Private Windmills of Zaanse Schans & Keukenhof Castle Tour with Dahlias

Visit the iconic windmills of Zaanse Schans and enjoy the blooming dahlias at the gardens of Keukenhof Castle, with time for lunch and scenic Dutch countryside views on this private guided tour.

Can you see the windmills and the flower fields in one day?

Yes. Zaanse Schans for the windmills, the cheese and the clogs, then the flower fields, which change through the season. Dahlias take over from tulips in late summer and run into the autumn, so this is a day that works long after Keukenhof has closed for the year.

Check what will be in flower on your dates with our tulip and seasonal flower calendar.

  • 8 hours
  • 3
    Windmill Tour
  • 4
    Flower Tour
Private Private Windmills & Dahlias tour from €1150
★★★★★ Rated 4.9 / 5 by 17 guests

Travel advisor? Want to know more about our private tours for your clients?

Private Windmills and Dahlias tour Highlights:

  • Explore the traditional windmill village of Zaanse Schans
  • Visit a working windmill
  • Discover thousands of dahlia varieties at the show gardens
  • Pick your own bunch of dahlias

Period: mid-August to mid-October (every year) 

Explore the famous windmills of Zaanse Schans and discover the colourful dahlia show gardens of the Keukenhof and Bollenstreek region in this private Dahlias and Windmills tour.

Visit the iconic windmills of Zaanse Schans

Together we will escape the city crowds and discover the beautiful Dutch countryside. At Zaanse Schans, wander among working historic windmills, see traditional Dutch houses and workshops, learn about cheese and clog making, and enjoy panoramic views of the river and countryside.

Experience the Dahlias at the Keukenhof Castle Garden

In the afternoon we will visit the Dahlia Days festival at Keukenhof Castle and one of the nearby show gardens, where you will be able to take in the incredible beauty and variety of thousands of dahlias in almost every colour you can imagine.

In this private tour, we will take care of you throughout the day. Your private guide will pick you up from your hotel in a luxury car or minivan, and drive you to the beautiful Dutch countryside.

You don’t have to worry, all of the entrance fees are also included.

Dahlias are the second flower season here. The bloom calendar shows how that season lines up with your dates, alongside eight other flowers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam, and can you visit on a private day trip?

Zaanse Schans is only about 25 minutes from Amsterdam by car, one of the easiest private day trips from Amsterdam. We travel door to door so you can enjoy the windmills and gardens at your own pace.

What will we see on this tour?

You will visit the working windmills of Zaanse Schans, traditional crafts such as clog-making and cheese-making, and, in season, the colourful dahlia gardens at Keukenhof Castle.

When is the best time for this tour?

Zaanse Schans is lovely all year round. The dahlias are at their best in late summer and early autumn, roughly August to October.

Can the tour be tailored to our interests?

Absolutely. As a private tour, we shape the day around what you enjoy, from windmills and crafts to the gardens.

Why Book This Tour?

This private tour combines two classic Dutch experiences in one relaxed day: historic windmills and seasonal flowers, without the crowds of large group tours. At Zaanse Schans, you explore working windmills and traditional villages with a knowledgeable private guide who explains how these landscapes shaped Dutch life.

The visit to Keukenhof Castle adds a quieter, more intimate garden experience focused on dahlias in bloom, paired with time for lunch in a historic setting. It is ideal for travellers who want countryside, culture and seasonal colour at a comfortable pace, with flexibility and personal attention throughout.

What’s included on this private tour

  • Transportation
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Entrance Tickets
  • Local Private Guide

