Giethoorn. With canals, boats sailing along them, houses with lit chimneys, and a charm that transports you, we find this town that seems straight out of a fairy tale.
On our tour of the Netherlands we chose to visit this small town, which is always or almost always taken as a day trip, but we decided to spend a night there. Why? Because from the beginning we felt that this magic would capture us and not let us go.
The distance from Amsterdam is only 120 kilometres.
Excursion to Giethoorn from Amsterdam
We started our journey in Volendam, a picturesque seaside town where we had spent the night before. The distance to Giethoorn is about 1 hour by car. The drive is beautiful, with green fields and windmills all around us.
You can do the tour by car as we did, it is a very good plan since you will organize your schedules. We rent by car at Discovercars.
And this arrival in Giethoorn would be, just like the previous one, a nice stop and a rest on the route. It is called by many the most beautiful town in Holland.
Upon arrival, you will need to look for the corresponding parking lot before reaching the center of the town, since the route through the town will be on foot, as it is mostly pedestrian. Parking is free.
After settling in, it’s time to explore. Giethoorn is famous for its canals, and the best way to get to know them is by boat. Cruising along these canals is like stepping back in time. The traditional houses and wooden bridges are simply charming.
It is called by many with the typical name the Venice of the North or the Venice of Holland and as in every town where I tell you to get lost in its streets, here I will tell you to get lost in its canals both sailing and on its banks.
It has less than 3,000 inhabitants and is made up of a group of islets connected by 170 bridges. So you can imagine the magic of the place. The simplicity of the town gives it that special touch.
The main activity here is, as we said, getting drunk. The price of a one-hour trip is around €10. You can also rent your own boat to explore at your leisure, prices start at €25 per hour.
Boat trip on the canals of Giethoorn
Travel companions, unlike other places where we put together a list of things to see, in this town I only recommend embarking and walking. If you take the tour on the boat, there is a guide who will give explanations of the places you visit, but they are in English.
Although there is little to do and one day is more than enough, staying meant that we took advantage of it at times when the tourists are already leaving and everything remains in a charming calm.
The hotel we chose was the Hotel de Pergola, it is very well located very close to one of the canals.
Everything is contactless. They send you a number to check in using a machine in the hotel lobby, where they will give you the access code. When you leave, you can also check out using the machine. Breakfast is in the restaurant next door.
We recommend dinner too, it was very good, we did it in an Italian restaurant, Fratelli, next to the canal, very good food and attention.
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Having internet is always important. During this trip to the Netherlands we were connected with Holafly’s eSim, we took out the Europe eSim, which has unlimited internet, because of the number of days we were there and it was a very good option. You activate it with a QR code, follow the instructions and it’s ready to use, it doesn’t work in all mobile models, so check the page to see if it can be useful for you. With our code you have a 5% discount on the purchase. I leave here the link with discount for the followers of Europe Accompanied! Holafly discount code, EUROPAACOMPAÑADA5
How to get there. You can get there by car if you already have one from Amsterdam. By train, but you will have to combine with a bus because there is no station in Giethoorn. The most convenient option is perhaps to take an excursion from Amsterdam. The cost of these is around €80 and generally includes a trip along the canals.
Excursion from Amsterdam to Giethoorn
If there is one thing you cannot forget, it is to travel with travel insurance. We are never free from something happening to us on our trip, from losing our luggage to a health problem, so we must be prepared and take out insurance that covers any inconvenience.
NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links.
