Windmills

Windmills Tours from Amsterdam

Amsterdam windmill tours let you discover some of the most iconic Netherlands attractions like the windmill village Zaanse Schans! View some of the oldest windmills in the country like Marken, Volendam, and Edam. Soak up the natural beauty of the Dutch countryside during a Dutch Windmills tour from Amsterdam. Or combine your trip with other attractions like a canal cruise, city tour, or the Keukenhof. You can also take the Amsterdam Countryside Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour. It offers plenty of flexibility so you can spend as much time at each windmill as you’d like. Also, get access to a local cheese farm as a bonus for a taste of the good stuff.
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Our tips for Windmills

  • Plan ahead. For most Dutch windmill tours, seating is limited. Consider booking your Dutch windmill trip about two weeks prior to your arrival.
  • Early Bird Special. Taking a private Dutch windmill tour often ensures you’ll show up at the windmills just as they open or earlier; so, you can have the place all to yourselves!
  • Where da cheese at? If you can work an Edam visit into your trip, you won’t regret it. There’s nothing like eating a particular type of cheese in the town that created it.
  • Save those pennies. Short on cash? No problem! You can save a little dough by picking on a Dutch windmill combo tour rather than buying a separate ticket for each Amsterdam attraction!

Good to know

You might imagine that Amsterdam is covered with iconic Dutch windmills. However, less than 10 windmills have actually survived to the present day within the city. The oldest surviving windmill in The Netherlands is the Grafelijke Torenmolen van Zeddam, which was built before 1451! While most people associate windmills with grinding grain, the windmills in The Netherlands were primarily used to pump water out of the lowlands to create more arable land. The blades of a windmill were once used to send messages that could be seen in the distance. They could send the message that there had been a death in the family, that a wedding was imminent, or to warn others about the approaching Nazis.

Molen von Sloten represents the only one out of eight windmills in the city that is open to the public. You can also check out the De Gooyer windmill, which was built in 1725 and stands as the tallest wooden windmill in the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q: What is the best time to book Amsterdam Windmills Tour?
    A:

    The best time to visit Amsterdam windmills is in April and May. During these two months, the weather is optimal and you’ll find fewer fellow tourists on Dutch windmill tours. September through November sees fewer tourists, as well. However, it becomes difficult to predict the weather in the fall; so, layer up because the skies can change in an instant. The best time of day to visit the windmills is probably at sunrise or sunset when natural lighting is at its best. Then again, there’s something to be said about visiting when the sun is at its peak, especially if it’s a clear day during one of the shoulder seasons.

  • Q: How do I get there?
    A:

    Whether you’re headed to Marken, Volendam, Zaandam, Edam, or one of the other quaint Dutch towns that are still home to a traditional windmill, chances are you can arrange comfortable, round-trip travel in an air-conditioned vehicle. But, if you’re not in the position to take a day trip from Amsterdam to the Dutch countryside, you can still see authentic Dutch windmills. And the best part is that you can easily reach them by bicycle or by using public transport.

  • Q: How many windmills are there in Amsterdam?
    A:

    There are eight windmills in Amsterdam namely Jozua, Zuidpoldermolen, Katwoude Windmill, Korenmolen De Leeuw, B & B ’t Zaanse Koopmanshuis Anno 1694, Jonge Dirk, Windmill de Kat, Woudaap, and Vereniging de Zaansche Molen (Zaan Windmill Society).

  • Q: What is the purpose of windmills?
    A:

    These were traditionally used to pump water into the river out of the lowlands so that the locals can do farming.

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