Giethoorn is a village in the northeastern Dutch province of Overijssel. It is often described as a fairytale land with few cars, canals filled with boats, and old thatched-roofed houses. Some even call it the Venice of the Netherlands.
We had 24 hours in Giethoorn on our road trip through the Netherlands. And we have a few tips to share for you to have a beautiful trip too!
Tip 1: Stay overnight
This is a short and simple tip. Stay overnight in Giethoorn. There are day tour options, but to get the whole experience of the town, stay overnight!
Tip 2: Go in the early spring
We picked the perfect time to go. It was the beginning of April, right at the start of spring.
The beginning of spring is a great time to go because it is not the peak busy season of the town. There were times at night and in the morning when it felt like we had the whole village to ourselves. That feeling is hard to get when you visit on a day tour or spend the night during the peak season.
Since it was the beginning of spring, the flowers were blooming, making this village even more magical. The beauty of the cherry blossoms and tulips popping up gave the town a beautiful sparkle.
So our first tip is to visit at the start of spring! You will get to the town to yourself, and the blooming flowers add to the beauty of the village.
Tip 3: Rent a car
As I mentioned earlier, there are day trips from different cities that will take you to the village, but you need more freedom and flexibility to explore the town.
There is also public transportation available to get to Giethroon as well. Public transportation allows you more freedom, but it has its drawbacks. We were staying in Amsterdam when we made the trek to Giethoorn. It would have taken about 2 hours and 30 minutes to take public transportation to reach the town, and it would restrict when we would arrive and depart the city.
Not only that, but the tickets for public transportation were about $60 round trip per person. There were three of us going to the village, so that would have been about $180 in tickets. So for about $30 extra, we rented a car for two days.
I think renting a car for two days is one of the best options for visiting Giethoorn. It gives you complete flexibility and freedom when visiting the town, though you won’t use the car when you get to Giethoorn.
You can also stop at different towns and explore the Netherlands on your own. On our journey to Giethoorn, we went south first to visit Unesco Werelderfgoed Kinderdijk and found tulip fields. Returning to Amsterdam, we stopped at a fruit farm and cheese farm where we got some delicious goodies.
These were incredible stops!! We truly got to see unique parts of the Netherlands we would have never been able to see taking a day tour or public transportation.
As a U.S. citizen, renting a car in the Netherlands was very easy. I also made sure to rent the vehicle using one of my credit cards that offer rental car insurance (Capital One Venture X).
Our 24 Hours in Travel Tips
Tip 4: Arrive mid-afternoon.
We arrived in the mid-afternoon, around 3:00 pm. Coming later in the afternoon allowed us to drive to different parts of the Netherlands in the morning like the Unesco Werelderfgoed Kinderdijk and found tulip fields.
It also gave us time to find the parking lot with more open spaces. There are several parking lots in the village, but sometimes they can get filled up in the middle of the day.
Not only that but, when you arrive mid-afternoon, the crowds start dissipating, and it starts to feel like you have the town to yourself.
Tip 5: Stay at a rental on a canal
We could also check into our Airbnb right away, which allowed us to get our bags put away and feel completely free and ready to explore the town!
We stayed in the center of the village at a cute little house right next to one of the many canals. The tiny rental was peaceful and had everything we needed.
Being next to the canal made you feel like you were part of town life, experiencing what some locals must feel.
Getting an AirBnB in the center of town also made it so we would not need to drive. We were right next to the shops and restaurants, but it felt like we were away from the hustle and bustle.
Tip 6: Rent a boat in the early evening
Once we got settled, we went to rent a boat to drive around the canals. You must rent a boat while in Giethoorn!! It was an incredible time!! We rented our boat through Giethoorn Bootje Huren. This was an excellent company to rent through. The owner was very relaxed and easygoing, which made our experience even better.
We rented a boat for 2 hours for $50. This was one of the best prices we could find. We rented the boat from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm- the best time! There were barely any other boats on the canals, and it felt like it was just us puttering down the canal in the quiet little town.
Going in the evening also made for the perfect lighting! The sun was going down, and everything was becoming that golden color.
I could not imagine driving the boat through the central canal during the middle of the day because there would be multiple large tour boats right by you, along with many more day tourists driving their own boats. If it is an option, rent the boat towards the end of the day!
The boat company had multiple routes you could follow using an app on your cell phone, which was great! We took a course through the lake and down the central canal.
The boat was also easy to drive. I promise you anyone can do it! Don’t be nervous! Just do it!! Renting the boat again gives you so much more freedom to explore on your own and stop when and where you want.
After sputtering through the canals for two hours (I think two hours is plenty of time to explore the canals and lake. One and a half hours would also be enough time!), we went to find dinner.
Tip 7: Plan your dinner wisely
The Village of Giethoorn does not stay up late, so beware when looking for dinner options. We ate at La Piccola Venezia. I do not recommend this restaurant. Unfortunately, we only had one dinner in town, so sadly, I can not suggest another.
I would suggest finding a place to eat an early dinner along the canal before your boat rental.
Tip 8: Wander the streets at night
Then we wandered through the central street in the dark with the lights reflecting on the canal. It was such a peaceful walk through the streets alone at night.
Seeing the bridges lit up and the town’s silence gave me that fairytale feeling. It is a beautiful time to stop and take in the beauty of this quaint town. The night time gives you a whole new perspective of the town and how calm Giethoorn really is.
Then, we turned in early for the night and enjoyed the deck of our rental.
Tip 9: Enjoy the quiet morning
Next, I suggest waking up early and enjoying a cup of coffee or tea on the deck or porch of your accommodations. It is so peaceful in the morning with the birds chirping and the sun glistening off the water and nobody else around you to take in this beautiful place.
Even taking a morning walk through town is enjoyable when the tour buses have not arrived and the town’s sleeping.
Giethoorn does not wake up early. If you want breakfast in the center, plan on eating brunch around 11:00 am or noon. When restaurants open, enjoy a Dutch breakfast by the canal. Any restaurant you choose will have seating by the water or a lovely view of the fairytale town!
Tip 10: Walk the beautiful streets
After breakfast, take this time to explore the streets and stores. Embrace the beauty of this town, especially if you go in the spring with the flowers blooming.
We made a loop around the main and central streets, allowing us to see even more of the town outside of the center.
Going to all the cute small stores was very enjoyable, from the shell collection to the clothing store to our favorite, the cheese store! It can take about 2 to 3 hours to roam the streets of Giethoorn. And some extra time if you enjoy snacks along the way.
And just like that, you have spent 24 hours in Giethoorn, Netherlands, the fairytale town.
We loved our time in Giethoorn. The picturesque town is filled with beautiful canals and dreamy homes, and it was one of our highlights of visiting the Netherlands! You cannot miss this town in the Netherlands!
