Private Half Day Tour to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam
Description
Zaanse Schans: Explore this picturesque, historic village,where you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Wander among the iconic wooden houses, and working windmills, while learning about the area's rich history and heritage. Indulge in a Gouda Cheese Tasting, savor local hot chocolate, and enjoy a wooden shoe craft demonstration.
Tour Options
Itinerary
9.30: Pick up from your hotel in Amsterdam (or another for you convenient time)
10.00: We arrive at The Zaanse Schans. This is a unique area where people live and work, with museums, windmills, shops and old crafts. The site gives an excellent picture of the Zaanstreek in the 18th and 19th centuries. Walking between the traditional timber houses, warehouses and windmills at the Zaanse Schans, you get the feeling that you’re back in the long-gone past. We walk along the dike next to the river Zaan and enjoy the sight of multiple industrial windmills. As we were brought up in a windmill we can tell you everything about them.
10.15: A visit to the last paint mill in the world “De Kat”. It was originally built in 1781. It is an octagonal mill with a rotating cap and external gallery. Since its restoration and partial rebuild in 1960 it has been fitted out to grind couloring materials as pigments. After a explanation how the windmill works, you have the opportunity to climb up the windmill and make beautiful pictures on the external gallery..
10.45: A visit to the chocolate shop. It is a good chance that you can smell the chocolate already in the air when you enter the Zaan region. For over two centuries the Zaan region has been the largest cocoa industry in the world. Cocoa beans are processed and roasted over here. Do you want to try some local chocolate or make your own hot chocolate from local raw cocoa powder? This is the place to be!
11.00: Cheese tasting: At the cheese farm of Henry Willig we will have a Gouda and Edam cheese tasting. They are in the top 10 of the world cheesemakers. If you are a cheese lover… you are in cheese heaven! They have 30 flavors and design the cheeses specifically for travel.
11.30: If you want to try the most famous cookie of Holland “Stroopwafel” we can make a stop at the fresh syrup waffle stand.
11.45: Wooden shoe craft demonstration. Always wanted to know how a clog is being made? Join the wooden shoe craft demonstration and find out. In the clog museum we will tell you everything about clogs. You can even try or buy a pair of wooden shoes!
13.00 Return to your hotel in Amsterdam
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please wait in the hotel lobby 5 minutes before your scheduled pickup time.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(11)
We had a half day tour with WindmillGirls - a great outfit. The vehicle was very comfortable, pick up right on time. Zannse and Edam were lovely and very interesting. Our one recommendation is to turn the cheese tasting into a session explaining the cheese making process, the industry in the Nethderlands etc. - more time in Edam would be nice as well. Esther was very friendly, informative, and knows everyone along the way.
This experience exceeded my expectations in every way. I was on the fence about dedicating a half day to this tour when there so much to do in Amsterdam. I can tell you doing this trip with Esther was well worth it. It was wonderful. Zaanse Schans is worth the visit regardless how you do it. Its beautiful and quaint and really gives the picture of the rural farming culture from the past. But if you're going to do it, do it i highly recommend doing it with Esther. She really mades it an elevated experience for us. And I suggest going early. The 'private tour' with Esther gives you unique access to the local vendors and private demonstrations. It can get quite crowded as the day progresses so having private access and 'skip the line' is worth it. Plus, Esther grew up in the area and really makes it personal. She knows the shop owners and windmill factory millers on a personal level, so it takes the 'private tour' to a different level. We had a 15-minute personal conversation with two of the longest tenured Millers in the area and they were delightful. It was like stepping into a movie scene. Everything was first class. We were a group of 8. They picked us up at our Amsterdam hotel in one vehicle. It couldn't have been easier. Esther took us to the best spots, curated a perfect experience for us, and even showed us pictures of the windmill home that she grew up in, in a nearby village. It was wonderful and well worth it.
Really enjoyed our half-day private tour of Zaanse Schans with our tour guide Esther! Comfortable car and knowledgeable, friendly guide. Walked around the pretty village. Saw windmills, a clog-making demonstration, a cheese-making demonstration, and tasted many types of delicious Dutch cheeses in the cheese shop. The personal touch of having a private tour made this extra special. Highly recommend! ❤️1
Great tour with a great guide. Esther was very knowledgeable and very kind. She took time amd explained everything in details and I have to say we learned more history than expected. We were never rushed and had plenty of time for sampling and pictures.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review Ziadt en Sommer! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the tour to Zaanse Schans. It was a pleasure guiding you and sharing our Dutch history along the way. You’re always welcome back for another tour! Hopefully see you once in Tulip season! Warm regards, Esther
Esther was a wonderful guide and made the whole experience so special. Growing up in a windmill herself she was a wealth of knowledge and had many personal stories that made Zaanse Schans so much more than just a tourist attraction! She was fantastic with our 2 children ages 8 and 11 and kept them engaged the entire tour!
Thank you, Carmen! I had a wonderful day with your family and your lovely children. I’m so glad to hear they enjoyed it! Warm regards, Esther
Tour guide was VERY knowledgeable about the history and of sights visited. Very personable and had her own props to explain the history of the area. She was punctual and very courteous.
Thank you for your warm review!! What a lovely day we spent together with your family. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay, and hopefully we'll meet again in the future! Wishing you all the best! Warm regards, Esther
I had a wonderful day with Esther. She tailored the visit to my interests and I got to see exactly what I was interested in. She was so kind and friendly and great at answering questions. A very pleasant day and a wonderful way to get to know the area. Highly recommend!
Thank you, Amy, for your lovely review! I really enjoyed our day together, and I'm so happy you had a great time. I hope to see you again soon! Warm regards, Esther
What a wonderful day we had with Esther! The wheather was grey but Esther still let the sun shine. She effortlessly sensed what we liked and told wonderful stories in excellent Englisch about the Zaanse Schans and Dutch life at that time. Esther, thank you for a wonderful tour, we enjoyed your knowledge and humor. We will definitely recommend you!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I enjoyed spending the day with you and hope to see you again in the future! Warm regards, Esther
This was the best tour! Our guide was the absolute best! We had a great half day sightseeing and learned so much about the area.
Thank you Nick&Marcy! What a lovely sunny day we spend together at the Zaanse Schans. I'm so glad you enjoyed learning about the history of the windmills. Hope to see you again! Esther
The tour was exceptional with our wonderful guide Esther whose knowledge was first class. We would highly recommend doing this half day tour with the Windmillgirls.
Thank you so much Paul and Maria! I really enjoyed our time together! 🥰. Safe travels! Esther
