J
Lovely little trip on the river
Lovely boat tour with a friendly guide. Really nice to learn the history, and they sold local delicious beer. Perfect little trip
Zaanse Schans Windmill Cruise - UNESCO Windmills With Live Guide
+17 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 25 min
- Price from
- $13 / person
- Location
- Zaandam
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 · 53 reviews
- Languages
- EN, HR, NL
- Group
- Small group, up to 30
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Dutch Boat Tours - Experience The Windmills Together Tour!
- Meeting point
- Our pick-up point is the main jetty at the Zaanse Schans. Once you enter the Zaanse Schans, this can’t really be missed. Look for our beautiful grey boat and the guys/girls wearing black/white Dutch Boat Tours T-shirts. Our friendly smiles will greet you once you come to us!
Description
You're not just looking at windmills. You're floating through the birthplace of the industrial world, a river valley that once powered more machines than anywhere else on earth. In the 1600s, this single stretch of the Zaan ran over 1,000 windmills supplying the entire world with timber, spices, paint and whale oil. It's the place where the modern world was invented. During your 25 minute cruise you will see: All 10 UNESCO windmills of Zaanse Schans, seen from the water closer than any path gets you. The world's earliest industrial cacao and chocolate factories, still standing on the riverbank. The whale hunting facilities that once made this region the oil capital of Europe. Traditional Zaanse Houses and the tea houses where merchants traded goods from across the Dutch empire. And a few surprises your guide has saved for the water. Your skipper tailors every cruise to the group on board. Everyone leaves knowing something they didn't expect to learn.
Tour Options
Itinerary
In our 25 minute tour we will provide you with all the information about the windmills and the general history of this beautiful area. We leave from the main dock at the Zaanse Schans and we cover the following: -All the 10 windmills of the Zaanse Schans -The traditional Dutch houses -The chocolate factory -Whale hunting house -Tea house -And much more Our experienced and knowledgeable skipper will provide you with everything you need to know about the Zaanse Schans, the windmills and the history of this place. Please note that every tour is different, considering the group and their points of interests. All our skippers tailor the tour to the needs of the group in order to make it as fun and interactive as possible. All our tours are also limited to a maximum of 12 persons, to ensure a personal and high quality tour.
What's included
Included
WiFi on board
All Fees and Taxes
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.8
53 reviews
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does this tour take?
Zaanse Schans Windmill Cruise - UNESCO Windmills With Live Guide lasts about 25 min. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does this tour cost?
Prices start at $13 per person for this Zaandam experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel this tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is Our pick-up point is the main jetty at the Zaanse Schans. Once you enter the Zaanse Schans, this can’t really be missed. Look for our beautiful grey boat and the guys/girls wearing black/white Dutch Boat Tours T-shirts. Our friendly smiles will greet you once you come to us! Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is this tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN, HR, NL.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 30 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Specialized infant seats are available
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is this tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 53 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Dutch Boat Tours - Experience The Windmills Together Tour!.
Reviews(53)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
D
Boat tour of the windmills
Great boat tour and good information from the boatman, we booked it online for a 3pm slot. We arrived at 2.55 and were told they don’t stick to a time schedule so we didn’t leave until 3.20, which was really annoying as we missed our bus because of this. Nowhere on the website does it say that the time slots are a guideline rather than when the boat leaves!
2
Recommendation!
Very nice boat trip! Super friendly staff. André was our guide and knew a lot to tell and his English is excellent. Definitely!!
B
Great value for money and very educational!
I had the most wonderful experience doing the Zaanse Schans boat tour with the lovely André! As a solo traveller, the experience was lovely. I believe the boat I was on was one of the quieter ones I have witnessed, with only myself and 2 other groups of 2 (5 in total, excluding our skipper). The tour itself was super informative, where I learned finally about each windmill, but more excitingly the reason behind the Green Houses! (if you know, you know). I also felt that 25 minutes was more than enough time to really enjoy yourself on the boat. André himself was super catering to both the English speakers, as well as the Dutch speakers on board, even though the tour I booked was "English only". I really enjoyed hearing both languages and understanding everything clearly. He was also super catering to those asking questions about certain windmills. With our skipper being very friendly, the atmosphere on the the boat tour felt very comforting. I felt like I was in safe hands! Overall, I would highly recommend going on the Dutch Boat Tour while in Zaanse Schans. For the price, you will have a great day our and learn something new in the process! Brownie points if you go on this tour and mention my name as I would love to know if you do this tour due to my review! Double-points if your skipper is André! (You can also view the YouTube video of my full day)
1 people found this helpful
K
Very nice to sail with
Super fun to do. The guide, André, knew a lot and liked to talk about it. The banks in the boat are lovely. The people at the reception are also super nice and friendly.
J
Nice afternoon
The guide, Tim, knew a lot to tell in a fun way. It was very interesting and the beautiful weather made it complete. We enjoyed it
A
Sunny
We really enjoyed the relaxed boat ride. The rain stopped in time for our ride, but there was a covering such that we would’ve remained dry. The water was calm. The views were lovely. Everyone was kind.
R
George the skipper
We sailed with Skipper George and he brought it very nice for young and old. It's a short tour, but worth it. We have become wiser about the history of the windmills and the surroundings of the Zaanse Schans. George next time we'll come back to you.
8
From the heat of Sardinia to the coolness of the windmills
Unforgettable experience! Very well-deserved 5 stars. Boat trip among the windmills simply wonderful. Perfect organization, very comfortable boat, and postcard-perfect views that you would never stop photographing. The guide was fantastic; he told us a lot of interesting facts with charm and passion. If you come to Amsterdam, this is a tour you absolutely must do; it is worth every minute. Heartfelt thanks
S
Best views of the windmills!
Our guide, Captain Kirk was very personable and knowledgeable, he made the entire trip fun and informative
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from$13
4.8(53) Free cancellation