Giethoorn: Waterways, Punter Boats and Village History
Accommodation in Giethoorn
Discover Giethoorn through its waterways, boating traditions and village stories. Many houses stand on islands and can only be reached by water and across the characteristic bridges. Water, bridges and footbridges along the cycling and walking route shape the village and give Giethoorn the character of Venice. When planning your trip, you can choose from several options: a guided boat tour, a canoe trip, routes along the reed beds or a visit to the museum.
Waterways and tours
A one-hour boat tour with a skipper or guide takes you through the historic village centre and across Lake ’t Bovenwijde. The boats used for this tour are covered and have heating on board; as facilities may change, check before your visit. Timetables may also change, so it is worth checking the latest information about the tour when planning.
Alternatively, the Giethoorn–Geel canoe route in De Wieden starts at Camping De Hof Giethoorn. On this route, visitors paddle from Giethoorn across large lakes and through colourful canals. The route also passes through part of the De Wieden nature area, where many special bird species can be spotted. The boat tour and canoe trip offer different experiences: one is a guided hour of a set duration with named stops, while the other takes you across lakes and through canals. This allows you to choose between a guided trip and paddling the canoe route without treating the two experiences as the same.
You can also explore Giethoorn by bike, on foot or by boat along the extensive reed beds. Water is therefore not just part of the village scenery, but also a setting for different ways of experiencing the landscape. If you are interested in the houses and bridges, you can see them in the context of the waterways; if you want to explore the reed beds, you can consider a bike, walking route or boat as different ways to get around.
Punter traditions and village history
A Gieterse punter is a traditional flat-bottomed boat. This design is suited to shallow water, and the boat is propelled with a long pole. The punter therefore represents a different way of getting around from paddling the canoe route or taking a guided boat tour. Giethoorn still has two punter boatyards: Schreur’s yard in Giethoorn Zuid and Wildeboer’s yard in Giethoorn Noord. These two locations show that the punter tradition in the village is connected with specific boatyards.
Local customs and crafts are also part of Giethoorn’s cultural heritage. Traditions, crafts and customs are passed down from generation to generation. The Gondelvaart Giethoorn has been an annual local tradition since 1930. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, check the dates before your visit; the fact that it is an annual tradition does not in itself provide a specific event date.
Museum and visitor information
Museum Giethoorn ’t Olde Maat Uus displays objects and tells stories about the village and its residents. It is located in the centre of Giethoorn at Binnenpad 52. A visit to the museum offers a distinct perspective on local history, focusing on both objects and stories about the people connected with the village. In this way, the museum complements the impressions of the houses, waterways and boating traditions with the history of the residents.
Giethoorn’s centre is directly accessible from Steenwijk railway station by bus route 70; the stop is called Ds. T.O. Hylkemaweg. Check current connections before travelling, as details of the bus service should be confirmed before your journey.
Discover more destinations: Paasloo, Kalenberg, Steenwijkerwold, Steenwijk, Vollenhove, Wanneperveen, Kallenkote, Scheerwolde.
For the broader travel overview: Steenwijkerland.
