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Dutch Countryside from Amsterdam: Volendam, Edam, Zaanse Schans
Badge of ExcellenceAmsterdam, Netherlands
From $48.81
Select Date and Travelers
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
- 6 hours 30 minutes
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Experience three icons of the Dutch countryside—windmills, cheese, and wooden clogs—on a day trip from Amsterdam. Journey to the North Holland towns of Zaanse Schans, Edam, and Volendam, where you can view working windmills at an open-air museum, visit a dairy farm or cheese weighing house, and step inside a clog factory. You’ll travel outside the city aboard a single-decker coach, allowing for a smaller group experience with your professional guide. If option selected, your ticket includes a ticket for a 1-hour canal cruise in Amsterdam.
- Explore the historic windmills of Zaanse Schans
- Marvel at the landmark monuments of Volendam, including the old fish auction rooms
- Watch traditional craftsmen at work, making clogs and other artifacts
- Travel on a comfortable, single-decker coach with an onboard guide
What's Included
- Live commentary on bus
- Multi - Lingual Guided tour of Zaanse Schans, Edam and Volendam
- Visit a clog (wooden shoe) maker
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Entry fee to the windmills at the Zaanse Schans
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- De Ruijterkade 105, 1011 AB Amsterdam, Netherlands
From the front of the Amsterdam Central Station, turn to your left and walk in the eastern direction. Keep on walking and cross the bridge. Walk until you reach the Hilton hotel. Turn left and follow the walkway underneath the railway crossing. Check-in inside Grand Cafe 1884
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Start with a 20-minute drive to the windmill village of Zaanse Schans on the banks of the Zaan River. It's home to traditional 18th and 19th-century architecture, including several functioning windmills. There will be some free time to explore the village on your own. You can also watch a clog maker at work, crafting the famous wooden shoes of the Netherlands.
From there continue to Edam, referred to as the pearl of the Zuiderzee. Edam’s ancient streets and tranquil canals are lined by beautiful 17th-century buildings, including the leaning Carillon tower, the Great Church, and town hall. Most famous in Edam is beyond any doubt the public weighing house, where in summer still every Wednesday the famous Edam Cheese is sold.
Then, you will stop in the beautiful seaside village of Volendam. This typical fishing village with its bustling harbor has been a major tourist attraction as early as 1875. People come from all over to see the small buildings and houses and take in the locals in their traditional Dutch clothing. This is a great place to pick up souvenirs for those at home or a memento for yourself, and to have photos taken in traditional Dutch costume. Your guide will take you on a short walk through the oldest parts of the city, to sites such as St. Vincent’s Church, the wooden Stolphoevekerk and the Visafslag (Fish Auction). You'll also have some free time to explore.
After a stroll around this history-rich town, you’ll have the opportunity to see how the area's world-famous cheese is made and, of course, to taste it in a nearby cheese farm in Utrecht.
Then, you'll watch live demonstrations in a clog factory before heading back to Amsterdam.
If you've opted to include the canal cruise, you'll get an open ticket that lets you board at a time convenient to you.
From there continue to Edam, referred to as the pearl of the Zuiderzee. Edam’s ancient streets and tranquil canals are lined by beautiful 17th-century buildings, including the leaning Carillon tower, the Great Church, and town hall. Most famous in Edam is beyond any doubt the public weighing house, where in summer still every Wednesday the famous Edam Cheese is sold.
Then, you will stop in the beautiful seaside village of Volendam. This typical fishing village with its bustling harbor has been a major tourist attraction as early as 1875. People come from all over to see the small buildings and houses and take in the locals in their traditional Dutch clothing. This is a great place to pick up souvenirs for those at home or a memento for yourself, and to have photos taken in traditional Dutch costume. Your guide will take you on a short walk through the oldest parts of the city, to sites such as St. Vincent’s Church, the wooden Stolphoevekerk and the Visafslag (Fish Auction). You'll also have some free time to explore.
After a stroll around this history-rich town, you’ll have the opportunity to see how the area's world-famous cheese is made and, of course, to taste it in a nearby cheese farm in Utrecht.
Then, you'll watch live demonstrations in a clog factory before heading back to Amsterdam.
If you've opted to include the canal cruise, you'll get an open ticket that lets you board at a time convenient to you.
