The village of Giethoorn in the province of Overijssel in the Netherlands is like a fairytale. There are no usual roads and cars here. Instead there are canals and boats.
Giethoorn was founded in 1230 by refugees from the south of the country. In the swampy area they found hundreds of goat horns (Gitehorns) left over from the flood. Hence the name of the village.
The first inhabitants discovered peat deposits. After the extraction of minerals, pits were formed, which gradually turned into lakes. They were connected by channels.
In the old part of Giethoorn there are no roads or modern transport links – only canals and bridges. There are 176 of them. People move around the village on foot or by boat.
Boats with silent electric motors glide through the water. The boats are designed for two to three people and do not require any special handling skills. There are 90 kilometers of waterways for boats. They can be rented. Tourists book cruises in advance because the number of departures per day is limited.
Giethoorn is very quiet and peaceful: “The loudest sound is the quacking of a duck or other noise made by birds,” says the village’s website. Sounds fabulous!
