A third of the Het Twiske recreation area is made up of water. Across 650 hectares, open water and a wide range of outdoor activities come together. Oostzaan’s history can also be explored in different ways: from distinctive buildings and monuments to traces of its former industries.
Water and protected landscapes
Het Twiske offers opportunities for swimming, diving, surfing, canoeing and sailing. Its facilities include beaches, an adventure playground, a diving park, a harbour, a climbing park, a care farm and a monumental windmill. Individual facilities may have their own access requirements. You can tailor your visit to the water activities or other attractions that interest you.
The Oostzanerveld offers a different kind of landscape: this peat meadow area is characterised by hundreds of floating fens and forms part of the protected Natura 2000 site “Ilperveld, Varkensland, Oostzanerveld en ’t Twiske”. It is particularly enjoyable to explore by boat. Boat excursions are available, as are canoe and rowboat rentals; check availability before your trip. On a guided excursion, the skipper and guide share stories about the area’s and region’s history. Along the way, you may see reddish-brown cattle and goats grazing in the fields. The boat used for the Oostzanerveld excursion can be boarded with a rollator or wheelchair; confirm this access requirement before booking.
Fishing is also possible in two different locations: at Stooterplas in Het Twiske and in the Oostzanerveld. Local fishing regulations may apply. There is also a boat ramp with parking at Rietschoot, from where you can explore the area by water. The Sloepennetwerk passes through Oostzaan and offers several routes for sloops. Cycling and walking routes from Oostzaan run along water, open polders and nature areas, offering views of nearby towns and parts of Laag Holland.
Monuments and stories around town
Oostzaan has six Rijksmonumenten. One way to discover cultural and historic sites is the “Recreatief & Historisch Oostzaan” route: it starts at the town hall and passes 13 sites and monuments. A map of the route is available free of charge at the KunstGreep; check whether it is available before your visit. On a route in Oostzaan, you can also scan a QR code to listen to longer recorded stories.
The Grote Kerk is itself a Rijksmonument. You can visit for concerts and guided tours, or for a moment of quiet reflection. Two ship models in the church recall Oostzaan’s history as an important seafaring community. Other memorial sites tell their own stories: the Oostzaan resistance monument is a bronze chair on a concrete plinth, erected in memory of Pastor Nanne Zwiep. A bronze relief plaque on a freestanding brick wall depicts Hannie Schaft and commemorates the Dutch resistance fighter Jannetje Johanna Schaft.
The industrial past is visible in the buildings and works of art. The Kuiperijbrug over the Roemersloot at Kerkbuurt recalls Oostzaan’s industrial history. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Oostzaan experienced an industrial boom, with numerous bleaching fields and starch factories spread throughout the area. Around 1630, starch was made from wheat in starch houses or sheds along clear, flowing waterways. The Polderhuis has stood on Zuideinde since 1925. Another chapter of history is told by the windmill De Vlijt: it was built in Zaandam before 1900, moved to Oostzaan in 1945, and relocated to its present site on a small island near Doctor Keijzerstraat in 1959/1960. The Twiskemolen has stood on the border between the municipalities of Landsmeer and Oostzaan since 1974.
Smaller discoveries offer a different perspective, too: the “Torso” sculpture by Jan Timmer has stood in the green space by the Lishof care home on Lisweg since 1995. De Windjager was built as a hobby project in 1978 and stands on a small island. The final stop on the “Buitengewoon Oostzaan” route introduces the painter and woodcutter Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen, who was born around 1470. Westerstijfselmakerspad is accessible on foot only.
Cultural programme and discoveries of your own
If you are interested in theatre as well as historic sites, Theater de KunstGreep presents professional productions across almost every genre of theatre. The auditorium has 261 fixed seats, including four wheelchair spaces. The different themes and locations offer a range of ways to spend your time in Oostzaan, whether you are more interested in the landscape and water, local history or culture.
Discover more destinations: Oostzaan, Bergen, Wieringermeer, Muiden, Den Helder, Purmerend, Beemster, Drechterland.
Back to the main travel overview: North Holland.