Our Reviews

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Riselle Abrams profile picture
Riselle Abrams
March 2026
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Stephan and Cathrine did an outstanding job putting together our agent fam experience with amazing tours. Great attention to detail including tours to Pronk Tulip Factory, Canal Cruise with wine and Cheese tasting, visit to Delft Pottery Factory where we painted our own tiles after the tour , Rijks museum ,time at Zaanse Schans and a great hotel stay. They provided transfers and terrific guides for our experiences. They were very personable, attentive and fun to be with. Can't say enough nice things about Bespoke Amsterdam experiences!
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Dionne Welsh profile picture
Dionne Welsh
March 2026
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
I had an incredible experience with Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences while visiting Amsterdam. As a travel advisor, I personally vet tours for my clients, and this company truly stands out for luxury, organization, and authenticity. From a private tour of the Rijksmuseum to the powerful Anne Frank’s Last Walk and visits to Zaanse Schans and Royal Delft Pottery Factory, every experience was seamless and thoughtfully curated. The guides were knowledgeable, engaging, and made each stop memorable. If you’re looking for private tours in Amsterdam or high-end, customized experiences in the Netherlands, I highly recommend Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences. I will absolutely be using them for my clients.
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Dionne W profile picture
Dionne W
March 2026
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I will absolutely be using the for my clients! I had an incredible experience with Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences while visiting Amsterdam. As a travel advisor, I personally vet tours for my clients, and this company truly stands out for luxury, organization, and authenticity. From a private tour of the Rijksmuseum to the powerful Anne Frank’s Last Walk and visits to Zaanse Schans and Royal Delft Pottery Factory, every experience was seamless and thoughtfully curated. The guides were knowledgeable, engaging, and made each stop memorable. If you’re looking for private tours in Amsterdam or high-end, customized experiences in the Netherlands, I highly recommend Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences. I will absolutely be using them for my clients.
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Elisia Flatt profile picture
Elisia Flatt
March 2026
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
The Windmills of Zaanse Schans & Countryside Villages Group Tour: Kaleigh was adorable and enjoyed sharing her knowledge and passion! Although a quick trip, it was a fun exposure to Amsterdam's charm. It is a touristy tour, but it is enjoyable. The lunch was very tasty. Watching the wood cutting process at the Woodshop windmill was so interesting. Steven Leek at Cheese and Clogs was animated and fun!
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Max Hess profile picture
Max Hess
April 2025
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+6
Amsterdsm Experienced arranged an entire week of sightseeing in Amsterdam and environs. Katherine was our contact and facilitator. Every event. Tulip gardens, windmills, clog production , museums and more were all planned perfectly. The escort they arranged were, without exception, expert and helpful. They were all terrific. Hats off to Guido, Lazlo, Chris and Michael. I would recommend this organization without reservation. I have traveled in many countries and this was the most memorable. Max Hess
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Max H profile picture
Max H
April 2025
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A fabulous week of travel Amsterdsm Experienced arranged an entire week of sightseeing in Amsterdam and environs. Katherine was our contact and facilitator. Every event. Tulip gardens, windmills, clog production , museums and more were all planned perfectly. The escort they arranged were, without exception, expert and helpful. They were all terrific. Hats off to Guido, Lazlo, Chris and Michael. I would recommend this organization without reservation. I have traveled in many countries and this was the most memorable.
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4allisons profile picture
4allisons
October 2024
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Tulips and windmills at the peak of tulip season. Astonishing! Laszlo was wonderful. His experience and explanations, and his endless patience with my difficulty walking, absolutely made both the Keukenhof Gardens and Zaanse Schans windmills complete delights. He was well prepared, with umbrellas at the ready, and advice at just the right moments. The tulip fields, and the Keukenhof, were just stunning! And the village at Zaanse Schans was the perfect end to a wonderful day.
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The Allisons profile picture
The Allisons
April 2024
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Laszlo was wonderful. His experience and explanations, and his endless patience with my difficulty walking, absolutely made both the Keukenhof Gardens and Zaanse Schans windmills complete delights. He was well prepared, with umbrellas at the ready, and advice at just the right moments. The tulip fields, and the Keukenhof, were just stunning! And the village at Zaanse Schans was the perfect end to a wonderful day.
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Marc Wilson profile picture
Marc Wilson
April 2024
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Our private tour of Zaanse Schans and Keukenhof with Parkinson's Disease This was our first visit to Amsterdam and my first trip abroad since my PD diagnosis, so I wanted to get some local help to ensure both I and my partner got the most out of our short tripI chose Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences as they offered all the activities we were interested in - food, tulips, windmills and boatsIt was very easy to make contact with them to ask questions - especially about my mobility issues and how this could be accommodated in the activities we were interested in. After the first contact, we had a dedicated person who handled all follow-up questions and bookings before and throughout our trip, which was very comforting and at no time was there any confusion or problem with language nuancesWe decided to do both the Private Tulips (Keukenhof) and Windmills (Zaanse Schans) tour together, as this was the main reason we chose to visit Amsterdam at this time and I did not want any problems with my mobility distracting my partner's enjoymentNote: If you have a UK blue badge, it is worth taking it with you along with the Dutch supplement notice you can print out, as it can help with parking at KeukenhofWe were met at our hotel by our guide for the day - Jeroen, promptly at the agreed time and taken by car first to Keukenhof. The day was wet and overcast and our guide Jeroen did his best to make sure we made the most of any breaks in the rain by driving us around some of the tulip fields until the rain eased up a little. After we arrived at the park, Jeroen explained the layout of the park, the best bits you must see and those that you can avoid, along with where to purchase tulip bulbs if we wanted to. After this, we were very kindly left to experience the colour, smell and sights of this wonderful park after agreeing on a time to meet back at the entranceThere was a lot to see this time of the year despite the rain and I had deliberately chosen not to use a wheelchair whilst I could still walk, albeit very slowly. This meant we initially did not have enough time to see everything, but Jeroen was very accommodating after a quick phone call, in adjusting our schedule to allow us more time at Keukenhof to see it all and most importantly time to purchase some tulip bulbs which are being delivered to our home later in the year. However, I am sure we still did not see everything as there were so many weaving paths and it was hard following our progress using the map in the rainWe then continued our journey onto Zaanse Schans, with our guide providing a very interesting history of the Netherlands as we travelledUpon arriving at the windmills, lunch was pre-booked at the local restaurant which served local food/drink as well as more international options - we can recommend the mustard soup and local beerZaanse Schans is made up of some working windmills, and several authentic houses that have been preserved/restored and moved to this park - some of which are privately owned, along with a clog museum, workshop and shop as well as a cheese museum. The windmills that are working do different tasks like saw wood, grindstone or crush cocoa into chocolate - we can recommend the make-your-own hot chocolate windmill along with the wood sawing windmill which has an accessibility lift allowing you to visit the different levels whilst it is in action (assuming it is windy enough)Again I chose not to use a wheelchair as it is all flat land, which worked OK as the park is smaller than Keukenhof, but be aware that steps in the Netherlands can be more like ladders to us in the UKWe were then driven back to our hotel after a thoroughly fun but exhausting day, along with some very helpful ideas from Jeroen of other gems to visit during our stay. We certainly got the best out of our time during this trip, due to the help and experience of our guide Jeroen
