Add dates

ZaandamCruises & boat tours

Our most recommended Zaandam Cruises & boat tours

Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and Marken Day Trip

1. Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and Marken Day Trip

Enjoy the picturesque Dutch countryside on a day trip by comfortable bus. Encounter the famous windmills, and learn about Dutch traditional crafts.Take advantage of free WiFi on board the bus as you travel. Discover the unique village of Zaanse Schans. Stroll around at your leisure and admire the well-preserved historic windmills and houses. Explore the fishing village of Volendam, visit a cheese shop still making cheese using a traditional Dutch method, and join a demonstration about Volendam cheese. Enjoy lunch at a traditional fish restaurant at your own expense, before exploring more of Volendam. Select the all-inclusive tour option for more activities including a boat ride to Marken, a visit to an operating windmill, and a clog-making demonstration.

From Amsterdam: Giethoorn & Zaanse Schans Tour w/ Boat Ride

2. From Amsterdam: Giethoorn & Zaanse Schans Tour w/ Boat Ride

Explore Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum in the Netherlands on a day tour from Amsterdam. See the cheese farm, clog factory, and more before a cruise tour through Giethoorn. You will pass through the small canals, beautiful houses, and cobbled stone lanes of the Dutch village. Your experience begins as your guide meets you near Amsterdam's Central Station, from where you travel to the typical Dutch windmill village of Zaanse Schans. Zaanse Schans is an open-air museum complete with a cheese farm, clog factory, diamond museum, bakery museum, and Kuiperij, where barrels were made to transport goods, green timber houses, traditional crafts, and windmills. Next, head to the unique Dutch village of Giethoorn, heading further north out of Amsterdam. As you travel, listen to learn about the history and significant elements in the Giethoorn region. The journey will take roughly 2 hours, with a break included ensuring a pleasant journey. Giethoorn is beautiful in all seasons and contains a simple beauty that hardly seems real. Discover this as you glide gently through its small canals, passing old but pretty thatched-roof farmhouses. Your captain will serve as a guide throughout this 1-hour boat trip around town. Get to know everything about Giethoorn, with extra time after your boat trip to walk or bike along a narrow footpath, or to learn how to operate the ''whisper boat'', an electric-motor boat. In the evening, arrive back in Amsterdam's center with the rest of your night to look forward to.

Amsterdam: Giethoorn, Volendam, and Zaanse Schans Tour

3. Amsterdam: Giethoorn, Volendam, and Zaanse Schans Tour

See three different regions of the Netherlands with pickup and drop-off from Hotel ibis Amsterdam Centre. Sample local cheeses, enjoy lunch, dress up and take pictures, and take a cruise in Giethoorn. First, start with a visit to the 17th-century village, Zaanse Schans. See windmills from the country's industrial background, and stroll among the green residences. Then visit a factory that makes the popular clogs in this region of the Netherlands.  Before continuing to Volendam, stop at Catharina Hoeve Farm, where you can sample cheese and learn how its made. In Volendam, see brightly-painted wooden buildings and residents dressed in vibrant regional clothing. Your guide will lead you on a brief stroll around Volendam harbor.  Pick up souvenirs and gifts for friends and family back home, and take photographs in traditional Dutch costumes. Stop for a local lunch, then continue to Giethoorn in the northeastern Netherlands, known as the "Venice of the North". See the numerous canals and lack of motorways in Giethroon. During a 1-hour guided boat trip, you'll learn about this fairy-tale village with less than 3,000 residents. Next, stroll through the preserved village.  Finally, explore the village's small footpaths to find hundreds of bridges and take in the tranquil ambiance before returning to Amsterdam.

Zaanse Schans: 60-Minute Private Luxury Cruise

4. Zaanse Schans: 60-Minute Private Luxury Cruise

Your journey starts at the main dock of Zaanse Schans. After being greeted by your host, you will step aboard the luxury licensed boat to start your adventure. The first stop is the famous windmills of Zaanse Schans. While you sit back and enjoy the comfortable boat, you will be able to admire a panoramic view of the centuries-old windmills. Your local tour guide will tell you everything you need to know about the history of the windmills and the rest of the area. Next, you will see some of the most beautiful houses of the area, which can only be seen properly by boat. You will pass close by these houses and your guide will tell you about their history.  You'll then head through the Dutch countryside to reach the scenic town of Wormerveer. This town has an interesting mix of old architecture and raw industrialism. Both towns are destinations where you can get a real taste of Holland. At the end of the cruise you will return to the starting point.

