ZAANSE SCHANS: DISCOVER THE GEM OF THE NETHERLANDS NOW!

Zaanse Schans is a must-see location if you ever visit the Netherlands. The neighborhood is the home to many historical windmills and museums which originated from years 1961 to 1974.

The location is a very popular tourist attraction, bringing almost a million and a half visitors each year.

Sounds interesting right?

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WHERE IS ZAANSE SCHANS, AND HOW TO GET THERE?

Zaanse Schans is in very close proximity to Amsterdam, which makes this little place a perfect day trip from the big city. The village is in North Holland, about 11 kilometers from Amsterdam, near Zaandijk.

It’s very easy to get there by car. The ride is going to take you around 20 minutes, and there are a lot of parking spaces there, so you don’t have to worry about parking. You do have to pay for parking (5-10 euros) but since Zaanse Schans is free, that won’t be a huge expense for you.

If you don’t have a car, you can easily get there by train. The trains in the Netherlands are great and they go every 15-20 minutes. The train ride itself is 17 minutes and a return ticket from Amsterdam Central Station to Zaanse Schans is only 5.80 Euros! Maybe even a better option than the car, don’t you think so?

You can also choose the bus as your way of transportation. It’s the longest but also the cheapest way to get to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam, so choose wisely. The bus 391 to Zaanse Schans also departs from Amsterdam Central Station and it’s only 1 Euro! The ride lasts 40 minutes though.

Nevertheless, whichever option you choose, it’s going to be a good one, as long as you get to see Zaanse Schans!

WHAT CAN YOU SEE IN ZAANSE SCHANS?

The Zaanse Schans showcases how the people of the Netherlands lived in the 17th and 18th century. At that point in time, over 600 windmills were constructed there, but not all of them were preserved.

Back in the day, the windmills were the life of the neighborhood. They offered jobs, as well as food, oil, building materials, and more. If you have ever wondered how a windmill looks or functions, this is the best way to satisfy your thirst for knowledge.

1. WINDMILLS

The moment you first see the windmills from afar will make you giddy. There is something so special about the way the windmills there were crafted; they look like they came alive from a page of a story book.

There are many windmills which you can freely observe from outside and see every crevice of them, but you can’t enter them for free. Over 10 windmills offer museum-like services where you can enter them and explore them from the inside. You can see how the windmills function, what used to be made in them, and also get an incredible panoramic view from the top of one of them.

2. MUSEUMS

Although each of the windmills is a museum in itself, there are other museums at Zaanse Schans too. They offer an even better insight into the history of the incredible little neighborhood you’re visiting.

Not only is there a Windmill Museum (a museum which gives you more information regarding the windmills you see outside), but you can also find many other museums focused on different importances of Dutch history.

For example, Honig Breethuis and The Zaanse Time Museum allow you to find out more about the clocks and watches made in the 17th and 18th centuries, doesn’t that sound interesting?

You can also visit Bakery Museum de Gecroonde Duyvekater. It’s a bakery that not only presents Dutch sweet bread called Duivekater, you can also try it! There’s also the Zaans Museum and Verkade Experience which consists of historic objects from the food industry!

The museums all have their own entrance fees which are from 10 to 15 Euros. In case you want to visit most of the museums and windmills, you can get the “Zaanse Schans Card”. The card is 23.50 Euros and you have to buy it online – here!

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO IN ZAANSE SCHANS?

WALKING – Zaanse Schans offers a lot of walking tours! You can choose how long of a tour you want to take and you can even download a Zaanse Schans app on your phone which will be your interactive guide!

CYCLING – You probably already know how much the Dutch love their bikes soooo is this option really surprising? You can rent a bike or even take a bike taxi and enjoy one of the cycling routes of Zaanse Schans.

BOAT TOURS – If there is one thing that’s ALMOST as popular as the bikes, it’s the boats. Whether on the canals of Amsterdam or the river Zaan, you can get an amazing boat tour that requires you to just sit back, relax, and enjoy. If you are in Zaanse Schans during the weekend you can visit all of the windmills by boat for only 7.50 Euros, or you can even come from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans by boat for 15 Euros!

I hope this article motivated you to visit this amazing Dutch village because it’s definitely worth a visit. I would love to hear your comments about your travels to the Netherlands!