See the historic windmills of Zaanse Schans on a bus tour from Amsterdam with a professional guide. Learn about cheese making, walk on wooden shoes, see the interior of a working windmill and view the wooden green-painted houses and shops.
About this activity
- Free cancellation
- Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
- Reserve now & pay later
- Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
- Duration 3.5 hours
- Check availability to see starting times.
- Live tour guide
- Spanish, English, German
Experience
Starting location:
Amsterdam
Transfer
(30 minutes)
Zaanse Schans
Wooden Shoe Workshop of Zaanse Schans
Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm
Cheese tasting
Free time
Transfer
(30 minutes)
Arrive back at:
Amsterdam
For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.
- Watch how Gouda cheese is made and then taste its buttery goodness
- See windmills from across the Zaan region that date back to the 18th century
- Visit a clog maker and learn more about the traditional wooden shoe
- Admire the elegant houses of the rich merchants and windmill owners
- Learn how the windmills were used in the production of cocoa powder and food
Join a guided bus tour from Amsterdam to visit the windmill village of Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum housing working windmills, wooden houses, barns, and shops dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Enjoy live commentary from your guide, a clog workshop, and a cheese-making demonstration.
Meet your guide and driver at a central meeting point just across from Central Station in Amsterdam. Settle in for a comfortable, air-conditioned ride on a single deck bus that will take you to your destination in just 20 minutes.
Upon arrival in the village, follow your guide for an orientation tour of the village. Visit the clog museum for a live wooden shoemaking workshop. Then, taste some Dutch farmer cheese on the cheese farm.
Get a sense of what the village was like in the 18th and 19th centuries. Alongside windmills and barns, see houses that were originally built as homes for rich windmill owners and merchants. Admire their colorful facades painted in traditional hues of green, beige, and light blue.
Finally, it is time to further explore the village on your own. Before you set off, take insider tips from your guide and learn about the region's local history and culture. At the end of the tour, hop back on the bus for your return journey to Amsterdam.
- Bus transportation
- Multilingual guide
- Pickup and drop-off
- Clog-making demonstration
- Visit to a cheese farm
- Cheese tasting
- Amsterdam canal cruise voucher (if option selected)
- Tips (optional)
- Food and drinks
- Entry inside windmills and entry to Zaans Museum
- People with mobility impairments
- Wheelchair users
Select participants and date
Participants
Date
From the front of the Amsterdam Central Station, turn to your left and walk in the eastern direction. Keep on walking and cross the bridge. Walk until you reach the Hilton hotel. Turn left and follow the walkway underneath the railway crossing. The meeting point is on your right. Please check-in with staff inside the Grand Cafe 1884.
Open in Google Maps ⟶What to bring
- Comfortable shoes
- Umbrella
- Camera
Not allowed
- Pets
Know before you go
- This tour involves a small amount of walking
- This tour includes a maximum of 60 participants
- Children up to 3 years old are free of charge (not occupying a seat - infants must sit on laps)
- Tour operates rain or shine
- Entry to windmills costs around €5 tickets, available at service desk
- Entry to Zaans Museum ranges from €6.50-€12.50