landmark
Zaanse Schans
A riverside open-air village of working green windmills, clog makers and cheese sheds just north of Amsterdam.
2 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeNetherlandsNorth Holland
Zaanstad
North Holland, Netherlands · Europe
About Zaanstad
Zaanstad works well as a base: 10 minutes from Assendelft, 2km from Zaanse Schans.
Zaanstad is in North Holland, Netherlands, with about 140,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Assendelft, about 5 km away.
Zaanstad (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈzaːnstɑt] ) is a Dutch municipality in the province of North Holland, situated northwest of Amsterdam. Its main settlement is Zaandam. It is part of the conurbation and metropolitan area of Amsterdam. It had a population of 156,901 in 2021.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Zaanstad?
Within an hour or so of Zaanstad: Zaanse Schans (2 km), Dam Square (10 km), Royal Palace Amsterdam (10 km), Anne Frank House (10 km).
Are there any good drives near Zaanstad?
The nearest famous roads are Houtribdijk, Afsluitdijk and Brouwersdam.
Where is Zaanstad?
Zaanstad is in North Holland, Netherlands, about 5 km from Assendelft.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 140,085
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Netherlands
- Region
- North Holland
- Timezone
- Europe/Amsterdam
- Coordinates
- 52.4531, 4.8136
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Netherlands
Watch for cyclists. They generally have priority.
Full driving guide for NetherlandsTags
Worth the detour from Zaanstad
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Dam Square
Historic heart of Amsterdam flanked by the Royal Palace, the Nieuwe Kerk, and the National Monument.
10 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Royal Palace Amsterdam
Imposing 17th-century palace on Dam Square built during the Dutch Golden Age, still used for royal functions.
10 km · about 20 min drive
museum
Anne Frank House
The preserved hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during World War II, a powerful memorial to the Holocaust.
10 km · about 20 min drive
cafe
Winkel 43
Corner café on Amsterdam's Noordermarkt whose towering cinnamon-heavy appeltaart with whipped cream is widely held to be the Netherlands' best apple pie: the queue on Saturday market morning is part of the ritual.
10 km · about 20 min drive
museum
Van Gogh Museum
The world's largest collection of Van Gogh's works with over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 700 letters in Amsterdam.
11 km · about 20 min drive
museum
Rijksmuseum
The Netherlands' national museum showcasing 800 years of Dutch art and history, including Rembrandt's The Night Watch.
11 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Amsterdam Canal Ring
UNESCO-listed 17th-century canal system forming concentric half-circles through Amsterdam, lined with narrow merchant houses.
11 km · about 20 min drive
Driving roads near Zaanstad
- 45 kmHoutribdijkA 26 km dike road (N302) running straight across the water between Enkhuizen and Lelystad, splitting the IJsselmeer from the Markermeer with sea views on both sides.
- 64 kmErasmusbrugRotterdam's swan-necked cable-stayed bridge soars over the Maas, a striking modern icon glowing over the river at night.
- 78 kmAfsluitdijkA 32km causeway sealing off the Zuiderzee, this dead-straight engineering marvel is one of Europe's great driving roads.
Driving in Netherlands
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€2.04/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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