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Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Windmills Day Trip from Amsterdam
Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Windmills Day Trip from Amsterdam
Giethoorn and windmills of Zaanse schans daytrip from Amsterdam
Windmills at the river The Zaan.

Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Windmills Day Trip from Amsterdam

By Dutchtrips
9.8 out of 10
Free cancellation available
Price is NZ$222 per adult
Features
  • Free cancellation available
  • 10h 30m
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation
Overview

This tour is a must for anyone who wants to visit the two of the most popular places in Holland! Board an air-conditioned bus. In 20 minutes you will arrive at the Zaanse Schans, an open air museum absolutely worthwhile your visit. See a typical Dutch clog shop and visit a cheese factory. See the various original still working windmills and the Dutch artisans. You can glance over their shoulders while they are performing their crafts. Learn about the impressive windmill history that set off the Golden Age in the Netherlands. Next enjoy the ride through the Dutch polders, reclaimed land, to the fairytale like village of Giethoorn, also known as “the Venice of the North. Next up, a one hour guided boat tour. You will be in awe of the sights of the surroundings, ducking under picturesque bridges the captain will tell you the impressive history of the Giethoorn. You will have time explore the village on your own, on foot or by bike, You can also enjoy a delicious meal!

 

Activity location

  • Zaanse Schans
    • Schansend 1,
    • 1509 AW, Zaandam, The Netherlands

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • IJRO 1
    • 153 De Ruijterkade
    • 1011 AB, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands

Check availability


Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Windmills Day Trip from Amsterdam
  • Activity duration is 10 hours and 30 minutes10h 30m
    10h 30m
  • English
Language options: English
Starting time: 8:00 am
Price details
NZ$222.26 x 1 AdultNZ$222.26

Total
Price is NZ$222.26

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's includedBottled water
  • What's includedWhat's included1-Hour Boat Cruise
  • What's includedWhat's includedDriver/guide
  • What's includedWhat's includedTour of the cheese factory + clog factory
  • What's includedWhat's includedLive commentary on board
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedService charge

Know before you book

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • May be operated by a multi-lingual guide

Activity itinerary

Zaanse Schans
  • 2h
See a typical Dutch clog shop and learn how and why these wooden shoes were made. Visit the cheese factory.
Giethoorn
Next stop is Giethoorn, typically referred to as ‘Venice of the North’. As cars aren’t allowed, transport is traditionally on foot, by bike, or by boat. You can experience how the Dutch live with and on the water. Learn about the outstanding water-management techniques of the Dutch and you can see the beautiful farmhouses and the many picturesque bridges of this idyllic village with merely 2500 inhabitants. After your boat tour, you'll have time at leisure to explore Giethoorn. Stroll around centuries of history of traditional Dutch craftsmanship. Discover the unique Dutch culture with guidance and recommendations from your personal guide.

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIESZaanse Schans
    • Schansend 1,
    • 1509 AW, Zaandam, The Netherlands

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLEIJRO 1
    • 153 De Ruijterkade
    • 1011 AB, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands

Reviews

9.8 out of 10

Sort reviews by

10.0 out of 10

Samantha_W

Reviewed on Viator
3 Apr 2025
What a beautiful tour! Ibrahim was the BEST tour guide, providing culture and history details with his natural humor, the day flew by. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to get out of the city center to see how clogs and Gouda are made, the history of the beautiful windmills, and to walk around Venice of the Netherlands.

10.0 out of 10

Rachel_P

Reviewed on Viator
17 Mar 2025
If you’re visiting Amsterdam and want to experience the beauty of the Dutch countryside, this Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans windmill day trip is an absolute must. The tour offered a perfect blend of cultural heritage and natural beauty. I absolutely loved exploring Zaanse Schans—the traditional windmills were like stepping into a postcard, and the demonstrations of cheese making and wooden clog carving were both fascinating and fun. It gave a real sense of Dutch history and craftsmanship that you can’t get just by walking around Amsterdam. Giethoorn was truly the highlight of the trip. The boat tour through the peaceful canals of this car-free village was like drifting through a fairytale. The charming houses, lush greenery, and serene atmosphere made it feel like a hidden gem. Our tour guide Ibrahim was fantastic—friendly, accommodating, and very knowledgeable. He made the whole experience smooth and enjoyable, answering all our questions and ensuring everyone felt taken care of throughout the day. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to escape the city for a day and experience the Netherlands beyond Amsterdam. It’s a fantastic way to see more of the country’s charm, culture, and scenic beauty in just one day.

