Amsterdam Windmills
Amsterdam windmills village
Seeing the Amsterdam windmills is a highlight of any visit to Amsterdam. Zaanse Schans Windmills is without doubt one of the most popular day trips from Amsterdam, hosting around a million visitors every year and it is easy to see why. Most visitors will visit for around a half-day, either on their own or on one of the guided Zaanse Schans half-day tours.
Everyone associates windmills with the Netherlands and Amsterdam windmills are perhaps as iconic as the tulip when you think about this beautiful city.
You’ll often see imagery from Zaanse Schans promoting Amsterdam and its surroundings as it is ridiculously picturesque. So, if you want to see windmills in Amsterdam coupled with a traditional Dutch village along the river, Zaanse Schans is a must visit. You don’t get just one windmill either, but six working windmills.
If you love photography like we do, you’ll probably go more than once at different times too.
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Amsterdam Windmill tour
One of the reasons that Zaanse Schans is so popular is that it is an outdoor attraction and as such is free to enjoy. However, there are specific attractions in the village that have entry fees. If you are happy just strolling around looking at the beautiful windmills dotted along the river and the outside of traditional houses, then it is one of the cheapest days out in Amsterdam.
It is worth noting that you need to get to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam though. You can buy transfer tickets to make this easy, make your own way there or join one of the many tours running throughout the year. You’ll find links to the most popular Amsterdam Windmill tours below.
Zaanse Schans Windmills
There is though a lot more to discover here should you wish to invest a little bit more time and money. You can visit the six windmills and discover crafts people at work, see daily demonstrations at the Catherine Hoeve Cheese Farm complete with traditional costumes, visit a clog workshop, a weaver and barrel maker. There is also the main Zaanse Schans Museum, the Albert Heijn Museum Shop, the Zaanse Time Museum, Bakery Museum de Gecroonde Duyvekater, Honig Breethuis and Jisper House.
You can also take a cruise along the river to see the village and the windmills from the water. All the above have their own entry fees paid at the time of visiting.
If you decide to go on an organsised tour like the ones below, you will find most of the above entrance tickets included within the tour price, along with a knowledgeable guide to give you more insight than you may be able to find on your own.
Zaanse Schans is often included as part of a tour with other nearby attractions. Giethoorn being one of the most popular, Giethoorn is a very pretty village with waterways, thatched houses and charm like nothing else and is well worth visiting.
The I Amsterdam City Card also includes access to the Zaanse Schans and the boat ride, as well as a host of other big attractions in Amsterdam.
Zaanse Schans Windmills Opening Times
High season – 9-5 pm – April to November
Low season – times vary – December to March
What to see at Zaanse Schans
How many windmills does Zaanse Schans have?
There are six working industrial windmills at Zaanse Schans, each of them producing different products. There are however an additional two miniature or mini-mills at Zaanse Schans. These were used to pump water and crush sandstone.
Ticket prices and opening times are subject to change due to the pandemic, so please use the below as a guide only.
Paint Mill DeKat (1664)
This windmill produces pigments/oils, chalk and shows paint techniques. It is open 9am-4.30pm Monday to Sunday in high season (April to September). It is closed in low season – October to March.
Prices: Adults/children (13+) €5.00
Children 6-12 €2.50
Groups 10+ €4.00pp
Family Card €12.00
De Gekroonde Poelenburg (1866/67)
This windmill is a specialist saw mill. It has seen a varied life since it was built. Originally built in 1869 in Koog aan de Zaan but in 1904 it had to make way and move to De Gouw. It found its resting place in Zaanse Schans in 1963 when it was taken apart and rebuilt here. As the buildings in this era were all wood, one of the windmills had to be responsible as a working wind powered saw mill. You will smell the sawdust here.
De Zoeker (1610)
Another windmill with a varied life that has moved location often and found its home at Zaanse Schans in 1968. It has operated as a paint mill, oil mill, polder mill and cocoa mill.
Prices: Adults/children (13+) €5.00
Children 6-12 €2.50
Groups 10+ €4.00pp
Family Card €12.00
Het Jonge Schaap (2007)
This windmill is a replica of the original which was a six-sided, over-wheeling wood saw mill. The original was demolished in 1942 and this replica was created using as many of the 17th Century building techniques and wood as possible. It makes most of its income from the sale of wood, so on a windy day you’ll witness a very busy working place.
Opening times: High Season (April to September) Mon-Sun 9.30am-4.30pm. Low season (October to March) Closed.
Prices: Adults/children (13+) €5.00
Children 6-12 €2.50
Groups 10+ €4.00pp
Family Card €12.00
De Huisman (1756)
This windmill sits on top of a spice warehouse where you’ll find your senses assaulted by world spices. You can taste the variety of spices and of course buy your favourites from the shop.
