Day Trip to Alkmaar and Zaanse Schans
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Traveling to The Netherlands conjures two images: tulip fields and windmills. On the third day of our Five Days in Amsterdam, we decided to do a self-guided trip to Alkmaar and Zaanse Schans.
Day Trip to Alkmaar and Zaanse Schans From Amsterdam: (Jump To)
Sadly, as we were visiting in early September, our dreams of seeing fields of blooming tulips were dashed because (as you may have heard) flowers don’t bloom year-round. Tulip season in The Netherlands is in April. Technically you can do okay tulip-wise from the end of March until mid-May.
(Don’t worry though, we saw the glorious tulip fields during another visit, read all about it.)
Fortunately, windmills (unlike flowers) are a year-round attraction.
Alkmaar and Zaanse Schans From Amsterdam by Train
We decided to create a Holland circle tour hitting Alkmaar first, continuing to Zaanse Schans, then returning to Amsterdam. The entire tour was done via train and only required one train ticket for the day. Buying the train ticket was extremely easy. We simply went to the NS Travel Assistance counter, told the nice man our plans for the day, and he handed us our tickets for the day along with a printed itinerary. The ticket for the day cost about USD$10 each.
Amsterdam is connected to Alkmaar by 4 trains per hour. The total trip from Amsterdam to Alkmaar takes under 40 minutes. We left Amsterdam Central Station bright and early, landing us in Alkmaar just before 10 AM. The town was still waking up. Shop owners were opening the shudders as we took the short walk from the train station down Langestraat, the city’s main street.
Holland vs. The Netherlands?
Let's pause for a moment to discuss Holland vs The Netherlands. I was very confused about the terminology. You hear about the windmills of Holland, not about the windmills of The Netherlands, right? It's actually quite simple. There are two provinces, Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland (in English North and South Holland), that are collectively called Holland. It's kind of like if you were to group North and South Dakota together by calling them “The Dakotas.”
Cheese in Alkmaar
Alkmaar is most famous for its cheese market. Cheese is all the rage in the tiny town. You can spend the day tasting cheese, trying on interesting cheese-related apparel, or even visiting the Cheese Museum.
The outdoor traditional Dutch cheese market happens on Friday mornings in the square in front of the cheese museum.
Train From Alkmaar to Zaanse Schans
Our next stop, Zaanse Schans, was another forty minutes away by train. You have to be careful on this route, many of the trains are “Sprinter Trains” that go directly to Amsterdam with limited stops. Make sure to get on a train that will stop at the Zaandijk Zaanse Schans station. If you’re not sure, simply ask at the train station, they’re very helpful.
See the Windmills in Zaanse Schans
From the train station, walk about 10 minutes to Julianabrug Zaandijk, a massive bridge over the Zaan River. You can get some pretty spectacular photos of the Zaan River lined with windmills as you walk across.
Once you exit the bridge, you’ll be in the tiny, old-timey, Dutch tourist village. It is pure magic here. This is the Holland you’ve been looking for. There are fields with livestock, tiny bridges over tiny canals, and shops filled with treasures.
The Wooden Shoe Workshop of Zaanse Schans is a must-see. To find it, look for the pair of giant yellow wooden clogs. Inside is a vast assortment of clogs in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Throughout the day artisans give clog-making demonstrations in the workshop. It’s free to enter the shop and to watch the shoes get made.
De Haal is a giant cheese shop with an attached cheese-making display, also free to enter. You can sample cheeses of all kinds in the shop, or strike up a cheese-related chat with any of the knowledgeable staff.
Once you’ve exhausted all your quaint shopping needs, follow the path downriver passing each of the beautiful historic windmills. The windmills and the entire open-air museum of Zaanse Schans is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
One of the windmills, De Kat, is open for tours. Originally an oil mill, the windmill was first built in the 17th century (though it was moved to this location in the 1960s). Entering the windmill will set you back just under USD$6. The very small interior gives you a quick crash course on how windmills work. Climb up the steep ladder to have an amazing view from the outer windmill deck.
As you continue down the path, you’ll pass more historic windmills, some with the opportunity to tour, and others that are private residences. Eventually, you’ll find a ferry dock. It’s called a ferry, and there’s a big blue “ferry” sign, but it’s really just a small motorboat that takes you across the river in under five minutes for a few Euros (cash only).
Train from Zaanse Schans to Amsterdam
Once you are on the other side of the Zaan river it’s a 10-15 minute walk back to the train station. There you can take one of the frequent trains back to Amsterdam. Once on the train, you’ll be back at Amsterdam Central Station in about fifteen minutes.
This day trip is part of our five-day Amsterdam Itinerary.
