Little Venice

Giethoorn, a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel, is a residence for 2,795 people (in 2020).

This picturesque village contains vast series of lakes, canals, thatched roofed typical Dutch houses with beautiful painted shutters and gorgeous gardens. A walking/cycling path runs right trough the houses that are built in the 18th and 19 centuries.

There are 176 bridges over the village’s lake that is also a home for ducks and swans.

In the middle, there is a large section that is only accessible by footpath or canal. Therefore, the residents sail around, walk or cycle to transport themselves.

In winter, the canals freeze over and are used for ice skating by locals and tourist alike.

There are three canal-side museums to visit and the Schreur shipyard, where the Giethoorn punt is built.

Visitors go on a boat cruise, a whisper-boat, punt or sloop for the best view of the village. Walking and cycling are also another things that visitors do to soak themselves in this fairytale village.

In 2015, Giethoorn became one of the cities on the board of the new international edition of Monopoly. The village is also ranked in the top 10 of cities being visited in the Netherlands. Yearly 1 million people from all over the world visit this canal village.