Zaanse Schans
Working Windmills, Green Wooden Houses And Craft Workshops Gathered On The Zaan From The 1960s, With The Zaans Museum · Zaandam, North Holland
Zaanse Schans is a riverside village of green wooden houses, working windmills and craft workshops on the river Zaan, about 20 minutes north-west of Amsterdam. The Zaan district was once one of the world's first industrial landscapes, with hundreds of wind-powered mills sawing timber, pressing oil and grinding paint pigments and spices. From the early 1960s, threatened houses and mills from around the region were moved here and rebuilt, so what you see is a gathered heritage park rather than a village that grew on the spot. People come for the row of mills along the dike - several still turn and work, and some can be climbed - plus a clog-making demonstration, a cheese farm, the Zaans Museum with its Verkade chocolate pavilion and the smell of cocoa from the factories across the river. The honest caveat: it is partly staged and very busy with tour buses from mid morning, the shops push souvenirs hard, and although the outdoor area is free, the mills and museums charge one by one.
Zaanse Schans, Schansend, on the river Zaan near Zaandijk, about 20 minutes north-west of Amsterdam, Zaandam, North Holland, Netherlands
The outdoor area and dike path are open all day, every day, and free to walk. Mills, museums and shops mostly open about 09:00 or 10:00 to 17:00; some mills close on certain weekdays or in winter, and mills only turn when there is wind - confirm which are open. From Amsterdam Centraal take an NS train to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans (about 15-20 minutes) and walk 10-15 minutes, or take the bus from Centraal. Nothing needs booking for individuals; a general entrance fee has been discussed - confirm before you go.