Discover Giethoorn, the Green Venice of Holland: a characteristic village within a unique natural park
Giethoorn is a small town, part of the larger municipality of Steenwijkerland, located in the province of Overijssel in the north-east of the Netherlands. Called the Green Venice by tourists, Giethoorn has earned this nickname due to the characteristic presence of canals and bridges. Unlike the famous Italian city, Giethoorn is however completely immersed in the greenery of the Natural Park and can only be reached by boat or bicycle.
Even if today the town of Giethoorn has sweet and fairy-tale characters, its past is linked to the sad period of persecution. The center was in fact founded by the Flagellants, a medieval Catholic sect present in Europe between the 1261th and 1349th centuries. Flagellation, or self-flagellation, were widespread customs in the ancient world, even in other religions, but they were declared heretical and prohibited practices both by Pope Alexander IV in XNUMX and by Pope Clement I in XNUMX. To escape persecution part of the sect he therefore settled in this difficult-to-access place.
The origin story of Giethoorn also explains the name given to the village. According to ancient local chronicles, when the community moved to this area of Holland, they found numerous wild goat horns in the humid countryside. According to some sources, the name of the town derives from this initial episode, Geitenhoorn, literally "goat's horn". Two goat horns also appear on the official coat of arms of this Dutch town.
Today Giethoorn is a famous tourist destination within the Weerribben-Wiede National Park, characterized by the presence of numerous canals and 176 bridges. Inside the small town there is no room for cars which therefore become completely useless, to visit Giethoorn it is better to equip yourself with a bicycle or be accompanied by a small boat.
The main attraction of Giethoorn in Holland is the picturesque environment of the canals, an example of perfect integration between man and the surrounding natural environment. The waterways are navigable and one of the activities most loved by tourists is being accompanied by punters, the small typical boats, to discover the historic center of Giethoorn.
The tour along the Giethoorn canals allows you to appreciate the nickname of Green Venice even more, the small boats recall the ancient gondolas and the waterways favor the lush vegetation.
During an excursion to the center of Giethoorn, a visit to the The Old Earth, “The old land”, a local museum which houses a rich collection of minerals and crystals. A few hundred meters further on is the Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus, a picturesque nineteenth-century farmhouse, restored and transformed into a local history museum. This museum is an opportunity to learn about and learn more about local traditions and customs. Just beyond is Gloria Maris, a tourist destination both for the souvenir shop and for the display of shells and jewels.
Giethoorn is a small center that can be visited in a day, there are several agencies that offer excursions of a few hours from the main cities of the region. However, one way to discover and appreciate the uniqueness of the place even more is to spend an entire weekend in the small village. In the center there are several Bed & Breakfasts that will allow you to spend a pleasant weekend inside the historic homes. Visiting the historic town of Giethoorn calmly and walking along the canals will be an opportunity to relax in an environment without stress or traffic, and you will be pleasantly surprised to discover how fascinating it is to live in a country without cars.
The best time to visit Giethoorn in Holland is definitely there spring, when the banks of the canals are in bloom and the vegetation comes alive with scents and colours. In any case, the locality is characterized by the presence of a mild climate which has temperatures that are not excessively cold in winter.
You can reach Giethoorn by car via the A1 or A6 motorway, or if you opt for public transport you can take the intercity train from Amsterdam to Leeuwarden and then continue to Wanneperveen by bus. Another train itinerary takes you from Amsterdam to Zwolle via Almere, the last stretch to Zwartsluis is to be done by bus.
If you wish to reach Giethoorn by plane you can land in Amsterdam, the capital of Holland, which is located approximately 120 kilometers to the south-west. Another possibility is to include the visit to Giethoorn within a longer itinerary to discover the northern region of Holland, the city of Groningen it is in fact located in the north direction just 60 kilometers away.
Numerous interesting towns can be found in the surroundings of Giethoorn and along the banks of the Ijsselmeer and the Markermeer. Among these are the city of Enkhuizen need lelystad, in the province of Flevoland.
