In a rural corner of the Dutch province of Overjissel lies a city known around the world as the Venice of the Netherlands, although the locals refer to it as Giethoorn. Founded in the 13th century, the original city center has no traditional roads. Instead, nearly 10km of meter deep, interconnecting canals wind through the town connecting houses and businesses alike. Instead of cars, the locals get around using kayaks, canoes, and "whisper boats" which maintain the tranquility of the surroundings by using silent electric motors. Nearly all of the houses sit on private "islands" surrounded on all sides by these canals.
The history of the town of Giethoorn is a little foggy. Some say that the village was originally founded by fugitives from the Mediterranean, while others believe it was Franciscan monks that were the first to settle here. According to legend, the first settlers of Giethoorn came upon loads of goat horns shortly after arriving, which is how the town got its name (giethoorn = goathorn). It is believed that large numbers of wild goats were killed in a flood some 60 years before humans arrived. Meanwhile, the same flooding conditions that led to the death of these goats, were also likely the cause of Giethoorn's picturesque canals. The canals that wind throughout the city were originally dug out by peat diggers in order to transport the peat in and around the town. These peat diggers would dig large quantities of peat from the marshy areas surrounding Giethoorn, forming large lakes in the process. Without their homemade canals they would have had no way to transport the peat from these lakes to areas where it could be of use.
Nowadays the canals serve as the main method of transportation for the locals and tourists who come to visit on a regular basis. There is also a bike path and over a hundred footbridges that criss-cross the canals connecting individual islands. And, as you might expect, in the winter time the city is also an ideal spot for ice skating with people traveling from all over the Netherlands to skate along the frozen canals. While many locals do reside in town, tourism is still a major economic source for the village as the local restaurants and attractions tend to reflect. However, for all its boat rental shops and out-of-place cafes, the town of Giethoorn still manages an impression that is authentically Dutch. The thatched roofs and wooden bridges will have you feeling like a part of a real life Vincent Van Gogh painting.
Travelling to Giethoorn is actually quite simple. Located only 1.5hrs outside of Amsterdam means that many tourists make only a day trip to Giethoorn. If you'd prefer to stay in the village you have a choice between a couple of hotels/bed and breakfasts, or a vacation house rental. Wherever you end up staying, a room with a view is a must if you want to get the most out of the charming surroundings. And lastly, if you'd like to make your stay more permanent house prices in Giethoorn start at 3/4 of a million dollars and can run much much higher. Whether you visit in the summer or winter, Giethoorn is a picturesque Dutch village that is both relatively easy to get to and inexpensive to visit.
