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Best Things to Do
Popular Best Things to Do in Overijssel [2025]
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Giethoorn
4.9
/5
212 reviews
8.5
42.4 km from downtown
Phone +31-521-360099
Address: Netherlands
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5-1 day
No.1 of Family-Friendly Attractions in Overijssel
Highlights:
Car-free for peaceful cycling
Boat tour & reed roofs
Saved by 312 users122 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
Walking around Yangjiao Village, it seems to enter the fairy tale world. The canal of the winding canal reflects the reed-top hut, and the wooden bridge connects the families. I rented an electric boat and walked slowly through the quiet waterway. The hydrangea flowers on the shore were blooming, and the swans I met were gracefully swimming past the boat. The most memorable thing was when the family hotel woke up, pushing the window to see the river, the smell of the bakery in the morning mist. The slow life here is completely relaxing, and even the sound of bicycles riding across the brick road is particularly pleasant.
[Traveling through the ripples of fairy tales - 48-hour slow travel in Giethoorn]
The moment I stood on the first wooden bridge in Giethoorn, I was sure that I had fallen into the dream described by Van Gogh. This Dutch water town, woven by 177 canals, dyed the cold morning mist in February into broken gold with its sparkling waves. As the experience officer of the "Niche Secret Realm" column of Ctrip Community, I spent two days deconstructing the fairy tale code of this "Venice of the North", and here I share three of the most contagious journey slices.
(I) Time and space folding in the waterway maze
The canoe trip in the early morning can be called a magical opening. The electric boat provided by the boat rental company is like a floating fallen leaf, carrying us into the spider-web-like waterway system. The reed-roofed farmhouses are looming in the mist, and the retro kerosene lamps hanging in front of every household form a wonderful dialogue with the snowdrop flowers blooming on the windowsill. When the boat passed the 17th-century stone arch bridge, the startled waterfowl flapping and the distant church bells actually composed a natural symphony. It is especially recommended to stop at the hidden tributary behind the "Hollands Venetië" restaurant, where the reflection can fold the entire village into a symmetrical oil painting world.
(II) The aesthetics of life under the thatched eaves
Visiting the thatched cottage of local craftsman Marin overturned my stereotype of "Internet celebrity attractions". The reed roof she wove with ancestral skills not only carries the practical wisdom of drainage and moisture prevention, but also hides the mystery in the design of the inclined roof angle - 38 degrees is the best angle for snow to fall, and the thickness of 62 cm is just enough to isolate the moisture from the North Sea. In her living room, which is filled with the aroma of caramel waffles, an old phonograph is playing the original soundtrack of the 1958 documentary on Giethoorn Village. The boat-shaped pottery jars displayed in the glass cabinet are actually made of the unique blue clay at the bottom of the canal.
(III) Variations of light and shadow in the twilight
The "Stargazer Trail" in the evening gave me a double surprise. This wooden plank road extending along the old canal turned into a natural light and shadow laboratory in the afterglow of the sunset: the warm yellow wall lamps of the farmhouse on the west side and the cold blue twilight reflected by the ice surface on the east side interweaved Morandi color blocks on the camel coats of tourists. Walking to the corner of the "Museum Farm", hundreds of river lights suddenly lit up, turning the entire water area into a flowing starry river. The local tour guide revealed that there would be a traditional lantern boat parade every Friday night in winter, and the villagers used medieval copper lamps to project changing light and shadow totems on the ice.
_Practical Tips:_
1. Traffic hack: Take the train from Amsterdam Central Station to Steenwijk Station (about 1.5 hours), and then transfer to bus No. 70 directly; it is recommended to buy a regional pass (including boat ticket + museum)
2. Photography tips: Shoot before 9:00 to avoid the wake of the cruise ship, and capture the dripping moment of the snow melting on the roof on Binnenpad Street in the afternoon
3. Taste Easter Egg: The smoked eel with gin at the century-old De Grachthof hides the dietary code of North Sea fishermen
4. Hidden copy: Ask for the "Hut Architect" map at the tourist center, which marks the craftsmanship of 20 characteristic roofs
When the last sunset sank into the "Old Canal", I finally understood why the Netherlands
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