Giethoorn brings together island houses, waterways and boating traditions. Many houses stand on islands and can only be reached by water and via the characteristic bridges. You can explore Giethoorn by bicycle, on foot or by boat along its extensive reed beds. The water, bridges and footbridges along the cycling and walking paths give the village the character of Venice. This gives you two clear areas of focus when planning your visit: the village’s history and craftsmanship on the one hand, and the waterscape of De Wieden on the other.

Village character and punter tradition

A Gieterse punter is a traditional flat-bottomed boat designed for shallow water. It is propelled with a long pole. Its design and propulsion make this type of boat a distinct example of local boating tradition in Giethoorn’s history. There are currently still two punter boatyards in Giethoorn: Schreur’s boatyard in Giethoorn Zuid and Wildeboer’s boatyard in Giethoorn Noord. The village’s intangible heritage also includes traditions, crafts and customs passed down from generation to generation. Those interested in Giethoorn will therefore encounter both visible features of the waterscape and traditional crafts and customs.

Museum and local traditions

The Giethoorn ’t Olde Maat Uus Museum displays objects and tells stories about the village and its residents. It is located in the centre of Giethoorn at Binnenpad 52. This gives you a specific cultural point of interest to include in your travel plans without limiting your visit to a single attraction: the museum connects objects with stories about the place and the people who live here. The Gondelvaart Giethoorn is another local tradition. It has been held annually since 1930. If you would like to include the event in your travel plans, check the dates for your preferred travel period.

Sightseeing cruise or canoe trip?

A one-hour sightseeing cruise, accompanied by a skipper or guide, passes through the historic village centre and across Lake ’t Bovenwijde. Schedules may change, so check the times before your trip. The boats used for Giethoorn sightseeing cruises are covered and have heating on board. As facilities may change, check in advance. This makes the cruise an accompanied activity with a clearly stated duration, while the canoe route offers a different perspective on the lakes, canals and natural landscape.

The Giethoorn-Geel canoe route in De Wieden starts at Camping De Hof Giethoorn. On the route, visitors paddle from Giethoorn across large lakes and through colourful canals. It also passes a unique section of De Wieden’s natural landscape, where many special bird species can be spotted. The difference between the water-based activities is therefore clear: the sightseeing cruise combines the historic village centre and the lake in a guided hour; the canoe route crosses lakes and passes through canals, offering opportunities to watch birds along the way. Which option is better suited to your stay depends on whether you prefer a guided cruise or paddling through the landscape.

Getting around

Giethoorn’s centre can be reached directly from Steenwijk railway station by bus route 70. The bus stop is Ds. T.O. Hylkemaweg. If you plan to use this connection, check the timetable details before travelling. For further exploration, you can choose between cycling, walking and boating along the reed beds. Together with the museum in the centre, the punter tradition and the waterways, this provides a practical starting point for deciding what interests you during your stay and then looking for accommodation in Giethoorn.

Discover more destinations: Sint Jansklooster, Blokzijl, Wanneperveen, Belt-Schutsloot, Paasloo, Scheerwolde, Ossenzijl, Kalenberg

For the main travel overview: Steenwijkerland.