for tourists to find. I grew up next to the Zaanse Schans and still go there regularly with my family whenever we visit my mother, who still lives close by. Just a lovely walk. Tip: there is a nice walking route through the fields starting at the car park next to the wooden watchtower. You’ll feel you’re in the middle of nature without anything else around
How lucky you are to have grown up in such a beautiful place, Maarten. Thank you very much for sharing the new name of the closest train station. I love how the new name makes it even easier to recognize for visitors. Most of all I just love the wonderful tip you shared about the walking route through the fields – a real treasure for nature lovers. Thank you so much for reading and sharing your knowledge with others here.
I love traditional villages like Zaanse Schans, with those beautiful canals, gardens and rural atmosphere! I don’t think I could stop taking pictures of those windmills and colorful houses. I would definitely spend 20 Euros to visit all the windmills. I haven’t been in the Netherlands yet, but it’s at the top of my list.
P.S. Love your picture with those clogs! I’m sure you couldn’t take them home though, which is too bad, hahaha!
Being able to get away from cities and visit a lovely village like Zaanse Schans was definitely a highlight for us, Anda. We loved learning about the Dutch traditions in such a beautiful location. I agree the cost of visiting the windmills is low compared with the experience this offers. I’m sure you would love the Netherlands as much as I did. A bit hard to pack those clogs in any suitcase though!
Love the clogs Nicole … haha looks like it was a blast.
Thanks, Elle. The beautiful location aside, it was certainly a lot of fun.
Definitely a must visit place in the Netherlands! I’d love to experience seeing those cheese and how clogs were being made too!
It is interesting to gain an appreciation of their traditional crafts, Anosa, and enjoy the lovely village and scenery at the same time.
That place is looking absolutely amazing and would love to try going there with the family. Plenty of areas to explore and the view is awesome.
This place is certainly extremely family-friendly, Lyanna. The kids I saw visiting there with their parents just loved it.
what a unique look this place has – love those houses and the windmills! Oh, and of course, I would find out more about that cheese place, you are probably going to have to throw me out to get rid of me again, lol. Blessings!
Both James and I love the cheese there as well, Claudia. Such an ideal setting to learn a bit about traditional Dutch living and culture.
Wow the culture of the Netherlands. Wow a must visit area there!
Thanks, Kiwi. I found it both beautiful and interesting.
Zaanse Schans looks like a postcard! Places like this make my wandering soul happy! I can’t wait to travel again!
Me too, Mae! So glad you liked this special place and let’s hope we can travel safely again soon.
That looks like such a quaint place! I’d like to go there someday.
Pleased you like it, Cinny, and I hope you will visit in the future.
Wow, these photos are breath taking. I miss traveling so much. I may need to make a stop on my vacation to Germany and Austria next year.
If you have enough time, Cam, then I would definitely recommend it as it is comparatively close.
How beautiful is Zaan River! I have always wanted to visit Netherlands, thanks for giving me one more reason to!
You are most welcome, Neha. I am so pleased you are keen to experience this as well.
This is so beautiful! Can’t wait for restrictions to be lifted so I can travel again!
I feel the same way, Leah. It would be so good to travel safely again and thank you for reading and leaving a very nice comment.
These pictures are beautiful! I would love to visit the Netherlands one day.
Thank you very much, Laura. It certainly is a very pretty country.
The houses are so cute and I love the colors used for painting them! It looks like a minecraft village! Really adorable!
I had to laugh at the thought of this being a minecraft village, Gervin, as I can appreciate what you are saying here. It is such a lovely village in a beautiful location for sure.
Amazing pictures first of all. The place has such nice weather. I love those beautiful clogs and I bet it would have been a satisfying experience seeing those in making. Lovely post.
Thank you so much, Shilpa. I really appreciate you reading and taking the time to comment.
This place is so fairy-tale like. I particularly enjoyed the bit about how one can visit 8 different types of windmills. The clog factory got me back to my own visit here. It was fascinating to see how they actually made it and yes, I too have a pic in those giant clogs. The cheese factory too, seems interesting. On the whole, the place gives you a good insight into the Dutch culture.
That’s for sure, Ami! So lovely to hear you have also visited and enjoyed this beautiful place.
Such an amazing village with its traditions, especially windmills. I love to travel to villages like this one. The nature, air, people, old places etc. all this relaxes you 🙂
I couldn’t agree more, Gunel. So much better to enjoy and relax in rural places rather than in cities.
What a beautiful place with so many unique things to do. I’d definitely try the cheese making and enjoy all of the beautiful scenery.
Definitely one of those unique places that are beautiful as well as culturally enriching, Lashunta. So pleased you liked this.
These photos are absolutely breathtaking. I would love to visit Zaanse Schans. It looks so peaceful. I really love the vibe.
I agree that the vibe, although a little touristy, was nevertheless a very peaceful and friendly one in such lovely surroundings, Kuntala. Thank you for reading and sharing your impressions.
