ZaanseSchans:
When you think of the ZaanseSchans, you mainly think of the windmills. But actually the ZaanseSchans is a kind of open air museum. It was founded in 1963 to create awareness about the Zaans heritage. Subsequently, all kinds of historical buildings such as mills, craft shops and workers’ houses were moved here.
By visiting the ZaanseSchans for a day, you get a good idea of Dutch life in the 17th and 18th centuries. Because in addition to the 12 windmills, you will find several museums here. You can also watch how different craftsmen make cheese, clogs or liqueur, for example. You can now imagine why the ZaanseSchans is such a popular tourist attraction.
Volendam:
Volendam, the pearl of the former Zuiderzee, is a famous old traditional fishing village on the IJsselmeer, a village located in the municipality of Edam-Volendam, in the Dutch province of North Holland.
Volendam is the most famous fishing village of the Low Countries. With its traditional Dutch houses and bobbing fishing boats, it is definitely a photogenic destination. The quirky village has its own costume and traditions, but is also nationally known for its many famous inhabitants.
Thousands of tourists come here from all over the world to enjoy the authentic atmosphere, the small streets and the view of the harbor where boats sail to Marken and arrive. Volendam is a village that you must visit once in your life. There are plenty of restaurants, terraces and shops on De Dijk to buy souvenirs and browse; and in one of the shops you can have your picture taken with a traditional Volendam’s costume. In the quiet streets of the Doolhof you will imagine yourself a hundred years back in time. Volendam is not only known as a fishing village but also for its music and traditional costumes.
Marken:
Marken (Markens: Mereke) is a former island, now a peninsula, in the Markermeer, which has been connected to the mainland since 1957 via a dike. The village belongs to the municipality of Waterland in the Dutch province of North Holland.
It was an independent municipality until 1991. In that year the territory was added to the municipality of Waterland.
The former fishing village has been a tourist attraction for at least a century. Marken’s striking costumes contributed to this. The wooden houses on stilts are characteristic. Even older are the so-called “yards”, artificial elevations on which people lived.
