Things to Do in
Zaandam

Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey from Zaanse Schans' main dock. Get on a luxury boat for an exciting adventure. The main attraction is the famous windmills. You'll have a relaxed boat ride with a great view of these old wonders. Your knowledgeable guide will tell you about the windmills and the history of the area, making your experience more interesting. After that, you'll see beautiful traditional Dutch houses from the boat. Your guide will tell you stories about these historical homes. Moving on through the Dutch countryside, you'll reach Wormerveer, which has played an important role in the Dutch colonial past. Explore old industries, warehouses, and history, discovering the story of this place. On the way, you'll find important heritage like Cacao and Soap factories, adding to the area's history. If you're lucky, you might smell the delicious roasted Cacao. The tour ends where it started, giving you a full understanding of the history and culture of this amazing region.

Capture your memorable moments against the charming backdrop of Zaanse Schans with a private photoshoot led by an experienced local photographer. Tailored for couples, families, and solo travelers, this session will guide you through picturesque locations, ensuring you feel at ease while posing for stunning shots. During the session, you will receive professional direction and up to 30 professionally edited digital photos delivered within four working days, so you can relive your Amsterdam adventure. Perfect for immortalizing special occasions or simply enjoying the beauty of the city.

Discover the charm of Zaanse Schans on this self-guided 45-minute walking tour through a historic Dutch village of windmills, wooden houses, and centuries-old craftsmanship. Starting at Klaverringdijk, stroll past green-painted homes, cross wooden bridges, and visit working windmills that still produce paint, oil, and timber. Tour highlights include: • De Kat, the world’s only working paint mill • Traditional Zaan architecture with green facades and white trim • A clog workshop showcasing centuries-old shoemaking techniques • Cheesemaking demonstrations with tastings • Museumwinkel Albert Heijn, the first store of the iconic Dutch chain The tour ends at the Museum Zaanse Tijd, home to 17th–18th century Dutch clocks.

You no longer have to wait in the line for a taxi transfer from the Zaanse Schans windmills to your destination in Amsterdam. You will be transported in a luxury Mercedes sedan or minivan by a professional driver. The ride to Amsterdam will takes about 20 minutes. The price is fixed so no extra hidden costs.

Discover four of the Netherlands’ most popular countryside destinations in one private chauffeur-driven tour from Amsterdam. This experience includes door-to-door service with a professional English-speaking chauffeur in a comfortable Mercedes E-Class, V-Class, Vito, or similar vehicle, depending on your group size. Visit the famous windmills of Zaanse Schans, the charming fishing village of Volendam, the historic cheese town of Edam, and the traditional village of Marken. Your chauffeur will drive you between each location and wait while you explore independently at your own pace. This private tour is ideal for couples, families, business travelers, and small groups who want a relaxed and comfortable way to experience the Dutch countryside without the pressure of a large group tour.

You enjoy personalised service throughout the tour, your friendly guide offers more in-depth knowledge of the two top attractions around Amsterdam area. Hotel pickup service is included. Small group 8 persons max. makes it a more pleasant travelling experience especially during peak season. Fast entrance to cheese factory, clogs factory and waffle museum with free demonstrations.

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.

Small-group of maximum 16 guests ensures full and personal attention from your local guide with a convenient pickup from te city center of Zaandam. Enjoy everything Zaanse Schans has to offer: lots of photo opportunities, traditional crafts like cheese making and clog making. Visit a working Industrial windmill.

Escape the crowds and discover the Dutch countryside in comfort and style on a private tour from Amsterdam. This experience includes door-to-door service with a professional English-speaking chauffeur in a luxury Mercedes E-Class or similar, or V-Class or similar, depending on your group size. Visit the famous windmills of Zaanse Schans and the charming fishing village of Volendam at your own pace. Your chauffeur will drive you between the locations and wait while you explore independently, giving you the freedom to enjoy each stop without the pressure of a large group tour. This private experience is ideal for couples, families, business travelers, and small groups looking for a relaxed and comfortable way to see two of the Netherlands’ most popular countryside destinations. Please note: this is a private chauffeur-driven tour. A licensed tour guide is not included.

Crack Zaandam’s Hidden Secrets! Stroll past colorful houses and buzzing markets, feel the energy of shipyards and waterways, and help Tsar Peter the Great recover his stolen blueprints as you uncover the city’s past and vibrant present. The Secrets of Zaandam City Game offers a unique way to explore the city’s heart through a GPS-based self-guided adventure. Highlights include the striking Inntel Hotel with its stacked Zaan-style façades, the historic Tsar Peter House, the lively Gedempte Gracht shopping street, and the symbolic Monument Februaristaking. Play solo for a personal quest or with friends and family for a shared challenge. Solve interactive puzzles, riddles, and photo tasks as you uncover hidden gems, earn points, and unlock clues that bring Zaandam’s stories to life. You can pause anytime and continue later, making it flexible and fun. Compete for a spot on the leaderboard or turn it into a friendly team-building experience filled with discovery and adventure.

You will be picked up at the cruise / port terminal in Amsterdam with a luxury Mercedes sedan or minivan. The driver will bring you to your hotel or other address in Zaandam.

Discover Zaanse Schans like never before with the Secrets of Zaanse Schans City Game, a fun self-guided city game packed with puzzles, riddles and hidden stories! This GPS-based exploration game lets you experience Zaanse Schans while exploring famous spots such as the Zaans Museum, the Zaandam Time Museum, the Bakery Museum, the first Albert Heijn shop and the windmills. Play solo for a personal challenge or together with friends, family or colleagues. During the game you solve tricky questions, puzzles, riddles and creative photo tasks to score points, unlock extra clues and solve the final mystery. Pause whenever you want and continue later at your own pace. Compete for a place on the leaderboard or play competitively for team building, making this scavenger hunt through Zaanse Schans perfect for every type of explorer.

Escape the busy city and visit the famous windmills of Zaanse Schans on a private chauffeur-driven tour from Amsterdam. This shorter countryside experience is ideal for travelers who want to see one of the Netherlands’ most popular windmill villages without booking a full-day tour. Your professional English-speaking chauffeur will pick you up from your hotel, apartment, cruise terminal, or another address in Amsterdam and drive you in comfort to Zaanse Schans. Enjoy free time to explore the historic wooden houses, traditional windmills, small shops, cheese and clog demonstrations, and Dutch countryside views at your own pace. Your chauffeur will wait while you explore independently and then drive you back to Amsterdam. Please note: this is a private chauffeur-driven tour, not a guided walking tour.

Are you planning a day out or weekend trip to Zaandam, then you can have a lot of fun with this city walk. An Escape game and city walk at the same time. 2,5 kilometres long and over 1,5 - 2 hours of fun for the family or a group of friends. Meanwhile, during this game there is plenty of time to sit on one of the terraces. A city walk has never been so much fun. An app will help you with your quest during the city walk. The Zaanse Swindler is a blight on Zaandam. He is a smooth talker. His style is rob, steal and run away hard. The police have no trace and the people of Zaandam are afraid of him and so say nothing. Time for that to change.

You will be picked up at your hotel in Zaandam or other address in Zaandam with a luxury Mercedes sedan or minivan. The driver will bring you to the cruise/port terminal in Amsterdam.

Private taxi transfer from Zaandam to AMS Schiphol Airport in a luxury sedan or minivan by a professional driver.