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City in North Holland, Netherlands
Photo: User: (WT-shared) ED01 at wts wikivoyage, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Zaandam is a medium-sized town just north of the Dutch capital Amsterdam. It is a short journey from Amsterdam. Zaandam is part of the municipality of Zaanstad (consisting of seven towns of which Zaandam is the biggest) in the Zaan Region.
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A small house where Tsar Peter lodged in the 17th century. It is one of the oldest wooden houses of the Netherlands. It was built in 1632 as a working class house from old timber. The Russian Tsar Peter lived here in 1697, when he wanted to learn how to become a shipwright. It is owned by the Zaans Museum in Zaanse Schans.
This house was painted by Claude Monet during his stay in Zaandam in 1871. The house isn't blue any more, but plans are to change it back.
Getting out of the Tsar Peter House, turn right, go up the dike and turn left. Nr 78.
Italian pizza baked in the wood oven, prepared with fresh ingredients.
Small pub in the old workplace of a blacksmith. On the Hogedijk near the old harbour. A truly local pub with beer-tasting.
Probably one of the weirdest buildings in the country. It's a new building, designed by architects Molenaar en van der Winden, that resembles about a dozen traditional Zaan houses plopped on top of each other. It looks odd, to say the least, but makes an impressive sight as you walk out of the railway station. It is a four-star hotel that has 160 rooms available. Free WiFi.
By train
Zaandam is just two stops from Amsterdam Central Station. You pass through station Amsterdam Sloterdijk. Trains leave regularly (4-8 trains per hour) until 01:00.
By car
From the northern Amsterdam ring-road (Ringweg A10), take the A8 to Zaanstad/Zaandam, and follow the signs.
By bus
Connexxion bus lines 92 and 94 run at least 4x per hour to Zaandam Centre (Peperstraat Bus Station) and Zaandam Railway Station.
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Amsterdam · International · AMS
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