My Easter Holiday Trip to Zaanse Schans Windmill Village, Netherlands! 🇳🇱🌷

#summervacay For the Easter break, I was looking for a nearby, relatively safe European destination to travel with my 6-year-old and 70-year-old dad. With a friend living in the area, the Netherlands seemed like the perfect choice! My flight from Zurich to Amsterdam was about 2.5 hours. Due to the time difference, we took off at 8:10 AM and landed in the Netherlands at 9:45 AM. I'd booked the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel, and upon arrival, we headed straight there. Since it was a Thursday, the hotel wasn't busy, so we could check in early and leave our luggage in the room. This made it super convenient to head directly to Zaanse Schans by train. Traveling by Train in the Netherlands: I found Dutch trains incredibly convenient – I'd say they're the most convenient and punctual in Europe, second only to Switzerland. I highly recommend downloading the NS app for checking timetables and buying tickets. For Zaanse Schans, my journey started at Schiphol Airport and ended at Zaandijk Zaanse Schans. A Quick Stop at "Lego Town" (Zaandam Centrum): You can make a stop at the "Lego Town" at Zaandam Centrum station. Getting on at the airport station doesn't require scanning a QR code on your phone, but you will need to scan it when exiting at Lego Town. This town is full of charming, distinctive little houses, perfect for a quick photo op – half an hour is plenty! Zaanse Schans Windmill Village: The weather wasn't ideal on the day we visited Zaanse Schans – it was overcast, but still quite beautiful. I imagine it would be even more stunning on a sunny day! There aren't a huge number of windmills, but there are plenty of wooden clogs, including a heart-shaped clog photo spot. There's even a place where you can see clogs being made and even DIY your own. However, these are really just for decoration, as they're far too big and heavy to actually walk in! We also stopped by a cheese factory shop. While they didn't actually make cheese on-site, you could sample it for free. The line for sampling was quite long though, so it might not be worth the wait. Overall, it was a smooth and enjoyable trip, perfect for a multi-generational family outing! #netherlands #easterholiday #zaanseschans #windmillvillage #zaandam #schipholairport