Giethoorn Village (Village With No Roads), Province Of Overijssel, Netherlands

Giethoornis a town in the province of Overijssel, Netherlands with a population of 2,620. As a popular Dutch tourist destination both within Netherlands and abroad, Giethoorn is often referred to as "Dutch Venice" or the "Venice of the Netherlands". Giethoorn used to be a pedestrian precinct, but nowadays exceptions are made. It became locally famous, especially after 1958, when the Dutch film maker Bert Haanstra made his famous comedy Fanfare there. In the old part of the village, there were no roads, and all transport was done by water over one of the many canals. The lakes in Giethoorn were formed by peat unearthing. Giethoorn was a separate municipality until 1973, when it became part of Brederwiede, which lost its municipality status in 2001 to merge with Steenwijk.

The village’s name harkens back to the 13th century. The story goes that its original farmer-settlers discovered a collection of horns belonging to wild goats thought to have died in the Flood of 1170. “Goat horn,” or “Geytenhoren,” was shortened to Giethoorn, and the name stuck. Centuries post-flood, water continues to define the village's living history and landscape.

Giethoorn is a tiny Dutch village of Giethoorn, the tranquility is almost dreamlike. That is, until you remember why it's so quiet there are no cars. In fact, there’s no way for cars to get around, because there are no roads. Locals and visitors to Giethoorn navigate in whisper-quiet ways: by bike, boat, or foot. In this hamlet a collection of small peat islands connected by bridges there's not much to do except slip into solitude among thatched-roof farmhouses and footbridges crossing the maze of canals.

Tourism has an influence on the old traditional town. The village, still only fully accessible by boat, is one of several places commonly known as the Venice of the North or Venice of the Netherlands. Giethoorn has over 150 bridges. Giethoorn is a very popular attraction among Chinese tourists. In nearby De Weerribben-Wieden National Park, wildlife enthusiasts hike wetlands and reed beds home to otters, black terns, great cormorants, and egrets. You can traverse by waterway on rowboats and canoes, of course, or by the many hiking paths. Without motor noise pollution, the sounds of nature bring the scenery to life for all the senses.

You can get to Giethoorn by a combination of train and bus. To avoid crowds, opt for the months of April, May, June, or September, and keep in mind that weekday visits may be best. Though this “Dutch Venice” feels quite removed from capital city of Amsterdam, it's only about 75 miles away. And a two-hour journey is well worth the feeling of traveling back in time