A Perfect Day Trip from Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans & Zaandam

First stop: Zaanse Schans - A Fairytale Village full of Windmills

If you’re spending time in Amsterdam and craving a peaceful escape that still feels like it's coming straight out of a storybook, this day trip is perfect for you. Just one train ticket, two charming towns, and countless photo ops later and you’ll be wondering how this wasn't already on your itinerary.

My day started quietly, just me and my little backpack, heading north from Amsterdam Centraal. A 17-minute train ride brought me to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans, followed by a 10-minute stroll past canals and cottages until I arrived at the postcard-perfect village of Zaanse Schans. This place looked like it was built for fairytales: rows of traditional green wooden houses, slowly turning windmills in the wind, and locals carving wooden clogs by hand. The air smelled faintly of cocoa and cheese, and there was something deeply calming about it all.

🧀 PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: I highly recommend stopping into the local cheese shop - Cheese & More by Henri Willig. Entry is free, and so are the samples - lots of them. Try the herb-infused goudas and aged varieties, and don't forget the cheese dips… then try all of it again for good measure ;). If you want to take home some of the cheese, they'll even package it, so that it gets through airport security intact.

📸 Things to Do in Zaanse Schans

• Explore windmills up close ( go inside for an even better experience: entry costs vary between 4 - 5€).

• Watch traditional clog-making demonstrations.

• Visit Henri Willig's cheese shop and taste dozens of local cheese samples - for free!

• Visit a local bakery and enjoy fresh warm waffles and hot cocoa.

• Snap peaceful photos of the canals, bridges, and grazing goat family.

📍 How to Get There

Take a train from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans (17 minutes). From the station, it’s a short 10-minute walk to the village.

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Second Stop: Zaandam - The Lego City

On the way back to Amsterdam, I made a quick detour and stopped in Zaandam, and wow, no one warned me that it would feel like I walked into a real-life Lego City set. The city center is vibrant and surreal in the best way. Brightly green coloured facades are stacked in a way that looks cartoonishly perfect, with the Inntel Hotel Zaandam being the eye-catching centerpiece. It’s quirky, fun, and wildly photogenic. I can assure you, that you will take at least 20 photos in under 5 minutes. A quick wander through town gave me even more to love: cozy shops, locals on bikes, and a laid-back vibe that made it feel like the perfect addition to the calm of Zaanse Schans's windmills.

📸 Things to Do in Zaandam

• Take photos of the Inntel Hotel Zaandam, and maybe you'll even spot the little waterfall nearby.

• Explore the colourful main square and pedestrian streets.

• Pop into local cafés, bakeries and supermarkets.

🕒 Even just 30–60 minutes in Zaandam is worth the stop, especially if you're already passing through! In my opinion, an hour is more than enough to see everything important Zaandam has to offer.

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Day Trip Logistics & Travel Tips

Route

• 🚆 Amsterdam Centraal → Zaandijk Zaanse Schans (17 min)

• 🥐 Explore Zaanse Schans' windmill paradise for 3-4 hours.

• 🚆 Zaanse Schans → Zaandam (5 min)

• ☕ Wander through Zaandam's Lego City for an hour.

• 🚆 Zaandam → Amsterdam Centraal (12 min)

Train Info

• Just tap in with your contactless card - no reservations needed.

• Trains run very frequently; just check the NS website: https://www.nsinternational.com

• The distances from the stations to the villages are super walkable, so no need for an extra Uber ride.

Your Photo Bucket-List!

• 🌿 Windmill reflections over the water

• 🧀 Your favourite cheese tasting moment

• 🐐 A selfie with the goat family

• 🏨 The iconic Inntel Hotel in Zaandam

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Final Thoughts

Traveling alone made this day extra special! There’s just something about walking slowly through windmills, tasting cheese at your own pace, and taking as many photos as you want with zero judgment. Whether you’re solo or not, this day trip is easy, affordable, and full of beautiful contrasts: peaceful nature, playful city design, and a slice of history, too.