Private Village Walk

Your group can enjoy a theatrical Village Walk at the Zaanse Schans, performed by Ingrid Marsman, a local resident, guide and actress. Join Kaatje Slagter a Mayor’s wife from 1850 on her Private Village Walk. She knows everything about her neighborhood and gladly shares the latest gossip with you. Dressed in her favorite Zaans costume, she lets you relive times gone by.

Mayor’s Mansion visit

The Mayor’s Mansion was built in 1734 by local nobleman Jan Bruygom. Later it became the home of Westzaan Mayor Teunis Slagter. His wife Kaatje Slagter, dressed in a regional costume, invites you inside and shows a short documentary of the history of the Zaan region, while you are offered tea and lemonade.

The visit takes around 20 minutes and can be booked between 10 am and 5 pm.

In touch with the Dutch

To make your program more entertaining, your group can meet guide actors during the walk, representing famous historical persons who once lived here: Claude Monet , Tsar Peter the Great, a whale hunter, a miller and a Spanish soldier. They talk about their lives in the Zaan region.

THE ULTIMATE ZAANSE SCHANS TOUR

Schedule Indication (start at any time you like -upon availability)

Discover the Dutch countryside on our exclusive VIP tour. It’s created for people who:

– are interested in the Dutch history.
– prefer small groups with a personal guide over big groups with a boring tour guide.
– like to laugh and be entertained.
– enjoy visits behind the scenes.
– wish for some free time to roam around the village, as part of the program.

VILLAGE WALK
Discover the Zaanse Schans village with ‘Kaatje Slagter’, the mayor’s wife from 1850. Dressed in a regional costume, she brings you back to her time. With visits to an old grocery and the wooden shoe workshop. At the end of the walk, she invites you inside her house (the Mayor’s Mansion) for a special Dutch tea party in her cozy dining room. 

WINDMILL CRUISE
Kaatje says farewell and you can hop on board Windmill Cruises to enjoy a boat ride on the Zaan river. Listen to the heroic windmill stories and make the best windmill photos from the waterside ! 

WINDMILL VISITS
The boat ends at wood saw mill ‘Het Jonge Schaap’ (the young sheep) for a visit. With your windmill pass, you can also visit the other industrial windmills, open to the public. They each have their own story, and they are proudly standing along the dyke.

FREE TIME
In your free time you can enjoy lunch at one of the local restaurants (not included), visit the cheese farm, bakery museum, CacaoLab, antique shop and pewter foundry (free of charge) or choose for a paid visit to the Zaan Museum, weaver’s house and Clock museum. 

SCHEDULE
12.00 – 1.00 pm –Village Walk with Kaatje Slagter
1.00 – 1.30  pm – Dutch tea party at the Mayor’s Mansion
1.30 – 2.15  pm – Free time to do the Windmill Cruise and windmill visits/lunch/ other attractions

INCLUDED
Theatrical Village Walk
Guided visits to the old grocery store and wooden shoe factory
Dutch tea party at the private home of the Mayor’s wife
Windmill Cruise on the Zaan river
Windmill pass with entrance to all the windmills, open to the public
Free time 

TRANSPORTATION
You can reach the Zaanse Schans by car, bus or train or choose our transportation by minivan that you can book extra.
11.30 – 12.00 Transfer from Amsterdam museum square to the Zaanse Schans where the Village Walk starts.
17.00 – 17.30 Return to Amsterdam, Central Station area.

We start at the Museum square, so you can take the opportunity to visit the Rijks museum, van Gogh museum or Coster Diamonds factory in the early morning (all open as of 9.00 am).