The 15 Best Windmill Tours from Amsterdam

1.Guided Zaanse Schans, Windmills & Cheese Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4,826 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $22Our pick

Take a half-day coach trip from Amsterdam Central to Zaanse Schans, where a guide introduces the windmills, clog making, and Gouda cheese. You’ll taste several cheeses, enjoy free time, and return in time for Amsterdam sightseeing. Add a canal cruise voucher if you want to see the city from the water.

“Easy pick up. Excellent guide. Gorgeous place to visit with plenty of different things to see and do.”

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2.Windmill Tour from Amsterdam, Including Volendam & Marken

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4,572 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $37

Leave Amsterdam by air-conditioned bus for Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and Marken. See working windmills, sample Dutch cheese, watch clogs being made, and add a windmill entry plus the Marken Express boat ride with the all-inclusive option. Guides such as Diana and Mercedes bring useful local context.

“Pros: we really liked the guides and driver. The windmill tour was beautiful and informative. Cons: we did not expect a double decker bus packed with tourists. We found there were way too many people and it was hard to see demonstrations or find seats. We thought the boat trip was along canals but it was a ferry type boat on open water to an empty and closed town. The only stores open were the cheese factory that literally closed the second we left. Nothing else to do there. We wished we only went to the windmills as the rest of the trip wasn't fun.”

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3.Zaanse Schans Windmills, Clogs and Dutch Cheese Small-Group Tour from Amsterdam

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,369 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $51

Travel from Amsterdam Central Station to Zaanse Schans with a guide and a maximum of 16 people. See clogs made, enter Molen De Kat paint mill, taste Dutch cheese, and enjoy free time in the village. Guides such as David, Callum, Bianca, and Maaike have led past departures.

“Fantastic! Our guide, Bianca was exceptional. The tour was exactly as advertised. Bianca was very informative and also gave us some free time to explore ( and shop!) I had arranged to leave the group independently at the end of the tour and Bianca was an incredible help with this ensuring my taxi knew where to pick me up. I would highly recommend this tour ( and any tour with Bianca). Thank you”

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4.Zaanse Schans windmills & Volendam Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,893 reviews · from $39

Leave Amsterdam for Zaanse Schans and Volendam with a multilingual guide such as Eva, Yolanda, or Linda. See working windmills, watch clogs being made, taste farm cheese, and walk Volendam’s dike. The five-hour tour is well organized but free time can feel short.

“This was a fabulous tour. The guide was excellent.”

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5.Day Tour Keukenhof and Zaanse Schans Windmills

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,549 reviews · 8 hours · from $72

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans and Keukenhof. You get a self-guided visit, not a full-time tour guide, with cheese tasting, clog making, maps, and flexible return buses from Keukenhof. The flower park is the star, while Zaanse Schans brings Dutch crafts and windmills close.

“It was well organized, but the time for Keukenhof is not enough. It would be better to stay less in Zaanse Hanse at the expense of Keukenhof.”

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6.Countryside Bike Tour from Amsterdam: Cheese, Clogs & a Windmill

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,485 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $59Top rated

Ride from central Amsterdam across the IJ into Waterland with an English-speaking guide. Choose a normal bike for a 23-kilometer route or an e-bike for the longer 37-kilometer ride, which adds cheese tasting, a stroopwafel, and a clog-making demonstration.

“We had a fantastic time exploring the countryside! The bikes were great, our guide was wonderful in keeping the ride enjoyable, and we saw so many things outside of Amsterdam that we wouldn't have seen without the bike tour. A highlight of our Amsterdam trip!”

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7.Zaanse Schans Windmills 4-Hour Tour in Italian

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,385 reviews · 4 hours · from $46

Travel by train from Amsterdam with an Italian-speaking guide to Zaanse Schans, where you’ll see historic windmills, green wooden houses, a working clog factory, and a local cheese farm. Guides may include Martina, Adriana, or Valentina. Expect about four hours of walking.

“Consiglio vivamente questo tour! Zaanse Schans è un paese magico, che lascerà un ricordo indelebile nei vostri ricordi. La nostra guida Martina è stata eccezionale, precisa, puntuale, gentilissima e pronta a rispondere ad ogni curiosità che avevamo. Ci ha anche fornito ottimi consigli di viaggio per vivere al meglio la nostra vacanza ad Amsterdam. Grazie di cuore!”