Zaanse Schans is such a picturesque village and it also has so many interesting activities. I can see the natural beauty of the place through your photographs. I am also quite fascinated by the windmills and would love to visit a couple of them. Clog making looks interesting as well. Though I have seen a cheese factory before, it would be quite a delight to see the workings of a Dutch Cheese factory.
Thanks, Amrita. Seeing the traditional Dutch ways of clog and cheese making in such a beautiful setting was really lovely. Hopefully, this place might make it into your travel plans one day.
Zaanse Schans is extremely pretty and I loved visiting that place. I have been there only once and I had such a great time. I made new friends on the bus tour and I had rainbows at the backdrop, absolutely stunning. And I loved the hot chocolate there as well. Thanks for bringing back my memories from the trip.
You are most welcome, Raksha. I love it when you can make new friends while experiencing some special place while traveling also. I’m so pleased you loved Zaanse Schans as well.
This looks so interesting and fun! Even though it also looks a little touristy, it gives people an opportunity to see some traditions. I would love to see the clog making or even cheese making process in Netherlands. And the windmills of course too. We have never been to Netherlands despite of layover but we really want to visit there when the traveling opens up again.
There is no doubt that it is a bit touristy, Paula. It has been so well known for some time as being a place to see traditional Dutch icons on the Zaan River and hence many tourists want to visit. There are of course other more natural beauty areas in the Netherlands and I hope you will be able to travel safely again soon to plan your visit.
Zaanse Schans definitely does look like spot to visit for iconic sights of the Netherlands. I love the colourful windmills. I normally don’t buy souvenirs but those colourful clogs might tempt me. If I could get hubby out of the cheese shop! I love the idea of doing a river cruise to see the sights from another perspective. Need to get the Netherlands on our travel plans when things open up.
So happy you liked the various facets of this lovely location, Linda. Hopefully, we will all be able to travel safely again soon.
This one is definitely on our list for our next van trip to the Netherlands! It seems so cultural (especially the windmolen). I stayed in Zaandam and saw a weird looking hotel (Inntel) that was a mix of these cute houses, it was lovely!
I agree that traditional Dutch architecture is really lovely, Antoine, which I know you would have seen a lot of during your stay in Zaandam. The windmills are so interesting and I love that they are mostly situated in locations of natural beauty.
I have always wanted to learn how to clog. This is so super cool! The clogs are so artistically done but they definitely don’t look comfortable.
I thought that as well, Lynn, but there are many that say they find them very comfortable. I suppose it is something that takes getting used to. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts.
Omg cheese market, this is so mind-blowing to me, I really enjoyed this blog post about Zaanse Schans especially the way you explain most detail about this place, a wonderful place to visit!
Thank you very much, Sonia. I’m a cheese fan as well and seeing it made in the traditional way in such a beautiful setting was something I found to be a real treat.
I’ve been to Amsterdam twice (and bought cheese and bulbs!), but I haven’t ever ventured out. I really want to someday! It would be so fun to see the clog making, and they are painted so beautifully. The Netherlands has such a variety of things to do, and it’s such a lovely country to visit.
I couldn’t agree more, Jennifer! Whilst Amsterdam is such a lovely city, I always love to get away from cities to see the real essence of a country, and as you say, the Netherlands has so much to offer.
Learning more about Zaanse Schans made me decide right now that we would be heading there next time we land up in Netherlands. Although I have been to the country twice, didn’t venture out of Amsterdam on both occasions. But last summer when we had our trip planned I had included Rotterdam & Eindhoven. I am adding Zaanse village to that list. Beautiful place.
Thanks for commenting and sharing your impressions on this Subhashish. The Netherlands has so many lovely places of natural beauty to explore outside of the main cities.
The Netherlands is indeed incredibly beautiful with its gorgeous landscapes with adorable windmills. I’m yet to visit Zaanse Schans. From here in Brussels, it is an easy day-trip and I’ve been meaning to visit North of Amsterdam since quite some time, just unfortunately the lock down started soon after. I’d love to hire a bike and keep riding along and river and stopping by at each windmill. These houses are so adorable. I might have to check airbnb and see if any of these are available and if yes, I’d make my day-trip a weekend one.
That would be a great idea, Bhushavali! We found travel between the Netherlands and Belgium so easy by train and Brussels, of course, is a major transport hub. Hope you will be able to do this safely soon once the pandemic is more under control there.
I always wonder how it feels like wearing a pair of wooden clogs? They look so pretty, which also translates to the beauty of The Netherlands. My husband would be excited to try any variety of cheese, while me enjoying the gardens.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts here, Blair. Although I enjoy cheese, I think I would opt to be outdoors exploring as well.
Those giant clogs are awesome!! Haha, I’ve never personally tried on a pair of clogs myself, but I have heard that they are actually quite comfortable 😛 I think they would make a great souvenir.
That cheese tasting also looks like so much fun – especially after getting to learn about the process of how the different kinds are made. As a cheese-lover myself, this is definitely something I would want to sign up for 😀
I love cheese as well, Jackie, and I have heard the clogs can be very comfortable although I have never owned a pair.
