Your Guide to Giethoorn
Everything you need to know about visiting Giethoorn, the car-free village known as the Netherlands' "little Venice."
Giethoorn: the fairytale village stitched together by wooden bridges.
Discover the "Venice of the North" - a peaceful day trip from Amsterdam
Just over an hour from Amsterdam, Giethoorn feels like a different world entirely. There are no roads through its historic centre, only narrow canals, wooden footbridges, and thatched-roof farmhouses that have barely changed in centuries. Drift along the water by boat, wander over the bridges on foot, or simply take in the quiet, and you'll understand why this tiny village has earned its nickname. It's one of the most peaceful day trips you can take from Amsterdam, and one of the most memorable.
Top things to do in Giethoorn
- 1
Take a guided or self-drive boat tour through the village canals
- 2
Walk the quiet paths between the thatched cottages
- 3
Photograph the iconic wooden bridges
- 4
Stop and enjoy a meal by the water
- 5
Enjoy a cheese tasting at Henri Willig
- 6
Enjoy an ice-cream at Venice
Be Inspired and Plan Your Visit
Ready to see more of Giethoorn's magic? These guides will help you plan the details:
Giethoorn on the map
Other popular towns & things to see
Pair your trip to Giethoorn with a stop in Zaanse Schans for its windmills, or extend your countryside day with a visit to one of the Netherlands' other historic villages.
Amsterdam
Canals, museums and the heart of the Dutch capital
Keukenhof
The world's largest flower garden, open every spring
Tulip Fields
The Netherlands' iconic bulb fields, in full bloom each spring
Volendam & Marken
Traditional fishing villages on the IJsselmeer
Zaanse Schans
Historic windmills just outside Amsterdam
Our satisfied customers
Read the reviews of our satisfied customers and find out what they thought of our tours!
J. Oudshoorn
We did the Giethoorn day tour. Was fantastic! Mike is an excellent guide/host. Next time we come to Amsterdam we want to do the tour again! Giethoorn is our favourite.
H. Arshad
Giethoorn was just perfect and incredible such a fairytale place! Exploring the canals with Mike made it even more fun and unforgettable.
J. DeHerder
Thanks Mike, for your good care and amazing driving skills. Learned a lot thanks to your tour to Giethoorn!
A. Arslan
We went on a tour of Giethoorn today and it was wonderful. We especially want to thank our guide Roel and the driver. It was a very fun and pleasant day.
T. Shastha
We had an absolutely wonderful experience on our Giethoorn tour and could not be happier with the service provided.
