Windmills turning over green fields. Wooden houses painted in deep green. Fishermen's harbours, cheese farms, clog makers, and in spring, millions of tulips in every colour you can imagine. This is the "postcard Holland" many visitors dream of, and it is all within an hour or two of Amsterdam.
"Day trips from Amsterdam" is one of the most searched travel phrases for the Netherlands. The tours to Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Marken are among the most reviewed experiences on every big booking platform. In this guide I share the five day trips people search for most, how to get there, the best time to go, what to skip, and how to combine a day trip with the best of Amsterdam itself.
Planning a trip right now? Start your stay with a local guide. Our Golden Age City Center walking tour starts at €27 per person, and private tours for your group start at €295 excl. VAT. Call or WhatsApp Erik on +31 684 616 362 for a personal plan.
Why take a day trip from Amsterdam?
The Netherlands is small, flat and very well connected. Trains and buses are frequent, and by car almost anywhere in the province of North Holland is less than an hour away. A day trip gives you:
- A break from the crowds. In high summer the city centre gets very busy. A morning in the countryside is the perfect reset.
- The classic Dutch icons. Windmills, cheese, clogs, tulips and traditional costumes are easier to find outside the city.
- A different side of Dutch history. The villages around the old Zuiderzee tell the story of the fishermen and traders who made Amsterdam rich.
1. Zaanse Schans: windmills and wooden houses
What it is
Zaanse Schans is a living open-air neighbourhood on the River Zaan, about twenty minutes north of Amsterdam. It has historic working windmills, green wooden houses, a clog workshop, a cheese farm, a pewter workshop and the Zaans Museum. The Zaan region was one of the first industrial areas in the world, with hundreds of windmills sawing wood, grinding spices and pressing oil for the Golden Age trade.
How to get there
- Train: From Amsterdam Centraal to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans station, then about a fifteen-minute walk across the river.
- Bus: Direct buses run from Amsterdam Centraal.
- Car or private driver: About twenty to thirty minutes, depending on traffic.
What to see
- Go inside a working windmill and climb up to the balcony for the view.
- Watch a clog-making demonstration.
- Taste Gouda and other Dutch cheeses at the cheese farm.
- Visit the Zaans Museum and the Verkade chocolate experience.
Insider tips
Walking around the neighbourhood is free, but the windmills and museums charge separately. Arrive before 10 am or after 4 pm. The middle of the day is when the big coach tours arrive. On the way back, stop in Zaandam to see the famous stacked green houses of the Inntel Hotel and the little house where Tsar Peter the Great stayed while learning shipbuilding. Read about the area in our guide to coffeeshops in Zaandam and Haarlem.
2. Volendam: the classic Dutch fishing village
What it is
Volendam is a colourful harbour town on the shores of the old Zuiderzee, now the Markermeer lake, about thirty minutes north-east of Amsterdam. It is famous for its wooden fishing boats, its harbour front lined with fish stalls, and the photo studios where you can dress up in traditional Dutch costume.
How to get there
- Bus: Direct buses run from Amsterdam Centraal and take about thirty to forty minutes.
- Car or private driver: About thirty minutes.
What to see and eat
- Walk the dike along the harbour and the narrow streets of the old town behind it.
- Eat fresh kibbeling (battered fried fish) or smoked eel at a harbour stall.
- Have your photo taken in traditional costume. It is a little touristy and a lot of fun.
- Visit the Volendams Museum to learn about the fishing history.
Insider tips
The harbour front is busiest at lunchtime. Walk a few streets back into the old town for a quieter, more authentic Volendam.
3. Marken: the island village
What it is
Marken was an island until a dike connected it to the mainland in the 1950s. Its wooden houses stand on mounds and stilts to protect them from flooding. It feels quieter, more traditional and more authentic than Volendam, and the white lighthouse known as Het Paard van Marken stands at the tip of the island.
How to get there
- Ferry from Volendam: In the main season a ferry links Volendam and Marken across the water in about half an hour. It is a lovely way to combine the two. Check the current timetable before you go.
- Bus: Direct buses run from Amsterdam.
- Car or bike: Across the dike. Cycling from Amsterdam Noord along the water is a classic local day out.
Insider tips
Walk from the harbour to the lighthouse for an easy, beautiful hike of about an hour along the water. Visit the Marker Museum to see traditional costumes and houses.
Volendam and Marken together with Zaanse Schans is the most popular day trip combination from Amsterdam. It is very doable in one day, especially with a driver.
4. Keukenhof: the world's most famous tulip garden
What it is
Keukenhof, near Lisse, is one of the largest flower gardens in the world. Millions of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are planted by hand every autumn. In spring the surrounding bulb fields turn into stripes of red, yellow, pink and purple.
When to go
Keukenhof opens only in spring, usually from mid- or late March to mid-May. Check the official dates for the year you are travelling. Tulips usually peak from mid-April, depending on the weather. Outside the season, the bulb fields are bare, so plan your trip around it.
How to get there
- Bus: Special Keukenhof buses run in season from Schiphol Airport and other hubs.