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Marc Wilson profile picture
Marc Wilson
April 2024
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5
Visiting Amsterdam with advanced Parkinson's Disease This was our first visit to Amsterdam and my first trip abroad since my PD diagnosis, so I wanted to get some local help to ensure both I and my partner got the most out of our short tripI chose Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences as they offered all the activities we were interested in - food, tulips, windmills and boatsIt was very easy to make contact with them to ask questions - especially about my mobility issues, and how this could be accommodated in the activities we were interested in. After the first contact, we had a dedicated person who handled all follow-up questions and bookings before and throughout our trip, which was very comforting and at no time was there any confusion or problem with language nuancesOn our first full day, we booked a private Dutch food tour. Despite the rain, our guide Kayleigh was excellent. She had been fully briefed about my condition and was always aware of my needs, whilst making sure my partner did not miss out on anythingWe got to try new food and drink along with the local knowledge on where best to find this. For anyone also interested in knowing more about the places they visit, we also got a very detailed and knowledgeable history of the location and food/drink we experiencedBespoke Amsterdam Experiences not only listened to my upfront concerns and needs, but they also went out of their way to adapt the experience around these and at no time did I feel awkward or uncomfortableAfter the trip, we took away an amazing list of restaurants, bars and food to try during our stay
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Jeffrey Gosin profile picture
Jeffrey Gosin
July 2023
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Our group of 8 people just returned from a northern Europe holiday, which included several days in Amsterdam prior to a Baltic cruise. We were fortunate to have Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences make all of our tour and transportation arrangements for us. They planned 3 days of various types of tours, including a bicycle tour, private VIP canal boat tour (with happy hour), a half day trip to Zaanse Schans windmills, Anne Frank House, and a tour of The Hague. We all really enjoyed each tour. Everything was completely personalized for our group. The guides, Jeroen, Guido and Kaleigh were the real highlight of each individual excursion. They were all knowledgable, informative and fun! We hope to return to Amsterdam again and will definitely book future plans through Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences.
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jeffg600 profile picture
jeffg600
July 2023
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5
Excellent tours with Bespoke Amsterdam Experience Our group of 8 people just returned from a northern Europe holiday, which included several days in Amsterdam prior to a Baltic cruise. We were fortunate to have Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences make all of our tour and transportation arrangements for us.They planned 3 days of various types of tours, including a bicycle tour, private VIP canal boat tour (with happy hour), a half day trip to Zaanse Schans windmills, Anne Frank House, and a tour of The Hague. We all really enjoyed each tour. Everything was completely personalized for our group. The guides, Jeroen, Guido and Kaleigh were the real highlight of each individual excursion. They were all knowledgable, informative and fun! We hope to return to Amsterdam again and will definitely book future plans through Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences.
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Martha Neave profile picture
Martha Neave
November 2022
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Stephan’s tours have added so much fun, knowedge, and joy to our lives. He has a way of pointing out small details that lead to wonderful stories back in time that help you relate to the history of the era. Not just dry facts and dates! From fantastical fun light tours set to music, to Black Plague informational tours with details and comparisons that make you ponder, to windmills at night from his kayak, he never disappoints. In fact, my 89 year old mother, special Ed adult son, husband who himself is a tour guide at Arlington National cemetery, all of us feel spoiled. We try other virtual guides, none hold a candle to what we learn and experience with Stephan. His music selections on his pre tours, (on the way to the real tour)/ are often some of our favorite parts. The thought and planning that go into each tour are valued as much as the spontaneous nature that sometimes leads us down different paths. He plays to his audience, listens, and responds well. Hopefully Stephan knows how much he brings to the lives of others across the world, it really is an astounding gift, and means a lot in today’s world. Thank you Stephan.
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Lucia T
October 2022
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Private Tour to Zaanse Schans We did a private tour to Zaanse Schans and had a wonderfull experience. We loved our guide Kaleigh. She is great, funny and pleasing.We ask for a private tour in short notice since we were only staying in Amsterdam for a few days, Amsterdam Experices went all out in organising the tour in less than 24 hours in advance.Fully recommended.
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Glenn Andersen profile picture
Glenn Andersen
May 2022
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We recently completed a week-long stay in Amsterdam. The trip was planned on short notice, due to frequently changing Covid rules. As part of our visit, we arranged three private tours through Amsterdam Experiences. From our initial contact through the completion of the tours, Amsterdam Experiences service was exemplary. Kathrine was able to arrange full-day tours of the Delft and The Hague, Tulips and Windmills and a private canal boat tour, all on a few weeks' notice. This was particularly remarkable, given we were visiting at one of the busiest times of the year. Our tour guides Jeroen and René were excellent. Knowledgable, organized, fun to be with, and the tours were well-paced. As well-travelled Americans living in Europe, it was a great experience!!!
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Adina Ilinca
May 2022
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Your tour was brilliant, we had an excellent time, such a great experience.( family of 3 with a 4 years old) You made everything so so easy and enjoyable for us. We got picked up at the exact hour from our place In Amsterdam. We then arrived shortly in Zaanse Schans where Ingrid was waiting for us. We then visited the windmills, cheese factory and clog shop .Ingrid got Scarlett a hot chocolate( the whole village of Zaanse Schans smelled of chocolate that morning) . After that we got in the cab and went for lunch ; had a lovely meal in this very nice restaurant ( burgers and salad) . Another ride after lunch and around 2 o’clock we got to Keukenhof where we had an amazing time . Spent there around 2 hours and we then headed back to Amsterdam. It was really that easy , we felt like celebrities being picked up from various locations and dropped off somewhere else :), minimum effort from our side but maximum satisfaction! We want to say a massive thank you to you and all your team! You were/ are great!
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paige panzner-kozek
October 2019
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AWESOME! Our family experienced both a bicycle tour of Amsterdam with Stephan and a trip to the Unesco Heritage site of Windmills and a neighboring town of Edam (GREAT cheese!) with Christa. Our kids are 10 and 12, and all 4 of us had a blast in both adventures! Christa is extremely knowledgable of the local history, took us to the top of a windmill, had us sample local coffee, chocolate and cheese, while really making it all interesting for the adults and tweens. Both she and Stephan know their audience and know how to make a fantastic tour! Worth every penny. A wonderful way to 'see' unique parts of Holland from a local point of view. Thank you Amsterdam Experiences!

