Private Tour to Zaanse Schans Mills Edam Volendam Marken
Discover the Dutch countryside on a tailor-made V.I.P. tour where you can wander around its typical houses, taste a plate of fried fish in its taverns or sit in front of the lake in the port of Marken. This excursion combines the best of traditional Holland, 16th century mills in a rural landscape with peat meadows protected due to their architectural, historical and landscape value. You will see unique magical villages where the blue of the sky mixes with the fields, mills, the smell of cocoa, the boats that sail along the river next to 17th century houses. You will be able to see how the typical Dutch clogs are made, you will think you are dreaming of another time! You will learn part of the history of this country with a qualified guide, who will explain to you about the engineering of its canals, construction of its polders, drainage of lakes, construction of dams, architecture, economy. When you finish this tour it will undoubtedly be one of your best experiences on this vacation.
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Private Tour to Zaanse Schans Mills Edam Volendam Marken
What's included in Private Tour to Zaanse Schans Mills Edam Volendam Marken
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
Het TwiskePass-by Only
On the way to Zaanse Schans we will pass Het Twiske, a nature and recreation reserve and a typical North Dutch peat lake area in the Zaan region. It is located north of Amsterdam-Noord, between the villages of Landsmeer, Oostzaan and Den Ilp. In 2012, Het Twiske was designated a Natura 2000 area. It is an EU initiative to protect and preserve nature of great biological, aesthetic or economic value. The flora and fauna found in Het Twiske are of European importance due to the presence of wet grasslands, marsh areas and fresh waters which are important for the protection of wigeons. These birds winter in large numbers at Stootersplas, but black-tailed godwit, moustached godwit, bittern and marsh harrier can also be found there. Het Twiske is a protected breeding site for all these birds.
Zaanse Schans
In this wonderful village located in Kalverpolder, it is a landscape with peat meadows protected due to its architectural, historical and landscape value. You will see a unique, magical village where the blue of the sky mixes with the fields, mills, goats, the smell of cocoa, the boats that sail next to houses from the 17th century. You will be able to see how clogs are made, you will daydream! You will see windmills that were used to drain polders, build this country, dry lakes, build ships. These were also used to derail barley, grind grain, cut wood, make paper, spices, mustard, fabrics. Of the 9,000 windmills that once stood, only 1,000 remain today. For this reason, in 1961, architects Jaap Schipper and Cornelis de Jong created the Zaanse Schans project to preserve the national heritage, since the windmills were replaced by steam engines, diesel engines, combustion engines, etc. due to the industrial revolution. You can't miss it!
The wooden clog workshop was the first company to be established in Zaanse Schans. De Vrede, an 18th century warehouse, was intended for the storage of grain, tobacco and flour. "In this warehouse they decided to preserve the art of wooden clog making and to make it a museum collection. In the 19th century, industrialisation and increasing prosperity caused the demand for wooden clogs to decline, especially in urban areas, which also caused the number of wooden clog makers to decline. More than a century ago, more than 8,000 people worked in the wooden clog making industry; now there are only a dozen left. Fortunately, Jaap Kooijman managed to save several old wooden clog making machines from being thrown away. Clogs are used by farmers to protect their feet from rain, heavy machinery and to be passed down from generation to generation. Here you can try on these beautiful wooden clogs.
Inclusions
- Private transportation
- Water
- Demonstration of how traditional wooden clogs are made in the region
- Tasting of typical Dutch cookies
- Dutch cheese tasting
- Guide
- Lunch or dinner
- Tips
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Child seats or chairs are available upon request and advance notice.
- It is possible to go in a wheelchair if someone can push the chair or she can do it herself and get in and out of the car alone.
- It is not recommended for people who have difficulty walking on a large scale.
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Meeting / End Points
- We pick up travellers at the hotel reception. Guests who are not in the immediate area will be picked up at Amsterdam Central Station by kiss & ride. Address: 14 De Ruijterkade. Right where the ferries to Noord leave next to the taxi rank.