Zaanse Schans
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Edam
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Volendam Haven
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Alidahoeve
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Kooijman Souvenirs & Clogs Wooden Shoe Workshop
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Prins Hendrikkade 25
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Tour Company will strictly follow all RIVM COVID-19 guidelines.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 60 travelers
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
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Featured review
Rosa_N
We enjoyed our guide. He was informative and funny! Learned things about the Netherlands, saw how cheese and wooden shoes are made, and experienced the countryside and some small towns outside Amsterdam. As well as the old windmills. Quite a different view! A very enjoyable half day tour which we recommend.
Reviews
4.5
509 reviews
Teresa_L, May 2024
Terrific day visiting the three areas. Edam was quite crowded and we missed some of the tour because we were separated from our group, but still a fun day.
Richard_L, May 2024
Tour guide did a good job cover both English and Germany versions. Time management is good for the whole trip.
Molly_D, Apr 2024
The scenery was beautiful. The windmills were glorious up close and personal. Edam was quick and rushed. Every place needed more time. The itinerary was not what was listed. The driver was amazing.
Joe_L, Apr 2024
Nice day out. Our guide Harold was a lot of fun and provided just the right amount of academia to support each location we visited. Harold also did a nice job accommodating us during an unfortunate series or frigid rain downpours. Overall - highly recommend this 6 hour outing.
William_S, Apr 2024
The trip was too much bus time and too touristy! Volendam was the best part along with the cheese factory. Other than those parts, we felt like we wasted a day in the Netherlands. Would not recommend.
Ummara_S, Apr 2024
This tour was great. Fleur was our guide and she was so spirited and friendly -really made the day even more fun. The tour was great, in my opinion I wish we had more time at Zaanse Schans and could have skipped Volendam.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi there!
Thank you for leaving us a review. We will pass on your lovely comment to our guide!
Kind regards,
Tour Company
Shannon_B, Apr 2024
The good: the bus was comfortable, the tour guide was friendly, they waited for us when we got lost, the sites were lovely.
I think we just aren’t large group tour people. I never knew the guide’s name. There was one family who needed a German translation l, so she spent half the time repeating everything for them (very impressive). You walk through the village of Edam but no time to stop and stroll or shop. The day we went they were filming a movie on Main Street, so we didn’t even get to see most of the downtown. Next, you go to a tourist trap cheese shop. Note: you can get the same thing at the airport of half the price! Then you are on your own to get lunch in Volendam. Last, you walk through the windmill village on your own. Note: you have to pay a small fee to go in each building and you only have about an hour to see it all.
The bus driver and the tour guide spent a lot time chatting with each other; I was hoping she’d be telling us more about Holland.
The directions for the initial meeting point are confusing. Just put Grand Cafe into Google Maps—the tour office door and the cafe door are adjacent.
You’re paying for a guided tour, but you are on your own most of the time. I know it’s hard with 46 people, so we just wished we had hired a private car and local guide.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi there!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We are always working on improving our tours and appreciate your feedback!
Kind regards,
Tour Company
Joanne_H, Mar 2024
Great for convenience, get a lot of bang for your buck. Easy to see multiple sites if you don’t want to spend too much time at each. Our tour guide was very soft spoken, difficult to hear when not on intercom in the bus. While sweet and seemingly kind, she was not dynamic and added no interest or humor to the basic information that she provided. I’ll give her that she had to present twice, in English and in Spanish, which may have interrupted her normal flow. Overall, a worthwhile excursion for our needs.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Hi there!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review and feedback. We are happy to hear you still had a good time on our tour!
Kind regards,
Tour Company
Jacob_S, Mar 2024
Tour was a well put together event, showing the nice high lights of each location that we toured to.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Hi there!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We are happy to hear you enjoyed our tour!
Kind regards,
Tour Company
Niya_B, Mar 2024
My son and I had a great time on this tour! I would recommend that if you go with a small child to make sure you have someone else with you. The tour can be a bit fast paced when you have to constantly change a small one!
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Hi there!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We are happy to hear you enjoyed our tour!
Kind regards,
Tour Company
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Dutch Countryside from Amsterdam: Volendam, Edam, Zaanse Schans
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