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.

Worth to see is the whole area around the river Zaan, to be explored biking, walking, around or boating over the Zaan River. You will see a great mix of old style industry unusual for the Netherlands, old wooden houses and windmills, together with open green pastures (grass land) in the span of just a few miles. It will be like different epochs clash.

• Blue House (painted by Claude Monet), Hogendijk 87. 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.
  

• Tsar Peter House, Krimp 23 (at walk distance from railway station Zaandam). 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.

• Inntel Hotel, Provincialeweg 102 (close to Zaandam railway station). 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.