Find out more about how we plan your private tour.

Frequently Asked Questions Windmills and Dahlias Private Tour

Is this tour suitable if Keukenhof Gardens are closed?

This tour is only offered during the period when the dahlias are in bloom, typically from August through October, when Keukenhof Gardens (spring flowers) are closed. During this time, you visit Keukenhof Castle and its estate gardens, which offer a seasonal flower experience focused on dahlias in a quieter, more intimate setting.

When do the dahlia gardens bloom?

Dahlias typically bloom from late summer into early autumn, making this tour seasonal. Availability depends on the flowering season and garden conditions, but the gardens are usually open mid-August to mid-October.

Also see our alternative flower tours in other parts of the year. 

Do we go inside the windmills at Zaanse Schans?

During this tour, you will go inside a working windmill at Zaanse Schans. The windmill varies, depending on availability. Your guide will explain how they operate and why windmills were essential to Dutch industry and daily life.

Is lunch included on this tour?

Lunch is not included. Your guide is happy to recommend several good cafés or restaurants along the route and can help you choose a place that fits your timing, preferences and dietary wishes.

Is this a private tour or will we join other guests?

This is a fully private tour with your own guide and private transport, allowing you to set the pace and ask questions along the way.

How much walking is involved?

There is moderate walking at Zaanse Schans and around the gardens. The walking is gentle and spread throughout the day, with plenty of breaks.

Is this tour suitable for families or older guests?

The route and pace can be adapted for families, older guests or those who prefer a slower experience. Please let us know in advance if there are mobility considerations.

Where does the tour start and end?

The tour typically starts and ends at your hotel, airbnb, Schiphol Airport or cruise terminal in Amsterdam, making it easy to combine with other activities on the same day.

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