Giethoorn – a village without roads in the Netherlands: how to get there, photos, where to stay
Fans of visiting the most unusual places in the world will surely like the wonderful village in the Netherlands – Giethoorn. This is a very small settlement, notable primarily for the fact that it has no streets – it is located in the middle of the water. That is why its second name is the Dutch Venice.
Giethoorn – a village without roads
However, the real Venice is submerged as the land on which it is built slowly sinks into the sea. In Giethoorn, each of the houses ended up on its own island through the fault of the inhabitants themselves. The fact is that the main occupation of the inhabitants of the village was the extraction of peat. Moreover, they dug it where it was most convenient – right in front of the houses. Peat was developed over time, pits remained in place, which were gradually filled with water. Thus, even the neighbors have to get on the boat.
Naturally, Giethoorn did not immediately become the Dutch Venice: the village has existed since the 13th century. It was founded by immigrants from the south of the country, who fled from the strongest flood.
Now in Giethoorn (province of Overijssel, northern part of the Netherlands) there are approximately 2600 inhabitants. This is a quiet and cozy place, extremely popular with tourists. The village is very picturesque (however, like many other Dutch villages), but the numerous bridges (there are more than 170 of them) and the inhabitants moving by boats give it a special charm. The bridges are quite arched: this is done on purpose so that it is convenient to swim under them.
There are practically no roads here. The only thing that the residents could not deny themselves was cycling (as you know, the Dutch have no idea how to do without bicycles). Therefore, in the village there are trails for cyclists, along which you can also walk.
Transport in Giethoorn
However, the main form of transport in the village is boats, available in every household. They don't drive cars here, but a variety of boats are used: rowing, inflatable, motor. Some residents have boats, and the largest vehicle is an electric boat. But without exception, all boats run only on electricity: both gasoline (even the highest quality) and diesel fuel are banned here. As a result, there is almost no noise from the operation of the engines, and tourists call these vehicles whispering boats.
Not far from the village is a large national park. As expected, there is a church, as well as several museums. Tourists will be shown how local farmers live (there is a rural house-museum in Giethoorn), they will talk about the features of ceramic production and demonstrate a collection of precious stones.
The history of the village without roads
The existence of an unusual Dutch village in the world was known in the 60s. XX century. It was glorified by the famous director Bert Hanstra, capturing it in the comedy film Fanfare. People liked the beauty of these places so much that Giethoorn very soon became a real tourist Mecca.
People come here to enjoy the marvelous landscapes and peaceful silence, to plunge into the atmosphere of the 18th century – almost everything here has been preserved in the same form as it was more than 200 years ago. Even the roofs of many houses are still covered with thatch, since in the Middle Ages only very wealthy people could afford tiled roofing. Reed, meanwhile, is abundant in the surroundings, and it goes to the roof. By the way, houses with thatched roofs are now more expensive than those with tiled roofs, as they are considered Dutch classics.
Another feature that immediately attracts the attention of tourists is the abundance of goat horns. They decorate the walls of houses, fences, roofs. The very name of the village – Giethoorn (the Dutch pronounce “Githorn”) – comes from the phrase, which means goat horns. There is a legend that the founders of the village, having arrived in this place in 1230, the first thing they saw was goat horns lying on the ground in large numbers. Apparently, in ancient times this area was flooded, a whole herd of goats turned out to be under water, and the horns are the only thing that could survive in the water. Travelers are happy to take pictures of this local attraction, and they themselves are filmed against their background.
Where to stay in Giethoorn
Despite its small size (the length of the settlement is only 6 km), several hotels (about ten) are open in the village – thus, travelers can take their time to go everywhere and see everything at once, but stay in this quiet place for several days.
What to do in Giethoorn
Here you can go fishing – the local lakes are rich in fish. True, you can catch it only after obtaining the appropriate permission from the local authorities and familiarizing yourself with the rules of fishing: in Giethoorn there are standards for catching, for exceeding which you can end up in the police. You can just ride along the canals: boats and boats are available for rent. By the way, the traffic here is organized: there are even traffic lights and other signs on the canals, so you will have to follow the rules of water traffic.
In the evening, the owners of bars and small home restaurants are waiting for tourists, where you can taste dishes of Dutch and Belgian cuisine in an atmosphere of comfort and peace. For villagers, tourism is one of the main sources of income, so travelers are always welcome here.
How to get to the village
Get to Giethoorn from Amsterdam by train. The journey takes two and a half hours, and you will have to make 2 transfers. From the final stop – Steenwijk – there is a bus to the village, and from there – on foot or by boat. By the way, local residents also leave their cars in front of the village: there is a specially made parking lot.
It is the absence of vehicles that provides such an unusual silence for modern people in this place and creates an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. There is no fee for visiting the village – after all, this is an ordinary settlement, not an attraction. You will have to fork out only if you want to rent a boat or stay at a hotel.
Almost all travelers are delighted with Giethoorn – and not only because of the uniqueness of this place. It is felt that the villagers themselves are very fond of their small homeland. They consider their village to be the only place in the world where they can be in harmony with themselves, and, accordingly, take care of it as best they can. All houses are very well-groomed, almost all year round flowers and greenery delight the eyes: each homeowner arranges a lawn in front of his home, plants trees and shrubs, which he regularly cuts.
Buying a house
Many foreigners like the countryside so much that they start asking how they can buy a house here. Guides, however, have to disappoint potential buyers: houses are not for sale here, they can only be rented for a while. Local residents categorically do not want to change their usual way of life and let strangers with their modern customs and customs only for a short time. But tourists also get the maximum pleasure from visiting Giethoorn: peace and quiet allows you to completely relax and calm the nerves that are inflated by the modern rhythm of life.
Giethoorn village video
Returning home, many tourists, remembering this place and telling their friends about it, call it a piece of paradise, “a fabulous unreality.” According to them, in the village there is a feeling that you are transported by a time machine at least 300 years ago.