Where is Giethoorn and why is it called the ‘Little Venice?’

Giethoorn is an enchanting Dutch fairytale village with centuries-old picturesque thatched-roof houses, a myriad of canals and numerous quaint wooden bridges situated in the province of Overijssel amidst the Weerribben-Wieden National Park - a vast nature reserve. Since the old part of the village has no car roads and hence the only means of transportation are walking, cycling and boating through a network of small canals, it has earned the title of 'Little Venice of the Netherlands' or 'Small Venice of the North.' Apart from the transportation part, there's no similarity between the Venice of Italy and the Venice of the Netherlands, Giethoorn.

giethoorn venice of the north with wooden houses thatched roof bridges canal reflection boats in overijssel netherlands holland shot at sunset during golden hour

How did Giethoorn derive its name?

In the thirteenth century, Franciscan monks settled in the present Giethoorn area. They dug canals for transportation of peat which gave the village its current landscape. During the digging of canals, the village inhabitants unearthed masses of goat horns that were believed to be leftover from a big flood in the tenth century. Thus the village of Giethoorn obtained its name (‘Giet-hoorn’ means ‘Goat-horn’ in Dutch).

goat horn statue giethoorn venice of the north with wooden houses thatched roof bridges canal reflection boats in overijssel netherlands holland shot at sunset during golden hour

Are there really no Roads or Cars in Giethoorn?

Giethoorn has cars, car roads and car parks. However, that’s outside the old central part of the village where the locals and visitors have to leave their cars behind. In the old part of the village, there are only pedestrian roads, cycling tracks and canal trails.

Is Giethoorn really an Untouched Destination?

Spoiler Alert: Well, though I agree that the popularity of Giethoorn is nothing compared to the medieval Italian city of Venice for instance, however, you will be in for a big surprise if you would visit this Dutch village with an expectation of traveling to an untouched fantasy land. In fact, canals clogged with boats jam-packed with tourists during the high season can be counted as another similarity between Giethoorn and the real Venice. In 1958 when Giethoorn was featured in the famous comedy film Fanfare, made by Dutch filmmaker Bert Haanstra, it gained worldwide popularity, especially in Asia. Per year, an estimated 350,000 Chinese people visit Giethoorn, which is a massive number compared to the population of the village of around 2,500.

Fun Fact

In 2015, Giethoorn was chosen from 182 contenders across the globe to get a position on the board of the brand-new international edition of the board game Monopoly. An aggressive online campaign by Giethoorn.com helped Giethoorn garner enough votes to obtain spot #21 on the special edition.

7 Best Things to See and Do in Giethoorn

Map thanks to Wanderlog, a vacation planner

1. Check out the centuries-old fairytale thatched-roof houses

I think apart from the mesh of canals and the boats, another thing that makes Giethoorn idyllic is the 200-300 years old fairytale thatched-roof houses. They are of different patterns and shapes and are unbelievably well maintained to date. A visit to Giethoorn is not complete without having your own collection of images of these quaint romantic cottages.

2. Take a boat tour

Rent a whisper-boat to navigate the waterways yourself or take a guided canal cruise. Book in advance as only a limited number of boats are allowed to run each day. Please visit giethoorn.com/en to rent boats or book guided canal cruises.

3. Explore the village on foot

A highly underrated way to explore the village, according to the internet, is on foot. To me, exploring the village by boat has its own charm and also you can travel to the bigger string of canals and lakes that you cannot reach on foot. Still, nothing beats the lazy and leisurely approach of taking a walk under the setting sun and appreciating the magic of the place at your own pace. So even if you have decided to hire a boat or canal cruise, don't miss the walk.

portrait-boy-walking-bridge-giethoorn-venice-north-wooden-houses-thatched-roof-bridges-canal-reflection-boats-overijssel-netherlands-holland-sunset-golden-hour_3.jpg

portrait lady standing in giethoorn venice of the north with wooden houses thatched roof bridges canal reflection boats in overijssel netherlands holland shot at sunset during golden hour

portrait man standing in giethoorn venice of the north with wooden houses thatched roof bridges canal reflection boats in overijssel netherlands holland shot at sunset during golden hour

4. Visit a museum

You have a couple of museums in Giethoorn that are worthy of a visit.

Museum Giethoorn ‘t Olde Maat Uus - Showcases the medieval lifestyle at Giethoorn
Museum De Oude Aarde - Features a collection of gemstones, minerals, and fossils found during peat digging at Giethoorn

5. Eat

I must say, given the size and population of the village, Giethoorn has exceptional culinary options. Let me list some for you here -

Chinese Restaurant Giethoorn A Niu - Serves cuisines from North China (Beijing cuisine), South China (Canton cuisine), and West China (Sechuan cuisine)
Restaurant 't Zwaantje - Famous for its traditional Dutch pancakes
2 Michelin Star Restaurant Lindenhof - Considered to be one of the best multi-cuisine restaurants in the Netherlands

To know more about the gastronomical options at Giethoorn, please visit giethoorn.com/eten

6. Stay overnight

If you cannot get enough of Giethoorn in a day, you can also choose to stay back for a night or two in one of the cozy holiday homes, chalets, or hotels. To know more about the sleeping options, at Giethoorn please visit giethoorn.com/en/sleeping-in-giethoorn

7. Other activities at Weerribben-Wieden National Park

Apart from these, you can indulge yourself in the magnificent wonders of the surrounding Weerribben-Wieden National Park. I would recommend these only if you are sleeping overnight and have plenty of time in hand. To know more about the activities in the Weerribben-Wieden National Park, please visit giethoorn.com/activiteiten

Visiting Giethoorn

Public Transport: Giethoorn is approximately 120 km northeast of Amsterdam. Traveling to Giethoorn from Amsterdam by public transport takes approximately 2 hours and costs around €25 per person.

Giethoorn doesn't have a train station of its own. The best way is to reach Steenwijk then take bus #70 to Bus stop Dominee Hylkemaweg in Giethoorn. Alternately, you could also reach Zwolle train station and take bus #70 or #270 to Busstop Dominee Hylkemaweg in Giethoorn. Please note that the frequency of bus #70 or #270 is one in every 30 minutes (approx.). So check the timing of the buses on 9292.nl on the day of your journey to plan your travel.

Car Parking: Large and free parking lot at the start of the village. You will see parking signs as you arrive.

For more information please visit giethoorn.com/en

Epilogue

So those were the 7 best things to see and do in Giethoorn. Please let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed reading this article. And until we meet next time, I wish you merry traveling and happy shooting!