Zaanse Schans Windmills, Marken and Volendam Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam

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Overview
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See Volendam, Marken and Zaanse Schans on a half-day windmill tour departing from Amsterdam. Visit a cheese factory to sample local dairy products, admire a classic line-up of authentic windmills on the Zaan River and watch a shoemaker fashion wooden clogs using traditional methods. Hear fascinating commentary from your audio guide during the coach journey, and enjoy guided tours in each picturesque village. Upgrade your 5.5-hour tour to include a ferry ride to Marken and museum admission in Volendam (seasonal only).

Highlights

Half-day trip from Amsterdam including the Zaanse Schans windmills, Volendam and Marken
Enjoy a scenic drive through the Dutch countryside
See the famous Zaanse Schans windmills and the quaint fishing villages of Marken and Volendam
Relax on the 20-minute boat trip from Volendam to Marken
Visit a cheese factory and a clog-maker
Morning and seasonal afternoon tours available

Recent Photos of This Tour

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Zaanse Schans Windmills, Marken and Volendam Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam

Giant clog!

Love the giant clog!

Photo by: Barb K
06 2013
Amsterdam - Zaanse Schans Windmills, Marken and Volendam Half-Day Trip
On top of a peanut oil ...

Us girl's enjoying the last moments of the tour. Also, while on the bus you have headphones that give you lots of ...

Photo by: Rachael B
06 2013
Beautifully Painted ...

Beautifully Painted Clogs_Tania Dey

Photo by: TANIA DEY
08 2012
Cheese making

Cheese rounds are pressed to separate the curds from the whey, then aged for 2 months or longer.

Photo by: Anonymous
07 2010
Pretty garden decorations ...

Too bad we didn't have time to take more pictures, as Amsterdam is so pretty.

Photo by: Zenia P
USA, 06 2010
Beautiful Volendam

This little place was just beautiful.

Photo by: Zenia P
USA, 06 2010
Volendam houses

The city is very pretty.

Photo by: Zenia P
USA, 06 2010
Side street

Walking down a side street in Zaanse Schans

Photo by: Jenifer K
USA, 10 2009
Zaanse Schans

Windmill

Photo by: Krishnan Vaitheeswaran
Australia, 10 2008
Windmills, Zaanse Schans

We even visited a windmill (own expense) while at Zaanse Schans.

Photo by: MIRAN S
Slovenia, 10 2008
Volendam

Some of the shops in Volendam

Photo by: Edana
United Kingdom, 08 2016
Clog Factory in Marken

Clog outside the clog factory

Photo by: Edana
United Kingdom, 08 2016
Marken

Arriving in Marken

Photo by: Edana
United Kingdom, 08 2016
Zaanse Schans

Windmill in Zaanse Schans

Photo by: Edana
United Kingdom, 08 2016
Marken Wooden Shoe Factory

Demonstration of the making of wooden shoes

Photo by: Cindy O
06 2016
Zaanse Schans Windmills

Zaanse Schans Windmills

Photo by: Cindy O
06 2016
Zaanse Schans Windmills

Views on arrival!

Photo by: JACQUELINE T
06 2016
Fun in the tour

Ruth and Yossi

Photo by: Joseph A
05 2016
Volendam Neighborhood

On our walk to the Volendam Cheese Factory

Photo by: chrisblythe1
05 2016
A Zaanse Schan Windmill

On the way to the Windmill

Photo by: chrisblythe1
05 2016

What You Can Expect

Zaanse Schans Windmills, Marken and Volendam Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam

Volendam, The Netherlands

Hop aboard your luxury coach in central Amsterdam and settle in for the scenic journey out of the city to the Dutch countryside. En route to several North Holland villages, listen to your audio guide and learn about the passing sights, including dikes and polders — areas of land reclaimed from the water.

On arrival at Volendam, admire a quaint scene of fishing boats and the occasional local wearing traditional Dutch dress. Your 45-minute stop includes a visit to a local cheese factory for a demonstration and a sampling of its dairy production.

During March–October, you have the option to spend a bit more time here, including entry to a small museum where you can learn about the town’s history and see displays on traditional Dutch clothing. This upgrade includes a 20-minute ferry ride to Marken, a traditional fishing town that was once an island.

With either tour option, you’ll have time to spend exploring Marken. Admire the old wooden stilt houses and visit a local shoemaker to admire the art of carving and painting Holland’s iconic wooden clogs.

Continue by coach to Zaanse Schans, a pretty town on the Zaan River and a popular destination due to its well-preserved windmills, some dating back to the 17th century. See evocations of traditional Dutch life at the historical shipyard and eye-catching windmills.

Once you’ve snapped plenty of photos, your 5.5-hour tour concludes with the return to central Amsterdam by coach.

Please note that this tour requires a moderate amount of walking.