It looks like a Lego set. What does an unusual city in Europe, which is called a cheap alternative to Amsterdam, look like?

The small town of Zaandam, located near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, looks like it was made of Lego bricks. Its strange shapes and bright colors evoke a fairy-tale atmosphere. At the beginning of construction, this town was designed as a mill center, but now tourists can spend their vacations here.

The peculiarity of the houses called Zaan houses is their color scheme because it is impossible to paint them in any shade – only in tones of green. Only sometimes, to accentuate the details, you can add yellow or blue. In his YouTube video, American food and travel blogger James Andrews talked about the interesting places and features of Zandam.

He said that the city is no less interesting than Amsterdam itself, but a bit more budget-friendly, as a hotel room cost him much less. In particular, there are regular trains to the capital from the Zandam station, and the trip takes about 12 minutes.

The city even has the same historic windmills called Zanse Schans. It is worth noting that the area where they are located is residential, and the condition of the wooden windmills is well-maintained.

"This city seems much less touristy compared to what I've seen in Amsterdam. It looks like a more local place," the blogger shared his observations.

It is worth noting that it is the historical center that is colorful, and everything outside of it has more or less classic Dutch architecture. One of the largest buildings in Zaandama is the Inntel Hotel, which was built in a style that matches the color scheme of the "old" city.

"After its completion in 2010, the Intel Hotel instantly became a landmark and symbol of the city. The 12-storey building blends seamlessly into the neighborhood, yet is boldly different. The hotel is a modern reproduction of the blue house that Claude Monet painted when he spent time in Zaandama. It's a really beautiful building that you can visit at any time of the day," the blogger said.

He noted that the weather in Zaandama changes several times a day and is unpredictable, so you should pay attention to this when planning your trip.

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