Giethoorn

Giethoorn (Steenwijkerland)

Thatched farmhouses where the streets are canals

⚠ 2.5 h each way; leave early

Hours

Village always open; boat rentals usually close around 5–6pm (check on site)

Tickets

Village free. Electric boat hire (4–6 seats) about €20–30 an hour, 1–2 hour minimum; guided 1-hour canal boat about €10–12 per person (travel-site estimates, Oct 2026; confirm on site)

Address

Along the Binnenpad canal path, where most boat-rental shops are

No traffic noise. Every thatched farmhouse has its own narrow canal out front and its own little wooden footbridge to the door. Rent an electric 'whisper boat' and you steer it with one hand, no licence needed, nodding at residents trimming their gardens as you putter past. Head out to the lake at the edge of the village and the water suddenly opens up. It costs you a whole day in transit, but most people who go say it was worth it.