Windmills and Cheese (Mostly Cheese)
After our pretty intense day of kayaking around the canals, we decided to opt for a more lowkey activity. So, we signed up for a countryside windmill tour. This tour, which you can book at any of the tourist kiosks around Amsterdam, picks you up by bus and takes to some of the nearby villages.

Our tour first brought us to Zaanse Schans, where several historic windmills and traditional houses have been preserved. There, we had about an hour to walk around, take photos, try some local cheese, and learn how the windmills were originally used to grind peanuts. This village is only 15km outside the city, so you could definitely visit independently if you wanted to spend a bit more time here.


Next, we visited Volendam Village, a small fishing village that is now primarily a tourist spot. Here, you can visit a cheese factory and learn how they make the cheese. There was also another cheese tasting. I forgot to photograph the cheese tasting. I was too busy eating cheese.


Finally, we visited Marken Village, an island that was connected to the mainland only relatively recently. Marken was my favorite, and I wish we had had more time to see it. Apparently, you can reach this village from Amsterdam by bicycle in about two hours. We would definitely attempt that day trip if we were staying here longer.

