Hotels near Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans is a village of historic green wooden houses and working windmills along the River Zaan, moved here from around the region from the 1960s onwards to preserve the area's industrial heritage. The Zaan was once one of the world's first industrial zones, with hundreds of windmills grinding spices, sawing timber and pressing oil. Several mills still work and can be visited inside.

Walking around the village and along the dyke is free; individual mills, the Zaans Museum and the clog workshop charge separately or through a combined card. October brings moody skies over the flat landscape that suit the scene well, though it is exposed to wind and rain, so pack layers. Crowds are lighter than in spring and summer but build around midday when tour coaches arrive.

Mill opening hours shorten through the autumn, so check before travelling late in the month.

Pro Tip: Catch a train before 09:00 to arrive before the coaches, cross the bridge for the classic view of the mills reflected in the Zaan, and pick one mill to climb, such as De Kat, which grinds paint pigments.