If fairytale land would exist, then it definitely should be Giethoorn Netherlands. The place is also known as the “Dutch Venice”. This beautiful village is located in the east part of the country in the province of Overijssel.
It is a quiet and picturesque town, a place where time has stopped and people know to appreciate life on its small details.
Giethoorn is a place with no roads.
Actually, the city is split into three parts which are connected within each other by water canals. In town, there are more than 180 bridges used by locals and tourists to pass from one side to another.
Traditional house in Giethoorne
How to get to Giethoorn netherlands
This small town is located 120 km away from Amsterdam.
The fastest way to reach the town is by car. But not all of us want to rent a car just for visiting a place. No worries! There are many alternative options: trains, buses and guided tours.
Getting to Giethoorn by train is a little complicated.
You should take a train from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Amersfoort. In Amersfoort, you have to change the train and take one to Steenwijk. From Steenwijk train station you should take bus 70 to Dominee Hylkemaweg and after that, you should rent a boat! Uh! So complicated!
Another way to reach Giethoorn Netherlands is with a guided tour.
Some tours offer to pick up and drop off at your hotel, while others give you a meeting point. This method is more expensive but less stressing comparing with the train.
The best option, in my opinion, is to rent a car.
The daily price for a small car is almost the same as the tour tickets price, but you are free to go whenever you want and to do whatever you want.
Get the best price for your car rental today
We did so! We booked a few nights at Crown Plaza Amsterdam, we rented a car and we visited Amsterdam neighbourhoods. We had the freedom, the flexibility to choose the places we wanted to visit and to live our own dutch dream!
If you want to experience what Crown Plaza Amsterdam has to offer book your reservation here
Exploring Giethoorn
Once you reach this fairy-tale town, you have two options: explore it by boat or on foot.
Giethoorn by boat
The best way to experience the city is by boat. Rent a boat and let yourself lost on its magnificent canals and admire its beautiful houses.
The tour boat last around one hour. It is a nice boat ride along the canals up to Lake Bovenwijde and back to the dock.
Giethoorn village the Netherlands
The canals like the narrow streets of the town are very crowded. If you visit Giethoorn in peak season expect to lots of tourists, all desperate to take photos of this magnificent place!
Giethoorn by foot
You can do as locals do and rent a bike or simply walk on the narrow streets of the town to explore the surroundings.
Everything is very quiet and peaceful! All you can hear are the bird songs from the trees above!
On your walks around the town show respect to locals and their properties! There are no fences to delimit their properties! So, try to stick to the paths and not to enter on someone property! The properties are well maintained, with lush vegetation around! Most important is to show respect to their properties while enjoying the landscape!
Giethoorn Netherlands accommodation
If you feel that one day is not enough to explore this beautiful small town, then you should think about spending the night here!
For the size of the town, there are plenty of accommodation options to choose from. Most of them are cosy, with a traditional touch, the ideal place to experience local life.
The prices of the accommodation are less than in Amsterdam city centre, so it is a good option to which you should think about.
No matter if you choose to spend a day or more in this magnificent place, I am sure you will love it a lot! It is the best picture of the Netherlands’ traditional village. You will have a very nice surprise once you get there!