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7 Most Instagrammable Spots in Giethoorn, the Dutch Village Without Roads
Giethoorn, a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel, has no roads through its historic core; canals, footbridges and thatched-roof farmhouses do the work streets would elsewhere, earning it the nickname "Venice of the North".
Sep 25, 2026 · BigTravel.in
Giethoorn, in the Dutch province of Overijssel, grew out of 13th-century peat cutting: as diggers removed peat for fuel, they left behind the network of narrow canals that now runs through the village in place of roads. The historic core has no streets for cars; getting around means walking the footpaths, cycling, or using a boat, which is exactly what has made it a fixture on Instagram feeds under the nickname "Venice of the North". Here are seven spots worth the detour.
1. Binnenpad
The village’s main footpath runs along the principal canal past a run of thatched-roof farmhouses, many dating to the 18th and 19th centuries, each with its own small footbridge and private jetty; it is the single most photographed stretch in Giethoorn.
2. The wooden arched bridges
More than 180 wooden footbridges cross the village’s canals, most built in a simple arched style that peaks in the middle; several of the older ones, timber railings included, appear in nearly every wide shot of the village.
3. A whisper boat on the water
Giethoorn’s canals are plied by electric "whisper boats" (fluisterboten), quiet enough not to disturb the calm that gives the village its character; renting one for an hour is the standard way to see the farmhouses and gardens from water level rather than the footpaths.
4. ’t Olde Maat Uus
An open-air farm museum set in a preserved 19th-century farmhouse, ’t Olde Maat Uus recreates the reed-thatched, canal-side life much of the rest of the village has converted into holiday lets, with a small garden and its own canal frontage.
5. Bovenwijde
The lake at the village’s edge, Bovenwijde, is where the narrow canals open out; it is a popular spot for a wider shot that takes in reed beds, sailing boats and, on calmer days, a still reflection of the sky.
6. The private gardens along the water
Many of the farmhouses keep neatly kept gardens running down to their own stretch of canal, planted with the kind of colour that looks deliberately arranged for a passing boat; walking or punting past them in late spring and summer is when the village is at its most photogenic.
7. The quieter side canals
Beyond the main Binnenpad stretch, a network of smaller side canals threads past homes with less passing boat traffic; wandering or paddling these back channels gives a quieter, less staged version of the same thatched-roof, water-level scenery, without the crowds that gather along the busiest stretch.
Traveller tips
- Giethoorn gets very busy with day-trippers, particularly from Amsterdam tour buses, in the late morning through mid-afternoon; arriving early or staying overnight gives a much quieter village.
- The historic core has no car access; park at one of the village’s outer car parks and walk or take a boat in.
- Whisper boats can be rented without a licence for a set number of hours; book ahead in summer, when demand is highest.
- The village is roughly 90 minutes by road, or a combination of train and bus, from Amsterdam; there is no direct rail station in Giethoorn itself.
Where this is
Giethoorn, Netherlands