Zaanse Schans, the bucolic side of the Netherlands

Situada a pouco mais de 20 km a norte de Amesterdão, perto da cidade de  Zaadam, Zaanse Schans é uma vila rural típica com moinhos junto ao rio, que em tempos teve mais de mil moinhos. Esta vilazinha reproduz a arquitetura das vilas típicas holandesas dos séculos XVII e XVIII, sendo uma oportunidade para o visitante de aprender e vivenciar a história e cultura da região. Zaanse Schans apresenta casinhas verdes em madeira rodeadas de moinhos e um pequeno dique, sendo considerada um verdadeiro museu a céu aberto. Paisagem esta que foi fonte de inspiração para quadros de Van Gogh, Rembrandt ou Monet. Este último viveu mesmo naquela região.

Located just over 20 km north of Amsterdam, near the city of Zaadam, Zaanse Schans is a typical rural village with mills by the river, which once had over a thousand windmills. This little village replicates the architecture of the typical Dutch villages of the 17^th and 18^th centuries, providing an opportunity for visitors to learn and experience the history and culture of the region. Zaanse Schans features green wooden houses surrounded by windmills and a small dyke, being considered a true open-air museum. This landscape was the source of inspiration for painters such as Van Gogh, Rembrandt or Monet. The last one lived even in that region.

Windmills (photo by Littlelle)

Zaanse Schans (photo by Littlelle)

Zaanse Schans (photo by Littlelle)

Typical green houses of Zaanse Schans (photo by Littlelle)

Cute little village (photo by Littlelle)

Windmills & flowers (photo by Littlelle)

Through Zaanse Schans (photo by Littlelle)

The countryside (photo by Littlelle)

Atualmente existem na vila 11 moinhos, alguns com mais de 300 anos, mas que continuam a manufaturar nos dias de hoje, através da energia do vento. Cada moinho tem um nome e uma finalidade. Um mói especiarias, outro laticínios, nomeadamente os típicos queijos holandeses, óleos vegetais, entre  outros. Seis dos moinhos têm as suas portas abertas ao público, sendo possível adquirir produtos ali produzidos, como a mostrada, por exemplo. 

There are currently 11 mills in the village, some of them have more than 300 years old, but still continue to manufacture today, through the energy of the wind. Each mill has a name and a purpose. One grinds spices, another dairies, namely the typical Dutch cheese, vegetable oils, among others. Six of the mills have their doors open to the public, being possible to buy products produced there, such as mustard, for example.

Windmills (photo by Littlelle)

Windmills (photo by Mários Santos, edited by Littlelle)

Windmills (photo by Mários Santos, edited by Littlelle)

Windmill by the river (photo by Littlelle)

Para além dos moinhos, os mais gulosos podem visitar o museu e fábrica do chocolate.  Existe também um museu que conta a história local, uma fábrica artesanal de tamancos, a queijaria Catharina Hoeve, onde se pode fazer degustação e vários outros pequenos museus temáticos. A maioria das atrações da vila está abertas das 9 às 17h. 

Besides the mills, those who are a sweet tooth can visit the museum and chocolate factory. There’s also a museum that tells the local history, a handmade factory of clogs, the Catharina Hoeve cheese shop, where you can do tasting and several other small themed museums. Most of the attractions of the village are open from 9am to 5pm.

Zaanse Schans (photo by Littlelle)

Zaanse Schans (photo by Littlelle)

From the inside (photo by Littlelle)

Se quiseres ter uma perspetiva diferente para a vila e campos envolventes com os moinhos, podes realizar um passeio de barco pelo rio Zaan (45 minunto; 13€ por pessoa). Da outra margem do rio, consegues contemplar a vila Zanndjik, onde é possível observar as casinhas verdes em madeira com ancoradouros para os barquinhos. O barco leva-te ainda a passares junto a uma zona industrial, que em tempos foi forte na construção naval, hoje é composta grandemente por fábricas de chocolate, onde foi em tempos produzido 1/3 do chocolate do mundo.

If you want to have a different perspective of the village and surrounding fields with the windmills, you can take a boat trip along the river Zaan (45 minutes, 13 € per person). From the other side of the river, you can contemplate the Zanndjik village, where it’s possible to observe the green wooden houses with anchorages for the boats. The boat still takes you to an industrial zone, which was once strong in shipbuilding, today is largely made up of chocolate factories, where it was once produced 1/3 of the world's chocolate.

From Zaan perspective (photo by Littlelle)

Zanndjik Village (photo by Littlelle)

Little houses by the Zaan River (photo by Littlelle)

Industrial area (photo by Littlelle)

Industrial area (photo by Littlelle)

Soap factory (photo by Littlelle)

Se quiseres ter uma experiência tipicamente holandesa, podes também alugar uma bicicleta (5€ durante 1 hora) e pedalar entre os campos junto aos moinhos.

If you want to have a typical Dutch experience, you can also rent a bicycle (€ 5 for 1 hour) and cycle between the fields by the windmills.

Riding (photo by Mário Santos, edited by Littlelle)

One of dutch experiences (photo by Littlelle)

Para degustar da gastronomia regional, existe um restaurante e algumas casas que vendem chocolate quentes. O restaurante chama-se De Hoop Op'd Swart Walvis. Comi uma sopa de lagostim e uma mousse de chocolate. Come-se bem, mas os preços são elevados, como é habitual na Holanda.

To taste the regional gastronomy, there is a restaurant and some houses where you can buy a hot chocolate. The restaurant is called De Hoop Op'd Swart Walvis. I had a crawfish soup and a chocolate mousse. It’s a good restaurant, the food is tasty, but prices are high, as is usual in the Netherlands.

Zaanse Schans streets (photo by Littlelle)

De Hoop Op'd Swart Walvis restaurant (photo by Littlelle)

Crawfish soup at the De Hoop Op'd Swart Walvis restaurant (photo by Littlelle)

Chocolate mousse at the De Hoop Op'd Swart Walvis restaurant (photo by Littlelle)

Para chegar a esta vila, podes ir de bus a partir da Estação Central de Amesterdão. A paragens de autocarros encontram-se na parte de trás da estação no 1º andar. Apanhas o bus nº 391 (com partidas de 15 em 15 minutos) que leva cerca de 40 minutos a chegar a esta zona de moinhos, sendo Zaanse Schans a última paragem. O Bus deixa-te mesmo em frente à vila. O preço do bilhete ida e volta são 11€40 e pode ser adquirido diretamente no autocarro.

To get to this village, you can go by bus from Amsterdam Central Station. The bus stops are at the back of the station on the 1^st floor. You should take the bus number 391 (departures every 15 minutes), which takes about 40 minutes to reach this area of windmills, being Zaanse Schans the last stop. The bus leaves you right in front of the village. The round trip ticket price is 11€40 and can be purchased directly on the bus.

Amazing countryside (photo by Littlelle)

Alerto que mal sais do bus és invadido por um cheirinho a chocolate. Prepara-te para passares o dia a salivar e a suspirar :)

As soon as you leave the bus you are invaded by a nice smell of chocolate. Get ready to spend the day salivating and sighing :)

Collecting moments from this day (photo by Littlelle)