Things to Do in Zaandam

Zaandam is home to the iconic Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum preserving 18th-century windmills, workshops, and houses that once formed the industrial heart of the Zaan region.

The city's name comes from the Zaan River, which powered over 1,000 windmills during the Dutch Golden Age, making it one of Europe's first industrial zones.

Claude Monet painted Zaandam's distinctive green wooden houses and industrial landscape during his 1871 visit, creating a series of 25 paintings now scattered across major museums.

Zaandam's wooden houses are painted in bright greens and blues because the local paint industry historically produced surplus green paint, which became the neighbourhood's trademark colour.

The city is just 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam Central Station, making it one of the Netherlands' most accessible day-trip destinations.

Zaandam hosts the annual Zaan River Festival celebrating local culture, traditional crafts, and regional food specialities like cheese and smoked eel.