- Car or private driver: About forty minutes to one hour from central Amsterdam.
Insider tips
- Book your tickets online in advance, especially for weekends and the King's Day period.
- Arrive at opening or in the late afternoon to avoid the biggest crowds.
- Rent a bike near the gardens and cycle through the surrounding bulb fields. It is often the best part of the day.
- Stay on the paths and never walk into the farmers' fields.
5. Giethoorn: the "Venice of the North"
What it is
Giethoorn is a car-free village in the province of Overijssel where houses with thatched roofs sit on little islands. The houses are connected by canals and more than a hundred wooden footbridges. Instead of roads there are waterways, and the best way to explore is by "whisper boat", a quiet electric boat you can steer yourself.
How to get there
Giethoorn is the furthest of these day trips, roughly one and a half to two hours each way by car. By public transport you take a train and then a bus, which takes longer. A private driver makes it a much more relaxed day.
Insider tips
- Rent a whisper boat early in the morning, before the village fills up.
- Explore the wider canals and the lakes of the nearby Weerribben-Wieden National Park for peace and quiet.
- Allow a full day. This is not a half-day trip.
Other easy day trips
If you want something less touristy, consider:
- Haarlem, a beautiful historic city only fifteen minutes away by train.
- Zandvoort, Amsterdam's beach, about thirty minutes by train.
- Edam, the cheese town, quieter than Volendam and just a few kilometres away.
- Den Bosch, with its stunning cathedral and Bossche bol pastries.
Read our guide to day trips to Zandvoort, Haarlem and Den Bosch.
Group coach tour, self-guided or private?
Group coach tours are the cheapest way to see Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Marken in one day. The downside: big buses, fixed stops, and arriving at the same time as everyone else.
Self-guided by public transport is flexible and affordable, but connections between villages take planning and time.
A private day with your own host and driver is the most comfortable option. You leave when you want, arrive before the coaches, stay longer where you are happy and skip what you do not care about. It is ideal for families with children, older travellers, groups of friends and anyone who wants to avoid crowds.
Planning a day trip with Oranje Umbrella
Oranje Umbrella has looked after guests in and around Amsterdam for fourteen years. With more than 4,000 verified reviews on GetYourGuide, Tripadvisor and Google, we know how to make a short trip feel effortless.
Our Concierge Day in Amsterdam is fully bespoke, with a private driver on request. It includes:
- A planning conversation before you arrive to build the day around your group.
- Door-to-door pickup from your hotel, apartment, Schiphol Airport or the cruise terminal.
- A private host with you for a half day (4 hours) or full day (8 hours).
- Tickets and reservations arranged for you at cost, confirmed in writing before the day.
- Live changes on the day for the weather, energy levels or a change of mind.
- Hosting in English, Spanish, German or Dutch.
Want windmills in the morning and the canals in the afternoon? Call Erik and tell us what you have in mind. We will tell you honestly what fits into your time.
The perfect three-day Amsterdam plan with a day trip
Day one: Amsterdam's Golden Age. Join our Golden Age City Center walking tour from Dam Square through the canal belt, the Nine Streets and the Begijnhof. Visit the Rijksmuseum in the afternoon. Read our museum tickets guide before you go.
Day two: windmills and fishing villages. Leave early for Zaanse Schans, then continue to Volendam for fish on the harbour and take the ferry to Marken in season. Back in the city in time for dinner in the Jordaan.
Day three: your Amsterdam. Adults can join the Cannabis Culture & Coffeeshop Etiquette tour. Groups and party people can book the Rockstar for a Day DJ workshop, and anyone can spend the afternoon on a canal cruise. Finish with live jazz or a cocktail bar from our nightlife guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day trip from Amsterdam?
For first-time visitors, Zaanse Schans combined with Volendam and Marken is the most popular. In spring, Keukenhof is unbeatable. For a full day out with something very different, choose Giethoorn.
Can you visit Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Marken in one day?
Yes. It is the classic combination and works easily in a full day, especially with a car or private driver.
When is Keukenhof open?
Only in spring, usually from mid- or late March to mid-May. Check the official website for this year's dates and book tickets online.
Is Giethoorn worth the trip from Amsterdam?
Yes, if you have a full day. It is one and a half to two hours each way, so it is best with a driver and an early start.
Can Oranje Umbrella organise a day trip for us?
Yes. Contact Erik with your dates, group size and wish list, and we will build a private Concierge Day around it.
Windmills, tulips and canals: book your Dutch adventure today
The countryside around Amsterdam is magical, but the best days need a little planning, especially in tulip season and summer, when the coaches and crowds arrive. Book early and you get the quiet mornings, the best times and the stress-free experience.
Here is how to start right now:
- Book your Concierge Day in Amsterdam and tell us which villages you want to see.
- Start your trip right with the Golden Age City Center walking tour, from €27 per person.
- Call or WhatsApp Erik on +31 684 616 362, or email Erik@oranjeumbrella.com for a personal day-trip plan.
Holland is waiting just outside the city. Book your Amsterdam experience with Oranje Umbrella today.
