Enjoy a chance to learn about the art of cheese making and a scenic ride through the colorful Dutch countryside. Just a short distance from Amsterdam lies the village of Zaanse Schans, located on the banks of the River Zaan. Bring your camera as the scenery packed into this tiny park/village is quite remarkable and the windmills dotted along the river are quintessentially and beautifully Dutch—the stuff of postcards. There is a small cheese farm here, and you’ll also be able to watch a local clog-maker crafting those unique shoes that look terribly uncomfortable but are, in fact, quite pleasant to wear. Enjoy a close-up view of how a windmill works; then continue to the village of Edam, famous for its cheese of the same name. Stroll through the flat, narrow streets of this picturesque village to the Bell Tower and revel in the history of some of the houses here, which date back to the 1600s.

Notes: