Zaanse Schans day trips from Amsterdam

Amsterdam is an exciting city, with a unique aesthetic and plenty of interesting sights to see.

But why not take advantage of this trip to Holland to see other places within the country? Don't hesitate and embark on an adventure into the beautiful Dutch countryside.

Windmills, cheese dairies, clog makers, tea houses, lakes, beautiful flower beds... If you want to discover the treasures of rural Holland, the best option is to take a day trip to Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam and Marken by bus. The first stop on this tour is Zaanse Schans, a village on the banks of the river Zaan, famous for its windmills.

If you want to discover what life was like in Holland in the 17th and 18th centuries, a stroll through this little village in the Dutch countryside is a good way to do so. Get your camera ready because its bucolic landscape looks like something out of a fairy tale and you'll want to take pictures all the time.

The windmills by the river are the main attraction of Zaanse Schans. The guide explained that this region became the country's first industrial region in the 17th century with more than 600 windmills built to produce oils, dyes, paint, wooden planks and to grind spices.

If you want to make the most of your day out of Amsterdam and get to know the Dutch countryside, you can complement your Zaanse Schans tour with a visit to Edam, Volendam and Marken or even with a trip to the Keukenhof tulip gardens.

Whichever option you choose, you'll have the opportunity to get to know the country much better and take advantage of the capital's proximity to amazing natural sites.

What does a trip to Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam and Marken include?

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What do you need to bring?

Travelling with luggage?

Don't worry, you can leave it on the bus during the tour. When you get back to Amsterdam, the driver parks right next to Central Station so you can take the train to the airport or to your next destination.

May to October is the best time to visit Amsterdam or any other part of the country.

The next stop on this tour of the Dutch countryside is Edam, and when talking about this little town you can't help but think of its cheese. In the 17th century, Holland was already exporting this famous product and since then it has been going to every corner of the world for centuries.

This trip gives us the opportunity to visit its famous traditional cheese market, which has been in operation since the Middle Ages and in summer they organise historical re-enactments so that tourists can see what it was like back then. Visiting the Edam cheese market with a guide is a very interesting experience that keeps a part of the city's history alive.

But Edam is more than just cheese. It is a beautiful town located 20 kilometres from Amsterdam in an area called Laag Holland that looks like something out of a fairy tale.

Strolling through the old town of this typical village on the banks of the IJsselmeer lake you will find small shopping streets, pretty little tea houses by the canal and cosy terraces where you can have a drink. Some of the main sights are St. Nicholas Church, the Town Hall, the 16th century Carillon and the Edam Museum.

Situated between Edam and Marken, this little fishing village just 20 minutes from Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful and authentic villages in the Dutch countryside thanks to its beautiful harbour, narrow streets and colourful houses.

Therefore, the best way to discover Volendam is on foot. The guide will lead you through amazing places so that you can take beautiful pictures of the tour while she explains the history of Volendam and its connection to the sea.

During the tour you will see places like the Doolhof and the Dijk, two old quarters full of fishermen's houses in a maze of narrow, highly decorated streets and canals, which have fascinated many artists for centuries.

You will also see places like the dyke of the fishing port, its beautiful churches, its shops... and you will discover the origins of this town as the port of Edam.

But before the tour of the town we visited a traditional cheese factory where they explained to us how they make typical cheeses of the region such as Gouda or Edam and at the end we were treated to a free tasting of traditional products that were delicious. It was one of the most enjoyable moments of the day because I love this kind of excursions.

Then we were taken to a traditional clog workshop or "klompen" as they are called in Dutch. Like tulips or windmills, these wooden shoes are another national icon of the Netherlands. During the visit, the master clog-maker will show you how they are made and some of his most striking creations. I've never seen anything like it before and it's quite a laborious and curious handicraft process - a must-see!

On the other side of the IJsselmeer lake, just opposite Volendam, lies Marken, an island that was separated from mainland Holland in the 13th century by a storm.

One of the things that struck us most about this town are its wooden houses on earthen and artificial mounds called "terpen". They are unique in the world! The guide explained to us that they were built this way to avoid the damage caused by rain and floods, which are very frequent in this area.

It is amazing to see the great ingenuity that these people had to cope with the tides despite the fact that the water was gradually gaining ground on the village. For centuries, the people of Marken lived in isolation and it wasn't until 1957 that a dike was built that ended the flooding and allowed the town to become a peninsula by connecting it to the mainland.

As you wander into Marken you'll notice that this place is full of charm, no wonder film director Tim Burton was inspired by it for his film 'Big Fish'.

Strolling through the streets and taking a close look at the fishermen's cottages and Protestant churches gives you the feeling that you are walking through a museum village that has managed to maintain its authenticity despite the passing of the years - it's like taking a trip back in time to the Dutch Golden Age!

A trip to Amsterdam is a great way to get out of the city and see other places in one day, isn't it?

In the article The best excursions from Amsterdam you'll find some great suggestions to complete your trip to the Dutch capital. Don't miss it!