Zaanstad is a beautiful city with colorful and monumental buildings, good restaurants, and a relaxing shopping area. The perfect day trip from Amsterdam.
The Netherlands is famous for its canal houses, tulips, and mills. One of the best places to see Dutch windmills is the Zaanse Schans in Zaanstad, a city only a stone’s throw away from Amsterdam.
But don’t miss out on Zaanstad’s city center! You can’t go wrong here! There’s something for everyone.
Must-see sights in Zaanstad
The most iconic hotel ever
The first must-see building in Zaandam is the building that houses Inntel Hotels. It is colorful, playful, and a delight to watch.
Location: Provincialeweg 102, 1506 MD Zaandam, Netherlands
Zaanstad City Hall
Nearby is the City Hall of Zaanstad. The seven windows represent the seven cities (among which Zaandam) that were merged to form Zaanstad.
Location: Stadhuisplein 100, 1506 MZ Zaandam, Netherlands
Shopping area “Gedempte Gracht”
You can find a modern shopping area around the Gedempte Gracht (meaning “filled-in canal”). Nowadays the canal has made its return and you can go shopping along a real canal with Zaandam’s iconic colorful houses.
Location: Gedempte Gracht, 1506 CM Zaandam, Netherlands
Tsar Peter House (“Czaar Peterhuisje”)
One of the oldest wooden houses in the Netherlands and also one of the oldest museums in the country. This house is world-famous because the Russian Tsar Peter the Great stayed at this house in 1697 when he came to Zaandam to learn about the shipwright’s trade.
Location: Krimp 23, 1506 AA Zaandam, Netherlands
Tsar Peter monument
Take a lunch break or have a drink at one of the cafes surrounding the Tsar Peter Monument.
Location: Dam, 1506 AC Zaandam, Netherlands
Blue House (“Het Blauwe Huis”)
A patrician house built in 1724 that was painted bright blue by impressionist painter Claude Monet in 1871.
Location: Hogendijk 78, 1506 AJ Zaandam, Netherlands
MonetAtelier
In 1871, the French painter Monet stayed in Zaandam for four months because the colorful houses and Zaandam’s surroundings inspired him very much. In the MonetAtelier you can see replicas of the works he painted in Zaandam.
Location: Westzijde 14g, 1506 EE Zaandam, Netherlands
From the bridge on the Gedempte Gracht you can get a good view of the building.
Verrassing aan de Zaan
Enjoy a drink or lunch at the restaurant Verrassing aan de Zaan (“Surprise at the Zaan river”) housed next to the Mennonite House of Worship, a building with a rich history dating back to 1687.
Location: Westzijde 82, 1506 EH Zaandam, Netherlands
Bullekerk
The ‘Bullekerk’ is a cruciform church built between 1638 and 1640.
Location: Westzijde 75, 1506 ED Zaandam, Netherlands
Verkade factories
Visit the old factory of Verkade that now houses a bakery school with a cafe. The new factory is across the street. You can smell their Sultana biscuits (raisin biscuits with sultana grapes) in this area.
Location bakery: Westzijde 174a, 1506 EK Zaandam, Netherlands
How to get to Zaanstad from Amsterdam
Zaanstad lies right next to Amsterdam. By car, you can get there in less than half an hour. But the train can take you there even faster: the train ride from Amsterdam Central Station to Zaandam train station takes only twelve minutes! This makes Zaanstad the perfect day trip from Amsterdam.
If you want to visit the Zaanse Schans on the same day, you can just hop on the same train for two more stops until you reach Zaandijk Zaanse Schans train station.
You can explore all of the sites mentioned in this post on foot. The furthest highlight – the Verkade Factories and bakery shop – is at a sixteen minutes’ walk from Zaandam train station.
Where to stay in Zaanstad/Zaandam?
I recommend staying at one of the most iconic hotels in Zaandam, Intell Hotels or the Zaan Hotel for a unique experience.