Opening times: High Season (April to September) Mon-Sun 10am-5pm. Low season (October to March) Closed.
De Bonte Hen (1693)
This is an octogonal mill that has stood since 1693, surviving multiple lightning strikes in its history. It was restored in the 1970’s and currently produces oil.
Prices: Adults/children (13+) €5.00
Children 6-12 €2.50
Groups 10+ €4.00 pp
Family Card €12.00
Other attractions at Zaanse Schans
Windmill Museum
Enjoy an interactive experience showing the social development of the area, its culture, wealth and poverty over time. You will see displays of the windmills, models, green wooden houses and Dutch icons such as Albert Heijn. The journey takes in the first windmills right up to the newest factories.
Open daily 10am-5pm. (closed 25 Dec & 1 Jan)
Adults €15.00
Child (4-17) €7.50
Schansend 7
1509 AW Zaandam
The Netherlands
The Catherine Hoeve Cheese Farm
Experience the cheesemakers dressed in traditional costume as you discover the different types of cheeses produced during your tour of the farm. You’ll also get to sample some of the delicious varieties of cheeses produced.
Open daily 10-5pm
Clog Workshop
Visit the clog workshop in Zaanse Schans where you can see how clogs are made. There is also a small clog museum which holds the largest collection of clogs in the Netherlands. These include painted clogs, ice clogs, horse clogs and art clogs. There is a large shop where you can buy your own pair of clogs in all sorts of colours, sizes and varieties.
Free entry and open April to September from 9am – 5pm. On Christmas day and New Years Day it is open 9am-3pm. On New year’s Eve it is open 9am – 4pm.
The Weavers House
Here you will see how traditional Dutch sails are made and uncover the history of what it was like to work during the 18th Century. Staff demonstrate the art of weaving whilst wearing traditional costumes.
Open daily from 10am – 5pm.
Adults €2
Children (4-17) €1
How much time do I need in Zaanse Schans
Most visitors choose to visit for a morning or afternoon. Taking around 2-4 hours to explore the area and attractions. It would be easy to stay longer as the surroundings are very beautiful and relaxing.
Zaanse Schans Card
This specialist card is all you’ll need to enjoy entrance to the attractions at Zaanse Schans. The card covers entrance to Verkake Chocolate and Biscuit Factory, entrance to Weaver’s House, Paintmill ‘De Kat’, Windmill ‘Het Jonge Schaap and the Coopery. You’ll also gain entrance to Museum Zaanse Tijd, the World of Windmills, a map and scavenger hunt for kids. You’ll need to make your own way there, details of how are below, along with further details of the attractions.
How to get to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam
By road the distance is 18.3km, around a 20-min drive, you will have to pay parking on arrival.
The train will take around 15-20 minutes and cost between €7-18. You pick up the train at Centraal Station and arrive at Zaandijk Zaanse Schans. There is a 10-minute signed walk from here, you’ll see the beautiful scenery and windmills as you walk.
You can also use the bus to get to Zaanse Schans. A Connexxion Bus Line 391 takes 40-minutes from Centraal Station and stops at Zaanse Schans. You can buy tickets from the driver, use your OV-Chipkaart or buy the Dakaart Zaanstreek day ticket which includes travel around the Zaan region too.
You might also like to consider the 1-3 day Amsterdam and Region Travel Ticket that covers travel around the areas close to Amsterdam. Useful if you are planning a few trips outside of Amsterdam.
If your feeling adventurous you can take your bike across the River IJ and cycle to Zaanse Schans too.
The other popular choice for visitors is to book onto one of the many guided tours to Zaanse Schans.
Accessibility at Zaanse Schans
Unfortunately not all of Zaanse Schans is wheelchair friendly. The only windmill that can be accessed is Jonge Schapp. Wheelchairs can be booked from the Zaanse Museum with disabled toilets at the main entrance.
What is the best time to visit Zaanse Schans
This is one of the most popular attractions in the Netherlands and with entrance being free to the area, it can get quite busy. Getting an early start will pay dividends if you are looking for empty backgrounds to your photos, as it is quieter early in the day (9am). After 3pm also tends to find crowds easing, but this gives you less time to get around and into each attraction, if you were visiting for the attractions and not just the views that is.
The Zaanferry
The Zaanferry offers a hop-on hop-off boat trip from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Zaanse Schans, Zaadam Centre and the town of Wormerveer. This is a slightly lesser known way to get to Zaanse Schans, but arguably the nicest way of all. You get to relax on a boat trip that acts as a sightseeing cruise, where you will see some of the iconic sights along the river IJ as you make your way to Zaanse Schans. It takes longer than the bus or train but is a great option for those not in a rush.
April to September – Monday to Sunday – 9am – 7pm
Adults return ticket Zaanse Schans – Amsterdam – €15.00
Children 0-2 – Free.
