Windmills, hidden gems, local restaurants, bike routes and real culture, chosen by a local who has lived and danced in this city for more than ten years.
GoZaanstad is a community guide built by locals, for locals and visitors. Discover the real Zaanstad beyond the tourist trail: windmills, hidden gems, honest restaurants, dance events and the best bike routes in the region.
From the Zaanse Schans to the old windmills of Westzaan, every part of Zaanstad has its own character. We also include Oostzaan, Jisp and Wormer in our guide. They are not officially part of the municipality of Zaanstad, but you cannot tell the story of the Zaan without them.
My name is Riki. I am Syrian, born in Dubai, and proud to be both Dutch and Syrian. I came to Zaandam more than ten years ago. This city chose me, and I chose it right back.
I am a professional dancer with years of experience teaching urban dance across the Zaan region. Together with an amazing community, I co-founded Back to the Street , the only professional urban dance event in Zaandam, which brings hundreds of dancers and spectators to the streets every summer.
As a developer working in AI, I built GoZaanstad on my own, from the database to the windmill turning on this page. Every line of it is a love letter to this city.
Zaandam's only professional urban dance event, founded by Riki. Every summer in the heart of the city.
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