Those yellow clogs are awesome. Can one really walk in clogs? I would like a pair in the house though. I don’t know if I will get to see the beauty of this place, but till then I enjoyed the windmills and the cheese that you shared through pictures and words.
Dutch people have been wearing clogs for many years previously, Ambica, and some were actually wearing them in the village walking around, especially within the clog-making building. Thank you very much for reading and leaving a lovely comment.
A great guide to Zaanse Schans on the Zaan River, The Netherlands. I would love to visit and photograph all these windmills on the river. But most of all I would love to visit traditional clog shops and see the making process. And I would love to buy some traditional cheeses.
It is such a beautiful location, Agnes, with so many fun things to see, learn and do.
I am 100% going to travel there. It looks like so much fun and the scenery is beautiful.
That’s so great to hear, Danielle, and I’m sure you will love it as much as I did.
Wow, I love the Dutch windmills, I think they are a wonderful symbol of a great country. Also, I love the clog making workshop, I would so love to try!
The clog makers certainly made their craft look very easy but of course, they have had so many years of being taught the trade. The windmills are definitely a lovely symbol of the Netherlands and I’m so pleased you liked this post.
this is definitely a country on our bucket list.. and your pics and post, as always tempt:)
That’s such a lovely thing to say, Vidya, thank you.
I would love to visit! I am a fan of windmills. They are so cool!
I totally agree, Monica. They are so lovely along the river.
I love the photos of the village! Looks like such a peaceful and beautiful place to explore. You gave such a detailed description of your visit. I would love to travel here one day!
Thank you so much, Jessica. It really is a lovely spot in the Netherlands.
What a great trip!!! I’ve always wanted to go to the Netherlands. When I was a teenager we had an exchange program at my church and I met so many people from Holland (and we had some that stayed with us). Ever since then I’ve always wanted to go.
The Dutch people that I have met have all been such lovely people, Nakia. They make exploring this lovely country so easy and I hope you will be able to go there yourself soon.
This place looks absolutely beautiful
Thank you so much, Kimmie. So pleased you liked this.
This makes me excited for the spring/summertime.
You bet, Sonia! Let’s hope travel will be able to be done safely again soon.
Wow, the nature there looks stunning, like straight out from a movie. I’ve always wanted to visit the Netherlands with my family. And the cheese and clog making is so cool, I want to see them up close.
Thank you very much, Lani. The Netherlands certainly is a beautiful country with very nice and friendly people. The culture of clogs, cheese, and a number of other Dutch icons make it all the more interesting while you are there.
Just by the looks of it, you had a blast. The pictures are stunning! There is so much to explore in the Netherlands.
Thanks so much, Charina. There really is a lot of natural beauty to experience in the Netherlands.
Wow, this place looks amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many windmills in one place – and I grew up in Northern Germany, where we had quite a few as well. Would love to cruise along the river. But I think what gets me most are the adorable homes and gardens in Zaanse Schans Village – again right on the river. So great to know this area is so quickly reached from Amsterdam.
It really is easy to reach, Luci, especially if you arrive into Amsterdam. The village really is so pretty and kept so well and the aspect on the Zaan River is hard to beat.
This place looks magical. I am putting it on my bucket list of places to travel to.
Thanks, Samantha. I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.
I love that they still have the traditional method of clog making available to see! I would have been so interested to watch a pair of clogs be carved and created. And the Dutch cheese as well.. so yum!
It was a process that was certainly interesting to watch, Chloe. And yes, the cheeses tasted wonderful!
This place really reminds me of the Kinderdijk down the road. Zaanse Schans I havent been to (yet, but heard so much about) however I finally got round to checking Google Maps and found out on my last trip to Netherlands, I stayed about 10km away from here. Only if I knew!
I love taking photographs whilst on the road and the windmills and canals of Netherlands is one of my favourite things, espeically at sunset and sunrise. Now if we go here, I got to keep the wife away from the cheese shops, the amount of cheese we buy in the Netherlands (usually on our last day), put it in the cool box and drive it back to the UK…is unbeliveable. She just loves the cheese, espeically Edam. She would be very interested to actually seeing the cheese being made she says.
Edam cheese is definitely so popular, Danik. I agree with your comments about the windmills and canals and I imagine you have got some great images at sunrise and sunset. Kinderdjik as you mention is another wonderful place and I’m sure living so close to the Netherlands, that you will see Zaanse Schans and the Zaan River before too long. Thank you for leaving such a great comment.
Stunning pictures from your trip and the most amazing nature shots. So much joy in all of this scenery!
Thank you so much, Laura. I did love my time in the Netherlands.
Wow, I would love to be able to travel here in the next year or so, once things begin to settle down and the world gets vaccinated. 🙂
Totally agree with that sentiment, Emily! It will be great to travel safely again and the Netherlands has so many lovely places to see.
How beautiful. I would love the opportunity to explore there one day.
Thanks, Krysten! I’m so pleased you like the beauty of this region.