An Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and Marken Day Trip in Zaandam Guide

If you’re looking for the perfect day trip from Amsterdam and have enough time to spend one day outside the city, the towns of Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and Marken may be an ideal destination for you. All of these places are located close together near the mouth of the Zaan River, to the north of Amsterdam.

So why should you get up early and make the journey? What makes this area so special and worth visiting? Let’s take a look at what this day trip has to offer!

What Makes the Zaan Region a Special Day Trip?

The towns of Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and Marken are all in a very scenic area near the sea. Although they are close to Amsterdam, they are quite different in terms of landscape, architecture and culture. Highlights of these three spots also include museums, historic windmills, traditional Dutch houses, beautiful churches, and much more!

The Zaan area was an important production area for paper, oil and other industrial products throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. The landscape is full of galleries, well-preserved windmills and other beautiful traditional Dutch buildings dating back to the 18th century. These days, this picture-perfect village region has fascinating museums, shops and restaurants that are worth exploring.

Visiting Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans is a famous outdoor museum park with a collection of historic windmills and traditional wooden greenhouses used in Dutch horticulture during the 18th century. It’s a popular tourist attraction near Amsterdam which draws visitors with its well-preserved attractions like “De Kat” windmill, which is the largest wooden windmill in the world.

The scene of pristinely-maintained windmills in tandem with the traditional houses nearby make for great photo opportunities. You can even go further to explore the inside of a few of these buildings or just simply wander through the park to soak up the atmosphere. Other points of interest that are recommended to visit here include the Zaan Inn, Zaanhut Gallery and Dutch Costumes Museum.

Checking out Volendam

If you’re in Amsterdam looking for a place with a relaxed atmosphere, then Volendam is for you. This tiny harbor village is known for its panoramic views and folk costumes. Wherever you head you’ll find plenty of souvenir shops selling handicrafts such as wooden clogs, tulip bulbs and cheese. Right by the harbor there are many local restaurants with seafood specialities like herring and sushi. Going here is highly recommended if you want to experience the more traditional and local side of Holland!

Exploring Marken

Also known as “Little Amsterdam”, Marken is a beautifully preserved fishing village, located on a small island at the Zuiderzee. It is known for its picturesque streets and views of old 17th century wooden houses from different angles. The locals have always been proud of their maritime history and culture, and you can learn more by visiting some of the great museums located here. The Maritiem Museum Marken for example is an interactive experience exhibiting ancient boats and other objects that explain the daily life on this island.

Events in Zaandam

Apart from taking the time to explore these three amazing towns, there are many events held in this area all year round that you might be interested in checking out. Every year, numerous fairs and festivals take place in this region to maintain its fishing culture. During springtime, visitors can join the Voorjaarsmarkt (Spring market) held in Marken every April as well as many Easter egg hunt events in Volendam.

The summer months offer more activities like the Smeltmarkt (Herring Market) held around June promoting fresh herrings sold by local fishermen. In August there is also the Klimpark Festival, a two day climb event in Zaanse Schans. During the colder winter months, visitors can warm themselves up by attending multiple Christmas markets held all around the region! As there are always something new to explore here – all year round – visitors may always have something exciting to look forward to.

How to get there

To access these remarkable towns from Amsterdam there are both public transport (by bus or train) and private tours available. Visitors can take public transportation to reach nearby Zaandam station which is located on direction Houten (train) or Bussum (bus). As with many towns outside Amsterdam that are outside public transport network range, opt for private guided tours from tour providers like GetYourGuide who specialize private tours within this Amsterdam area. That way, you don’t have to worry about missing out on anything as you can gain convenient access to all these attractions in less than a day while being able to experience more with an expert guide by your side!

Conclusion

The towns of Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and Marken near Amsterdam are definitely worth a visit if you’re looking for a different atmosphere from that of the bustling city. Encompassing a rich cultural heritage as well as peaceful scenes of nature, these places will give you a great insight into the history and traditions of Holland that would otherwise be hard to find in metropolitan cities like Amsterdam. With its rural yet modern atmosphere, quaint streets lined with little stores meandering through old villages that are near rivers teeming with life – this is an experience not worth missing out on if you have a day to spare!

To make sure you don’t miss out on anything make sure you book a guided tour with GetYourGuide to get access to all these good spots while uncovering more new things with an expert guide at hand!