I was planning to visit Giethoorn (Dutch Venice) for a long time and finally last sunday, my friends and I finally decided to go there. Weather condtitions were not the best but still we had an amazing experience and how the weather turned from cloudy to drizzling down to sunny again.
A little description of Giethoorn town:
It is so serene, so unique and has such basic excellence that it barely appears to be genuine – tenderly floating along small canals past old but pretty thatched-roof farmhouses.You can turn down a "side road" (another little canal) and float under a wooden bridge where an elderly resident might be walking around to see a neighbour. No this is not Venice, or Amsterdam. It is too serene, quiet and remote. It is so calm that its nickname of the “Dutch Venice” may give a false impression of size and crowds and commercialism.
Here in Holland's water town of Giethoorn the loudest sound you can ordinarily hear is the quacking of a duck or the clamor of different feathered creatures. Giethoorn is at the centre of Overijssel's canal system. Indeed, the little village is so dependent on its waterways, many of the houses cannot be reached by road.
Even though there are organized boat tours, I would recommend to hire a small electric boat that requires no great technical skill to ride and comes in different sized from two sitter to four, eight and even higher capacities. Prices are also quite reasonable starting from 15-20 euro for the smallest size. Most of the canal-side restaurants rent them and it’s a Giethoorn -grand way to spend an afternoon, gently moving down the narrow waterways, under gracefully arching bridges, past cosy thatched cottages.
Footpaths next to the canals are ideal for walking or cycling, you will find some of the local people walking around and like the other dutch, they will greet you with a smile. There are some really good cafes and restaurants to eat and drink and if you are looking to stay overnight, they have some accommodation options available as well.
It was an awesome experience to visit this place, wish someday i could afford a house and a small boat here.
Exploring europe continues.
Thanks for taking your time out to read my post, I would request you to share your feedback / suggestions and upvote if you like my work.
Regards,
Abhinav Badola