Amsterdam is a very nice multicultural city, but if you are here for a longer period of time, it would be a shame not to make a trip out of it. I have three tips for you to places that are a short train or bus ride from Amsterdam.

1 ZAANSE SCHANS – OPEN AIR MUSEUM

OF THE DUTCH COUNTRYSIDE

This area is beautiful, and when you wake up in the morning, you will not only have it to yourself, but you will also avoid the crowds of tourists. Zaanse Schans is a small and very beautiful historical village where you will find the most famous windmills in Holland. They are strategically located along the banks of the Zaanse River. It looks like a forgotten world.

Historical buildings and mills from all over the province have been brought to the open-air museum and subsequently reconstructed. You can find everything you would look for in the whole of Holland, all in one place.

MY TIP:

What will make you happy: Entrance to the open-air museum is free, only entrances to the individual mills (4 Euros) are charged. Only one mill (for grinding spices) is free to visit. There is also an entrance fee to the museum building at the visitor center (I was not there, however). Entrances to the individual houses with production presentations are free. The open-air museum is open year-round, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THIS HISTORICAL OPEN-AIR MUSEUM?

It is located in the province of North Holland, 25 kilometers from Amsterdam. The fastest way is by train and it takes about 15 minutes.

WINDMILLS WHEREVER YOU LOOK

What will not surprise you is that the main attraction here are the windmills. They shine in all shades of green and can be found on the banks of the canals between the old wooden houses. In addition to the mills that grind grain into flour, you can also find a mill for processing wood, spices, an oil mill, or classic mills that serve as water pumps.

ORIGINAL VILLAGE HOUSES

I really liked that the entire village is decorated in green and it feels like you’re in a fairy tale.

TRADITIONAL PRODUCTION

If you bring your children, they will definitely have fun here. If you still have a little child in you, you will be thrilled too. You will find the Verkade chocolate and biscuit museum here, as well as the museum of the Dutch food chain Albert Heijn, which was founded in 1887.

CLOGS PRODUCTION

The open-air museum also has a clog museum, where various types for different occasions are displayed in display cases. The workshop demonstrates the production of clogs, which you can also buy here in all sizes and colors.

CHEESE TASTING

You can taste cheeses made on one of the farms that has a shop in the open-air museum for free. You can also buy cheeses here.

I definitely recommend visiting the open-air museum. They have it nicely done and everything is somehow put together.

2 VOLENDAM – FISHING TOWN

As the popular Dutch song goes: “If you want to see the true beauty of Holland, you must go to Volendam.” This is where you will see typical Dutch architecture. It is nice to just stroll through the romantic streets, and believe me, there are a lot of them here.

TYPICAL HOUSES

In his Pictures from Holland, Karel Čapek aptly described this area: “People no longer go sea fishing in the waters around Volendam, wicker baskets are in museums, old fishermen pose on the shore and their wives sell souvenirs in shops and houses – everything is simply different.”

DUTCH COSTUME

If you have the time and money, you can try out the Dutch period costume of the locals. There are several photo corners that offer this feature.

CHEESE TASTING

You can also taste cheeses in Volendam. But I have to admit that I liked them better in the open-air museum.

FISHING BOATS

At first glance, it will be obvious to you that it is a town of fishermen, full of fishing boats.

FISH DISHES

And it would be a sin not to try the fresh fish dishes here. They are rightly renowned far and wide. You can find restaurants with fish delicacies in all kinds of ways on every corner, you just have to choose.

3 MARKEN ISLAND

This fairy-tale village full of colorful wooden houses is located either by a half-hour boat ride from Volendam or by bus.

HOUSES ON WHEELS

PORT

Of course, you will find a small harbor on the island, where boats from nearby Volendam arrive. There is a very nice promenade, where it is nice to have a coffee. The weather was not very kind to us here. It was quite windy and sometimes it rained.

One of the attractions of Marken is the Het Paard lighthouse.

These places are absolutely ideal and you will be able to soak up the true atmosphere of typical Holland. You can learn about Dutch history and especially walk among the period houses. These towns are perfect for trips and my daughter and I really enjoyed it here.

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