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8.Windmill, Cheese, and Countryside E-Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,166 reviews · from $43

Take a guided or self-guided e-bike ride from Amsterdam Noord through Broek in Waterland, Monnickendam, Katwoude, and Zunderdorp. You’ll see a windmill, canals, farms, and grazing animals, then taste cheese at a working farm. Guided rides use English-speaking leaders such as Olec, Mariano, Chris, and Goulven.

“It was a great day! We booked for 9:30 and arrived back at 2pm. It was a well planned tour and our guide had good planned stops.”

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9.Keukenhof and Zaanse Schans Windmills Guided Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,063 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $106

Join a multilingual guide at Amsterdam Central Station for a 9-hour trip to Keukenhof and Zaanse Schans. Walk among tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, watch clog-making, taste Dutch cheese, and add a one-hour canal cruise if you choose. Guides such as Diana, Els, and Maija have earned praise for their clear, engaging commentary.

“Beautiful Gardens and easy access. Nice bus and guide. You can go off on your own and enjoy it yourself”

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10.Giethoorn, Zaanse Schans Windmills Guided Day Trip from Amsterdam

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,058 reviews · 10 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $95

Travel from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans for windmills, clogs, and cheese, then cruise Giethoorn’s canals for an hour. Guides such as Ibrahim and Jay add local stories, humor, and practical tips. Expect a 10.5-hour day, a group of up to 50, and plenty of time on your feet.

“We had a great time and really enjoy this tour! It is definitely worth taking this tour if you visit the Netherlands. Out tour guide Jay made it even better, we went above and beyond and exceeded our expectations. I loved all the details and you can tell the love he puts into his work. Thank you Jay!”

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11.Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Windmills Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,002 reviews · 10 hours · from $135

Join an English-speaking guide such as Ibrahim or Jay for a full-day trip from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans and Giethoorn. You’ll see working windmills, sample Dutch cheese, watch clog making, cruise quiet canals, and enjoy comfortable transport, water, and a stroopwafel.

“Ibrahim and driver Hans were the best! They ensured that the tourists are all taken cared off. Highly recommended.”

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12.Zaanse Schans Windmills, Cheese and Volendam Tour from Amsterdam

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 613 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $51

Leave Amsterdam at 11:30 for Zaanse Schans and Volendam, with guided walks, free time, cheese tasting, and a clog-making demonstration. Guides such as Rob, Rick, Jolanda, and Evelyn have earned praise for clear local context. Add an open-ticket canal cruise if you want more Amsterdam sightseeing.

“Too rushed and not sufficient time at locations. Also quite a lot of wasted time waiting for people or activities to start. Overall not enough time to enjoy the experience.”

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13.Cheese, Canals & Windmill Countryside E-Bike Tour Amsterdam

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 501 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $87

Leave Amsterdam by ferry, then ride an e-bike through flat polders, canals, windmills, and villages such as Zunderdorp and Ransdorp. Guides including Simon, Christian, Rinse, and Mike add local stories, while cheese tasting and a clog workshop bring Dutch traditions to life. Expect wind, changing weather, and a substantial ride.

“The views exceeded my expectations, the bikes were great and our tour guide, Stefan was kind, efficient and made it a very enjoyable experience. One of the highlights of our trip.”

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14.Escape Amsterdam: E-Bike to Zaanse Schans Windmills & Zaandam

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 446 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $108

Ride a pedal-assist e-bike from Amsterdam through farmland, villages, and Het Twiske to Zaanse Schans and Zaandam. Your English-speaking guide leads a small group of up to 10, with stops at a working windmill, Dutch heritage sites, and NDSM Wharf. The 40-kilometer route is flat but requires basic cycling ability.

“Fantastic day, a must do. Loved the countryside & windmills & even the ride through the town. A great way to get a flavor of the city life & the country life too. The bikes were super easy, first time on an e-bike and we loved them, made the 5.5hrs super easy. Great guide too”

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15.Amsterdam private tour to windmills, cheese farm and villages

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 262 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $362

Spend about seven hours with a private guide such as Philip or Teun, visiting working windmills, Edam, Monnickendam, Broek in Waterland, and a family cheese farm. Hotel pickup, transport, tastings, and one windmill entry are included, while lunch costs extra.

“Phillip was an excellent tour guide with vast knowledge of the area. We asked for a tour away from the tourist traps and he delivered. We saw the windmills up close and got a private tour of two of the lumber mills. We had a delightful lunch in the fishing town of Monnickendam. Then visited a traditional cheese farm. We capped off our tour with a visit to village of Waterland and the unique church of Broek. I am not a fan of big tour groups and ear pieces. This was a delightful tour and well worth the money. Thanks to Phillip for an exceptional experience!”

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