Last year i went on a solo trip to Amsterdam, which was amazing. One of the days i decided to venture out of Amsterdam and headed to Zaanse Schans. In my opinion it is the easiest day trip out of Amsterdam.
Zaanse Schans is actually a neighborhood in Zandaam, a town only a few kilometers north of Amsterdam. There you will see numerous windmills and beautiful wooden houses. Interestingly, most of the structures in this part of the town were not originally built here. They were relocated from other parts of the Netherlands in order to be able to preserve them.
Travelling to Zaanse Schans
Getting to Zaanse Schans is really easy. I caught the bus from central station which takes around 30-40 minutes. The bus was very busy, however it was very reasonably priced and i did get to take in the scenery. The bus stopped just outside the neighborhood.
It was only after a wonderful day that i discovered you can also catch a train. From Amsterdam Central, catch the sprinter train towards Uitgeest. In about 17 minutes it will get you to the station Zaandijk Zaanse Schans, where you get off. From there it is around a ten minuet walk to get the neighborhood.
If you are visiting Zaanse Schans alone, not with a tour, I recommend getting there earlier in the day, particularly if you want to take some lovely photos. The charm of Zaanse Schans if the windmills. There are ten windmills, five of them are open to visitors. There is fee to enter them. I would recommend going into at least one of them. All of them look interesting.
Visit some of the workshops and shops
Many of the traditional houses inside the Zaanse Schans neighborhood are home to little workshops and shops. My favorite one is the “Wooden Shoe Workshop”. Inside you will find a huge display of clogs. There was a small demonstration of how clog shoes are made. Of course the second part of the building is a shop, you’ll find rows and rows of wooden clogs in all different shapes and design.
There’s also a ‘clogs through the ages’ section as you make your way inside, including a diamonds clog that you might not expect to see. The other part of the building is a gift shop where you can buy your own iconic Dutch clogs. There are the traditional designs, but I also spotted some much more colourful and funky ones. I didn’t buy a pair of clogs, but I did leave with a clog keyring!
Another interesting shop is centered around cheese. There are a selection of cheeses with different herbs and spices with plenty of samples to try.
You will also find other shops in the neighborhood that are worth taking a look at.
Visit the Zaans Museum
If you want to learn a little more about the history of Zaanse Schans and the surrounding area, the Zaans Museum could be worth a visit
If you want to learn the story behind the pretty windmills and wooden houses? stop by Zaans Museum. It explains how the Zaan region became one of the Netherlands’ first industrial areas, with windmills powering everything from shipbuilding to food production.
I didn’t go inside the during my visit, so i can’t tell you from personal experience whether it is really worth it. However if you want to find out more about the history of the area it might be worth visiting. To find out more about the museum visit the official website.
Where to eat?
There are a few cafés and places to eat around Zaanse Schans, although, as you’d probably expect from a popular tourist attraction, prices can be a little on the expensive side. For me, having somewhere convenient to eat was worth it. I had a very tasty pancake with strawberries and cream. There is a good variety of food available.
The cheese shop sells dutch cheese at reasonable price. And if you are looking for a something sweet then the stroopwafels at the Albert Heijn museum shop make for a very tasty snack.
If you are looking for a lovely sit down meal its worth having a snack and finding a restaurant in Amsterdam Central or Zadaam.
Is De Zaanse Schans worth a visit?
So finally is a trip to Zaanse Schans worth visiting? Yes, absolutely.
My trip to Amsterdam was only for a few days, so it was great to get out of the city and get a glimpse of what life in the Netherlands used to look like. Get to know more about the traditional side of the country.
The neighbourhood is beautiful. My favorite part of my visit was without a doubt was the windmills. I loved wandering around, taking in the views and getting up close.
It is a great way to spend a few hours, take plenty of photos and enjoy the atmosphere. If you have a spare day be sure to go and have a look around. It is free to visit.