Move Over Venice! This European Town Has 5 Miles Of Canals & Less Crowds

We all know—and love—Venice: the winding canals, navigated by exceptionally long, richly decorated gondolas, the Gothic palaces lining the waterline, and the beautiful Baroque basilicas. There’s truly nowhere in the world quite like it.

The one big downside? Most of the year, it is chaos personified, as millions of tourists flock into its narrow fondamente for that perfect canal selfie.

And listen, we get it, Venice is absolutely gorgeous, but it is not Europe’s only destination cut through with scenic waterways. 828 miles north, there is a small, far-quainter Dutch town boasting 5 miles of canals, and fairytale-like thatched-roof houses:

So This Is The Dutch Venice

Similar to Venice, the Netherlands is one of the most popular summer getaways for international tourists, with over 20 million guests registered on average per year.

Strangely enough, tourism seems to be heavily concentrated in two or three focus cities, most notably Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague, while the rest of the country remains undiscovered mainly—ain’t that usually the case?

Tucked away in the province of Overijssel, only over 1h away from Schiphol Airport, Giethoorn is one of those hidden gems, yet it reaches Amsterdam levels of fame.

With wide canals that run along lush patches of green, peppered with centuries-old townhouses and relaxed, water-facing pubs, and various islets connected by arched wooden bridges, it is the Dutch equivalent to Venice.

With only 2,805 residents officially, it is a lot smaller than its Italian counterpart, of course, but not one bit less charming.

Picturesque Canals & Biking Trails

Giethoorn is more of a day trip destination, as opposed to somewhere you stay for several days, but it’s perfect nonetheless for escaping the crowds, especially if you’re combining a visit here with one of the ‘Dams, The Hague, Eindhoven, or other larger Dutch cities.

At only 4 square miles long, it can be seen in full in a few hours, and it surely helps that the historic center, where most of the canals and picture-perfect foot crossings are, is largely car-free.

Back in the olden days, there weren’t even roads: locals used to commute around the big marshland Giethoorn lies in on small boats, but now that cycling paths have been installed, like pretty much everywhere in the Netherlands, you can explore the municipality by bike.

If you’re asking us, the best way to see Giethoorn is from the water.

Punt Around Giethoorn For Only €12

The many small lakes and water passages it straddles were formed by peat digging, as a means to help residents get around the challenging terrain.

You can either rent a punter (or whisper boat, as they’re known locally), manual or electric, though the manual ones are cheaper, available from €12–€15, or you can book a spot on one of the many guided canal tours on offer.

You’ll be passing traditional Dutch houses that have barely changed with the passing of the centuries, still topped with thatches and decorated with quirky garden gnomes, and lustrous, well-tended floral gardens (if they’re in bloom, that is).

Alternatively, you can set out on the Giethoorn Walking Route, starting from the village and extending into the countryside, though we’d recommend you rent a bike or a Solex scooter for that, as it covers a length of 9.3 miles.

An Understated Cultural Getaway

As you might have noticed, Giethoorn is more of a ‘vibes’ destination: you’re coming here to be mesmerized by the idleness of it all, and maybe grab a cold beer after you moor your punter by one of those inviting cafés.

From De Grachthof, with its cozy terrace overlooking a canal, to Café-Restaurant Sloothaak, where you can sample regional delicacies, like apple and syrup-topped pancakes and smoked eel at reasonable prices.

That being said, it’s not like Giethoorn hasn’t got a lot to offer on the culture front, either:

It’s the Old Maat Uus museum, set in a local farmhouse, is a time capsule capturing life in the rural hinterlands of the Netherlands 100 years ago, and it costs only €4 to enter. Otherwise, if you’re a car enthusiast, Histomobil has a big collection of classic cars and vintage carriages.

How To Get To Giethoorn This Summer

Most tourists who have heard of Giethoorn and are going there do so with a guided tour. They tend to view it as more convenient, and less complicated to organize than doing it on your own with public transport.

With prices starting from $79 on GetYourGuide, and it helps avoid the usual combination of trains and buses. The nonstop drive takes around 1h25.

On the other hand, if you prefer traveling independently, you’ll first need to get to Steenwijk, the nearest municipality with a train station.

Once in Steenwijk Station, you can switch to bus line 70 (direction Zwartsluis), or 270 (only in the high season), and hop off at either Dominee Hylkemaweg or Giethoorn Centrum.

The one-way cost with public transportation ranges from €25 to €35.