NL · Overijssel · 52.74°N 6.08°E

giethoorn

Thatched houses, little footbridges and village canals you can steer a boat through.

Best time
May, June and September are good for boating without the worst crowds. July and August clog the narrow canals; November to February is cold, with short days and fewer boats for hire.
How long
1 day, or a night for a quiet morning
Getting there
Fly direct to Amsterdam on KLM (about 13 hours). From Schiphol, the train to Steenwijk and a local bus to Giethoorn take about 2–2.5 hours in all. There's no train station in the village. The Netherlands is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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NL · Overijsselgiethoorn52.74°N 6.08°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Thatched houses, little footbridges and village canals you can steer a boat through.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingGiethoornNL, Overijssel
KLgiethoorn
≈ 10,106 km from KL, as the crow flies
Canals in Giethoorn, Netherlands; a.k.a. the Venice of the North / Venice of the Netherlands

Photo: PhotoBobil · CC BY 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Giethoorn's old village follows a canal lined with thatched farmhouses and little wooden footbridges, with hardly a road in sight. A small electric boat is the usual way to see it, and the canalside footpath is just as nice when the water gets busy.

Makan

  1. PannenkoekenWide Dutch pancakes with sweet or savoury toppings; bacon is common, so check what's on top.Map ↗
  2. KibbelingHot battered chunks of white fish with a garlic dipping sauce.Map ↗
  3. Dutch apple pieA tall, thick slice, usually with whipped cream.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. An electric boat rideSmall rental boats you steer yourself, winding past gardens and under low bridges.Map ↗
  2. BinnenpadThe footpath along the canal, past thatched houses and their private little bridges.Map ↗
  3. BovenwijdeThe lake beside the village, where the view opens out beyond the narrow canals.Map ↗
  4. Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat UusAn old farmhouse that shows the village's peat-cutting and farming past.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Come early on a weekday. By midday in summer the main canal jams with rental boats.
  • The houses and garden bridges are private homes, so stick to the public path.
  • Halal food is scarce in the village; bring lunch from Amsterdam.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.