Zaanse Schans

Working windmills, clogs and cheese

Just 20 minutes from Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans is a living neighbourhood of green wooden houses and historic windmills that still saw wood, grind spices and press oil.

What to see

Climb a working windmill
A clog-making workshop
A traditional cheese farm
The Zaans Museum and the Verkade chocolate experience

Getting there

Take the train from Amsterdam Central Station to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans (about 17 minutes), then walk for 15 minutes across the river.

Best time to visit

Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Tour buses arrive around 11 am. Most windmills open daily in spring and summer, with shorter hours in winter.

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