10.0 out of 10

Yash_P

Reviewed on Viator
11 Mar 2025
Fantastic experience, kudos to Ibrahim and Rashid. Ibrahim gave us very good insights on the way, about Netherlands, the villages and made us aware about smallest details of Netherlands. He gave us enough time for us to spend at each location, gave us restaurants recommendations. Boat tour at Giethoorn is worth it with free coffee ;). We had ~1.5 hours to roam in the village. Highly recommended

2.0 out of 10

Athena_B

Reviewed on Viator
3 Mar 2025
The tour guide spoke very little English and had little to offer in terms of the history or the area we visited. He recommended that we navigate the boat ourselves through the canals and we were lost for an hour.

10.0 out of 10

Michelle_S

Reviewed on Viator
26 Feb 2025
Jay was very informative. Wish there was a little more time at each place, otherwise great experience!

10.0 out of 10

Sreekanth_N

Reviewed on Viator
18 Feb 2025
Definitely recommend this to travellers! Ibrahim was an amazing guide. He was funny and had really interesting stories about the history of netherlands and amsterdam. He was knowledgeable about many things and answered our questions. The windmills of Zaanse Schaans and canals of Giethoorne will remain fond memories for us!

10.0 out of 10

Ikram_F

Reviewed on Viator
3 Feb 2025
Our tour of Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Windmills was nothing short of spectacular. In Giethoorn, we were enchanted by the picturesque canals and charming, thatched-roof cottages, making us feel like we had stepped into a fairytale. The boat ride through the serene waterways was the highlight, offering stunning views and a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. At Zaanse Schans, the iconic windmills transported us back in time, showcasing the traditional Dutch way of life. We had the opportunity to visit working windmills, learn about the history and craftsmanship behind them, and even sample some delicious local cheese. The village itself was a delight to explore, with its quaint shops and beautiful scenery. Our guide, I Ibrahim was knowledgeable and passionate, providing fascinating insights into both destinations. Overall, this tour was a perfect blend of natural beauty, history, and culture. Highly recommended for anyone looking to experience the best of the Netherlands!

10.0 out of 10

Lariss_O

Reviewed on Viator
12 Jan 2025
Fabulous tour, absolutely loved it! The weather was terrible most of that day, but we loved Zaanse Schans with its gorgeous historic windmills and timber houses. The clog making workshop was interesting and the cheese tasting stop at Henri Willig was absolutely amazing. We bought a few different cheeses. On the way to Giethoorn, we stopped at an apple orchard and our Tour Guide shared some delicious red apples with us (we did not leave the coach). Then we went to Giethoorn which is something out of the pages of a fairytale! Despite the heavy rain, we absolutely loved the village! We had some free time to explore the village and grab lunch. I had lunch at a cafe where the boats land. Unfortunately I cannot recall the name of it. The food was amazing and the Dutch Apple pancakes out of this world. The service was also very nice. Our tour guide, Fernando was great, he is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humour. All in all, the tour was amazing. We are going back to the Netherlands in 4 months and I intend to book this tour again!

10.0 out of 10

Positive_H

Reviewed on Viator
3 Jan 2025
I had an amazing experience with this local tour in the Netherlands! The tour guide was not only hardworking but also incredibly kind and attentive. He went above and beyond by treating us to delicious local apples and capturing the best photos for us. The team was very flexible and friendly, making the whole trip smooth and enjoyable. Don’t hesitate to book this tour – it’s absolutely worth it! 👍👍👍

10.0 out of 10

Charles_S

Reviewed on Viator
27 Dec 2024
Ibrahim did a great job. He was sharing information the entire trip as he drove educating us on everything about the country and the sites we were visiting

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