Giethoorn Volendam Zaanse Schans Day Trip with Boat Tour
Giethoorn has no roads: only canals, footpaths and hundreds of bridges.
A full-day tour from Amsterdam visits three villages that define the Dutch countryside: Giethoorn, known as the Venice of the North for its canals and complete absence of roads; Volendam, a working harbor village with painted wooden houses; and Zaanse Schans, a preserved 17th-century settlement with operating windmills, a clog factory and a cheese maker. You take a guided boat through Giethoorn's canals, walk the footpaths of all three villages, and watch demonstrations at the artisan workshops.
Step-by-step itinerary
Visit Giethoorn, Volendam, and Zaanse Schans
- Travel to Giethoorn village
- Take 1-hour guided boat tour
- Explore Giethoorn on foot
- Travel to Volendam village
- Walk through Volendam harbor
- Shop souvenirs and take photos
- Travel to Zaanse Schans village
- Stroll past greenhouses and windmills
- Visit clog factory and cheese producer
What’s included
- A full-day tour from Amsterdam with transport by car, minivan or coach.
- a guided one-hour canal boat through Giethoorn.
- walking time and free exploration in Giethoorn, Volendam and Zaanse Schans.
- a live clog-making demonstration at the factory.
- a live cheese-making demonstration with a tasting at the cheese maker.
- and an English-speaking guide with local knowledge.
Times
Next departure: 1 Mar 2027
5 departing soon ›Before you book
Operated by XALAM TOURS & TRAVELS
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The experience
The boat tour in Giethoorn is the centerpiece: a guided hour through the canals of a village where fewer than 3,000 people live on man-made islands, each farmhouse accessible only by water or on foot. You see the narrow footpaths, the bridges connecting the islands, and the quiet that comes from having no cars. After the boat, you explore the village on foot, moving at your own pace through the preserved streets.
Volendam comes next, a harbor village that has drawn visitors since 1875. Your guide walks you through the working waterfront where brightly painted wooden houses line the docks. The harbor is lined with photo studios where you can dress in traditional Dutch costume, and shops selling local crafts and souvenirs. It is a working fishing village, not a museum: the boats still tie up at the docks.
Zaanse Schans closes the day with two live demonstrations. At the clog factory, you watch how the wooden shoes are carved and finished by hand. At the cheese maker, you see the production process and taste the result: Dutch cheese made in the traditional way. The village itself is a collection of 17th-century houses and windmills preserved from the nation's industrial past. You walk through the greenhouses and the grounds at your own pace. The full day runs nine to ten hours from your pickup in Amsterdam, with transport by car, minivan or coach depending on group size.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want to visit three villages in one day with a guide leading demonstrations at each stop. You'll watch the cheese and clog makers rather than try the crafts yourself, and move through the itinerary as a group.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Dutch.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 3): free.
What is Giethoorn actually like when you get there?
Giethoorn is a working village of fewer than 3,000 people built on small islands connected by footpaths and over a hundred bridges, with no roads at all. The guided boat tour takes you through the canals for an hour, and then you walk the village on your own, seeing how each farmhouse sits on its own island and how the residents move between them on foot or by boat.
How much walking is involved in this tour?
The tour involves a fair amount of walking across all three villages. You walk through Giethoorn after the boat tour, take a short guided walk through Volendam's harbor, and explore Zaanse Schans on foot. Comfortable shoes are essential, and the operator recommends at least a moderate level of physical fitness.
What do you actually see at Zaanse Schans?
Zaanse Schans is a preserved 17th-century village with a collection of beautifully maintained windmills and historic houses. You watch a live demonstration at a clog factory where wooden shoes are made by hand, and you taste Dutch cheese at a working cheese maker. You can also walk past charming greenhouses and explore the village grounds.
Is lunch included in the tour?
Food and drinks are not included in the tour price. You have free time in each village to purchase meals or snacks from local vendors and restaurants.
Giethoorn Volendam Zaanse Schans Day Trip with Boat Tour
9h–10h · EN +1
from € 139 per person
≈ US$ 158 in your currency
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.