One of the many reasons I always wanted to live in The Netherlands is because of all the travel opportunities. It amazes me that I can just hop from one unique city to the next in a matter of hours. From Amsterdam to Rotterdam to Haarlem, Utrecht or Breda. Every city is unique and it can be easily explored in one day by bike, car or on foot.
In early October last year, a few weeks after my lectures kicked off, I was recommended to take a study break and head to Zaanse Schans with fellow students. 'Zaanse Schans? I have never heard of this place before,' I said to one of my colleagues. - 'It is a municipality near Amsterdam, and one of the highlights of the country. He houses and windmills date back to the 18th and 19th centuries,' she replied. Without thinking twice, we packed our bags and we hit the road. Lucky enough, one of my colleagues had a car so we arrived in Zaanse Schans only 40 minutes later.
Windmills, traditional crafts and museums
Zaanse Schans simply took my breath away the minute I saw its scenery. Packed with beautiful wooden windmills, typical old Dutch houses, barns and museums, it looked like a little fairy tale land. It was peaceful and quiet even though it was packed with tourists and locals. It was nothing like the busy and hectic Amsterdam.
As we read in our travel guide, Zaanse Schans was built in the typically Dutch wooden architectural style, relocated here piece by piece since 1961.The attraction of the day were the working windmills which we could go in. What a terrific experience it was! We also took a walk through the stunning buildings and the unique peat meadow landscape while watching traditional crafts such as clog- and cheese-making.
Time for a picnic!
As the Zaanse Schans is a very touristic place, dining out may be a bit expensive. As we were all broke students, we decided to pack our own homemade sandwiches, fresh fruits and water. Together we had a nice picnic while enjoying the sunny weather and a wonderful view of Zaanse Schans. If you can afford to dine out though, Zaanse Schans has some charming and cozy restaurants as well as cafes such as De Hoop op d’Swarte Walvis, a pancake restaurant and a museumcafé that serves traditional Dutch snacks and delicacies.
Budget sightseeing in chocolate and clogs paradise
Visiting the village itself does not cost a penny. However, we paid 3 euros to enter the windmills and 4 euros for exploring the clock museum. Most of museums are free of charge every Sunday so it can be a great day to visit the place.
As a foodie, I absolutely loved the Cacaolab. I could experience a delicious demonstration of chocolate-making in a traditional Dutch way according to 17th- and 18th-century methods. At the end I bought some tasty treats including chocolate bars made on site and delicious chocolate milk for my Dutch friends back in Amsterdam.
Another place that is a must-see for internationals is the quirky wooden shoe workshop. Not only can you see how the traditional Dutch clogs are made, but it also has a huge collection of wooden shoes: from painted and carved ones, to special clog ice skates with iron trimmings and even clogs for horses.
If you need a study or Amsterdam break, head to the Zaanse Schans. You will absolutely love there. The bus 391 leaves from Amsterdam Central Station at 25 and 56 minutes past the hour (between 9 am and 4 pm) and the trip takes only 50 minutes. The village can be visited the whole year between 10 am and 5 pm so don’t waste your time and start planning your weekend!
Are you planning to add Zaanse Schans to your bucket list?
In early October last year, a few weeks after my lectures kicked off, I was recommended to take a study break and head to Zaanse Schans with fellow students. 'Zaanse Schans? I have never heard of this place before,' I said to one of my colleagues. - 'It is a municipality near Amsterdam, and one of the highlights of the country. He houses and windmills date back to the 18th and 19th centuries,' she replied. Without thinking twice, we packed our bags and we hit the road. Lucky enough, one of my colleagues had a car so we arrived in Zaanse Schans only 40 minutes later.
Windmills, traditional crafts and museums
Zaanse Schans simply took my breath away the minute I saw its scenery. Packed with beautiful wooden windmills, typical old Dutch houses, barns and museums, it looked like a little fairy tale land. It was peaceful and quiet even though it was packed with tourists and locals. It was nothing like the busy and hectic Amsterdam.
As we read in our travel guide, Zaanse Schans was built in the typically Dutch wooden architectural style, relocated here piece by piece since 1961.The attraction of the day were the working windmills which we could go in. What a terrific experience it was! We also took a walk through the stunning buildings and the unique peat meadow landscape while watching traditional crafts such as clog- and cheese-making.
Time for a picnic!
As the Zaanse Schans is a very touristic place, dining out may be a bit expensive. As we were all broke students, we decided to pack our own homemade sandwiches, fresh fruits and water. Together we had a nice picnic while enjoying the sunny weather and a wonderful view of Zaanse Schans. If you can afford to dine out though, Zaanse Schans has some charming and cozy restaurants as well as cafes such as De Hoop op d’Swarte Walvis, a pancake restaurant and a museumcafé that serves traditional Dutch snacks and delicacies.
Budget sightseeing in chocolate and clogs paradise
Visiting the village itself does not cost a penny. However, we paid 3 euros to enter the windmills and 4 euros for exploring the clock museum. Most of museums are free of charge every Sunday so it can be a great day to visit the place.
As a foodie, I absolutely loved the Cacaolab. I could experience a delicious demonstration of chocolate-making in a traditional Dutch way according to 17th- and 18th-century methods. At the end I bought some tasty treats including chocolate bars made on site and delicious chocolate milk for my Dutch friends back in Amsterdam.
Another place that is a must-see for internationals is the quirky wooden shoe workshop. Not only can you see how the traditional Dutch clogs are made, but it also has a huge collection of wooden shoes: from painted and carved ones, to special clog ice skates with iron trimmings and even clogs for horses.
If you need a study or Amsterdam break, head to the Zaanse Schans. You will absolutely love there. The bus 391 leaves from Amsterdam Central Station at 25 and 56 minutes past the hour (between 9 am and 4 pm) and the trip takes only 50 minutes. The village can be visited the whole year between 10 am and 5 pm so don’t waste your time and start planning your weekend!
Are you planning to add Zaanse Schans to your bucket list?
