Why you need to visit Northern Holland!

There are so many little historic villages all over Europe; however, some of the most adorable ones I ever did see are nestled quietly in Holland.

These 3 quintessential, traditional villages are found in Northern Holland and are called Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Marken Island.

And I fell head over heels in love with them.

I mean, how can you not think these little villages are charming? They have windmills. Real, working Windmills.

And long, lazy footpaths winding through beds of grass; along with wildflowers and canals that tuck themselves between quaint 18th century Dutch houses.

Not to mention fishing villages that specialize in some of the best seafood around, including the famous Dutch herring and eel.

There’s also a friggin’ cheese factory! You can find Edam cheese, among many other varieties, in the small village of Volendam. You can even go on a cheese tour and taste many different types of cheese. It’s seriously amazing… that is if you’re a cheese lover like me.

But what I found the most fascinating was not the fresh fish. Or cheese. (Even though they are simply and deliciously amazing.)

What was fascinating was a Dutch clog maker carving traditional Holland clogs! Located on Marken Island, you’ll find a small wooden shop surrounded by beautiful, vibrant wild flowers.

And once you step inside, you’re surrounded by hundreds of wooden clogs.

I’m not kidding… hundreds…

You can watch the clog maker carve a pair of clogs as well as buy some for yourself.

Not only can you watch him make clogs, but back in Zaanse Chans, you can also tour a real working windmill.

We visited these 3 adorable villages all in one day, and so can you!

When we stayed in Amsterdam we found a guide to drive us to the northern shores of Holland where we enjoyed an entire day exploring and sightseeing – and I highly recommend you do the same!

With plenty of sight-seeing, shopping, dining and museums, there’s plenty to do to keep the whole family busy.

You can find deals on Viator (this specific one) or at the Amsterdam Centraal Station.

During your trip, you can leave by boat to Marken Island from Volendam. It’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

We watched the many fishing boats and sail boats glide across the sea and saw Dutch families sail across the waters catching fish and enjoying the sun.

Hopefully you get a chance to visit these adorable, quaint Holland villages! And if you do, please comment below and let me know what your experience was!