Private Tour
The Ultimate Zaanse-Schans Private Day Trip
Overview
Available languages
4 hours
Mobile ticket
What if there was a way to experience Zaanse-Schans away from the big tourist busses and audio guides? Well, you are in luck because this is the private Zaanse-Schans day trip you are looking for!
Meet your local guide in Amsterdam and embark on a Zaanse-Schans journey where you'll get to discover this unique attraction off the beaten path. Yes, get ready to experience Zaanse-Schans windmill town from an authentic perspective with its highlights, the ins and outs, stories, and cultural facts - just for you! And don't forget to check out Clog-making workshop, a must-see while exploring with your local guide.
Withlocals The Ultimate Zaanse-Schans Private Day Trip™ is one of Withlocals' signature tours available in major cities worldwide. We work with passionate local guides who earn a fair fee. We support local economies by only offering local products and prevent over-tourism with only small non-intrusive groups. Our tours are carbon-neutral and away from the standard tourist routes.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Wear comfortable shoes.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Zaanse Schans
Be part of a wooden clogs or 'klompen' workshop at a local shoemaking factory
Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm
Learn about the different cheeses in Holland & taste them
What‘s Included
Cheese Tasting
Entrance Ticket to a Windmill
Public transport
Private local guide
Carbon neutral experience
Lunch
Entrance to any other attractions than mentioned
Hotel pick up and drop-off
Options
Zaanse Schans Private Tour
Short Description: This picturesque village is a glimpse into the true roots of the country. Working windmills & a local cheese factory wait
Reviews
44 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Best tour of our trip so far!!
Lisa S,,Mar 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Olga was our best guide on our trip to Amsterdam. She is so knowledgeable about the dutch culture and history. We so enjoyed our beautiful day in Zaanse Schans we were able to walk through a windmill, climb to the top and learn about the inner workings, see both a cheese and shoemaking presentation, and enjoy some dutch treats. I felt our experience was unique. We enjoyed our tour with her so much that we are changing our plans and spending another afternoon with her in the old town.
Perfect Day Trip to Zaanse-Schans
jenn ottley,,Mar 27, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00If you want the perfect way to see Zaanse-Schans, I highly recommend booking Olga as your guide. Prior to our experience, Olga was great at communicating with us. She made it very easy to find her at our meeting spot. Once we were at Zaanse-Schans her stories and depth of knowledge of both the town and of Amsterdam made our day even more special. We had a private cheese making demonstration, saw how clogs were made and toured inside a windmill. We learned about the history of the houses, how people lived, worked and slept. We learned so much about the history and meanings of the windmills (windmills used as code during WWII - I had never heard this before). She had answers to all my questions - even when I asked about paint colors. Olga was such a joy to spend time with. Her love of Holland clearly came through. This was so much better than joining a large tour group or even going on our own. The depth of knowledge and Olga has made this an experience we won't forget.
wonderful time with Olga
Jeffrey R,,Aug 7, 2023
- Review from Viator
5.00Olga was a great guide and great communication. You will not be disappointed to spend time with Olga to learn about the area.
Fantastic tour guide
N3555KWlindah,,Jul 9, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00If you do not book a tour with Olga you are missing out. She is so friendly, genuine and patient. We did her tour of the windmills at Zaanse Schans. I wish we booked more tours with her! She knows the ins and outs of Amsterdam and has some fascinating facts that she shared about this beautiful city. My daughter and I highly recommend her as a tour guide. If you are English speaking her knowledge of the language is perfect.
Great tour, guide, and minimal carbon footprint
Amber D,,Jun 28, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a private tour with just me and my husband. It was nice because we could ask questions and got good info. I will warn you we did not read the fine print and did not realize we would be on public transportation. It was fine but if you were expecting someone to pick you up, you will be disappointed. We met our guide, Vita, at the central Amsterdam station and had a very good tour. She took care of making sure we saw the sights, knew the history, and got to know about the places we passed through. She was very knowledgeable and we would definitely utilize her again.
Best tour ever!!!!
anniebGreece,,Apr 10, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Christa was knowledgeable, through, personable, flexible, cheerful, your guide. We throughly enjoyed our tour with her. Do NOT hesitate to book with her. She should be your first choice.
Wonderful day trip
Beth S,,Jul 17, 2022
- Review from Viator
5.00Olga was a wonderful guide! Friendly and informative. Warm and charming very knowledgeable about the country and visit. Highly recommend.
Just what we wanted
sccrref,,Jul 3, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a last minute booking. We actually tried to rides bikes to the windmills the day before and got lost! This was the way to go. We met our guide outside the train station, hopped on the train, arrived, and began the adventure. My wife really wanted to see the windmills so we flexed the schedule a bit and spent more time there, skipped the chocolates and did the cheese tasing. It was a very enjoyable afternoon. On one of the working windmills that were cutting wood we were allowed to get close and one of the guys gave us a lesson how it was being done. I should note that the cheese shop was excellent. We bought a few for the rest of our travels. Nice break from the city
Always worth it
56berndw,,Apr 28, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00No matter what the weather, a visit to the Zaanse Schans with its many windmills is definitely not to be missed. Going here is always worth it
Not worth the price
Joellen P,,Apr 19, 2022
- Review from Viator
3.00After experiencing this tour, our family decided that it was not worth the price. We felt that we could've easily done this experience on our own. Our guide was nice but we felt she did not add much value to this experience. We did not feel like we were on a private tour, more just like we had someone walking around with us to show us where things were. We did not get a lot of information unless we specifically asked about something and felt the guide was not super interested in the topic. Going inside the pigment making windmill was neat and interesting but that was where it ended. The cheese tasting that is "included" was just a walk through a cheese shop that offers free samples to everyone (the same Henry Willig shops that are everywhere in Amsterdam). The chocolate tasting was in a cute little chocolate shop but was really nothing special...you just mixed up your own cup of mediocre hot chocolate. The wooden shoe making shop had the potential to be neat but it was so crowded you couldn't even walk. Our visit was on Easter weekend so I'm sure that was a contributor to some of the crowds, but we were told that pre-covid, tourist crowds like this were normal. Overall, the windmills were neat and the historic little town was cute but it was very touristy and the Viator description of this tour definitely oversold the experience. I would highly recommend spending your vacation time and money elsewhere.
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