60Min Private Cruise - Zaanse Schans Private Cruise + Drinks

5. 60Min Private Cruise - Zaanse Schans Private Cruise + Drinks

Your journey starts at the main dock of the Zaanse Schans. After being greeted by your host, board the luxury licensed boat to begin your adventure. You will be greeted with a of selection of unlimited ice cold drinks to chose from. Enjoy a glass of wine, beer, soft drink or water, while you board your luxury cruise. The first stop is the famous windmills of Zaanse Schans. As you sit back and enjoy the comfortable boat, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the ancient windmills. Your local guide will tell you everything you need to know about the history of the windmills and the rest of the area. Next you will see some of the most beautiful houses in the area, which can only be seen properly by boat. You will get up close to these houses and your guide will tell you about their history. You will then head through the Dutch countryside to reach the quaint town of Wormerveer. This city has an interesting mix of old architecture and raw industrialism. Both cities are destinations where you can really taste Holland. At the end of the cruise, you will return to the starting point.

Zaanse Schans Windmills: Private Cruise with Food and Drinks

6. Zaanse Schans Windmills: Private Cruise with Food and Drinks

Your boat trip starts at a dock close to Zaandam Station. Step aboard a luxury boat and enjoy panoramic views from the boat, with a roof that can be opened on sunny days. During the ride, tuck into an unlimited selection of local beers, red and white wines, soft drinks, cheese, stroopwafels, and other Dutch snacks. Your skipper will tell you tales about these tasty goods. Begin by exploring the city of Zaandam from the water. Admire Zaandam's old and contemporary architecture and learn about the city's important role in the history of Holland. After a short ride, you will arrive at the famous windmills of the Zaanse Schans. See the 8 windmills and have the best view from the water. Your skipper will tell you amazing stories about the secrets of the centuries-old windmills. You will also pass close by some of the most beautiful houses in the area, which can only be seen properly by boat. Your guide will tell you everything you need to know about them as you continue through the Dutch countryside. Then, you will arrive at the scenic town of Wormerveer. Admire the interesting mix between old-school architecture and raw industrialism. Pass by local hotspots that are still relatively off the beaten tourist track, to get an authentic taste of what everyday life is really like. After a fun boat ride, you will be returned to your starting point.

Amsterdam: Boat Cruise to Windmill Village at Zaanse Schans

7. Amsterdam: Boat Cruise to Windmill Village at Zaanse Schans

Sail out of Amsterdam and towards the Dutch polder. Enjoy the unique landscape and stroll around a living village filled with operational wooden windmills. Sit back, relax and take in Holland's unique scenery as you leave the port of Amsterdam. Enjoy panoramic views from the boat's sun terrace as you glide through a landscape dotted with pumping stations, dikes, and, of course, windmills. Pass huge container cargo ships and through a traditional lock as you leave the city behind and make your way to the village. Disembark and take in a photogenic array of historic windmills, some of them over 350 years old. Stroll past the bakery museum and enjoy the smell of fresh cookies, or take a look at the clog warehouse or the cheese factory. Enjoy a last look at picturesque historic wooden houses and factories, before boarding your boat back to Amsterdam.

7 activities found
Sort by:

You might also like...

Immersive experiences

Frequently asked questions about Zaandam Cruises & boat tours

What are other things to do than Cruises & boat tours that are worth visiting in Zaandam?

The other unmissable things to do in Zaandam are:

Other Sightseeing Options in Zaandam

Want to discover all there is to do in Zaandam? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Zaandam

My husband & I would recommend this trip to absolutely everyone visiting, or even living in the Netherlands. Cherry is the most amazing guide. She’s an all-round special human being. Kind, friendly, thoughtful and gentle, yet confident in her approach to working with people. She is well informed & very knowledgeable beyond the 2 places visited. Her passion for travel is infectious. We were a small group of 7 - an ideal number. Cherry’s approach is so wonderful, you can’t help but feel like you’re among old friends. Even though it was low season & cold, the beauty and charm of these 2 places was in no way compromised. Cherry Travel(we booked through Get Your Guide) is incredibly professional, very reliable, communicative at ALL times. Turnaround time for queries is fast. Our next visit to Europe will definitely include another trip booked with Cherry Travel.

I had a wonderful experience, learned a lot both from the audio recordings and our guides. The motor coach was very large, double decker, comfortable. I didn’t expect it to be that large and packed with fellow tourists in mid-February. If I went by myself I’d probably spend more time in each place, I guess I felt slightly rushed. We covered a lot of ground in short period of time. Our guides were extremely kind, helpful and knowledgeable! Very funny, too! Our driver was also super professional and supportive of all our needs. I’m not sure I could take care of everyone the way they did! Many thanks to the entire team, they were brilliant. If I went again, I’d have an early lunch before the trip or be prepared with some healthy snacks until the 3-4 pm. meal.

It's worth the money! Eldos was very helpful and knowledgeable about the history of the Netherlands! We really enjoyed every stop and enjoyed Eldos company!

A must do when in Amsterdam. Tony and Merriam were our great host. They are very knowledgeable and entertaining.

Friendly guides who made the tour very interesting and informative.