Spending a nice day in the Netherlands? Choose to visit the world-famous Giethoorn Netherlands. It is unique because of its watercourses, bridges and picturesque Giethoorn farm. You can walk through the village and admire the beauty of Giethoorn, or you can rent a boat to admire the village and its surroundings from the water. In this article about a visit to Giethoorn you can read all the practical tips in turn.
The origin of Giethoorn
Giethoorn is a small village located in the north of Overijssel. It was originally a settlement of peat cutters, who built water channels to transport peat. Later, these water channels also proved to be very useful for the transport of cattle and reeds. Especially for transport over the water, the typical Gieterse punter was developed.
176 bridges
During the construction of the 176 wooden bridges at the time, it was also taken into account that they needed a somewhat higher underpass for special transport. These wooden bridges connected the mainland with the islands that had arisen after digging, in the search for peat. On these islands were the houses and farms of the inhabitants. Together with the car-free part of Giethoorn, this makes our village unique and very photogenic.
Is Giethoorn the most beautiful from the water?
It is very nice to enjoy this beautiful part of the Netherlands from the water. Sailing through our village is also part of the average visit to Giethoorn. A boat, canoe or sup is indispensable. There are more than 25 boat rental companies in and around Giethoorn. Here you can go for renting a:
- Whisper boat
- Pedalo
- Sloop
- Canoe
- Sup
The village canal of Giethoorn and the Binnenpad
The village canal (in Dutch: dorpsgracht) in the center of Giethoorn, where almost everyone comes for, is up to 3 meters wide and at most 60 cm deep. The footpath that runs parallel to our village canal is called the Binnenpad. On a typical day one comes here on all kinds of sail by. Of course, the often rented whisper boats dominate the village canal but the canoes, sup boards, punters and sloops complete the picture. Did you know that to drive a whisper boat, you do not need a license. This allows everyone to sail independently through Giethoorn.
Booking a boat in advance prevents disappointment
If you want to rent a boat to sail through Giethoorn and the beautiful surroundings, it is very wise to book in advance. This way you have the certainty that there is also a boat ready for you, because it can be very busy in Giethoorn. Everyone wants to have seen this beautiful village with their own eyes.
Good to know
The tourist area, where almost everyone comes to Giethoorn, is the village canal (Dorpsgracht). This part is not very big, with a boat you are quickly through it. Around Giethoorn there are various sailing routes. At almost every boat rental company you will receive a sailing map with these sailing routes.
4 person boat
- € 40,00 - 2 hours of sailing
- € 52,50 - 3 hours of sailing
- € 90,00 - All-day sailing
6 person boat
- € 47,50 - 2 hours of sailing
- € 60,00 - 3 hours of sailing
- € 125,00 - All-day sailing
5 person boat
- € 57,50 - 2 hours of sailing
- € 75,00 - 3 hours of sailing
- € 135,00 - All-day sailing
8 person boat
- € 69,00 - 2 hours of sailing
- € 90,00 - 3 hours of sailing
- € 159,00 - All-day sailing
12 person boat
- € 100,00 - 2 hours of sailing
- € 126,00 - 3 hours of sailing
- € 195,00 - All-day sailing
Diner cruise
Do you not want or can not sail in a boat yourself, but giethoorn from the water? Then choose a cruise through Giethoorn. There are several boat rental companies in our village that can take you on a canal cruise. Various packages i.c.m a cruise are also offered. Think, for example, of an adventurous dinner on board! A 3 course menu while you are sailed through our village canal. Most tour boats are covered, which is ideal if you come to visit our village on a rainy day.
Complete walking network in and around Giethoorn
The average hiker can't believe his luck with a complete hiking network in Giethoorn and surroundings. The hiking enthusiast is served with more than 550 kilometers of signposted routes and more than 60 ready-made circular walks at his beck and call. How about a circular path of 150 kilometers?
Walking through the center of Giethoorn
Do you just want to visit the center of Giethoorn on foot? Then you can walk along the Dorpsgracht. Sometimes you have to cross a bridge. These are steeper than you are used to and can be treacherously slippery in wet weather, keep that in mind. Quiet walking is rare here between 11:00 and 16:00, especially in the high season, which runs from April to October.
Hiking in Giethoorn-Noord
Where in the high season, sometimes quite busy can be in Giethoorn center on the hiking trails, it is in Giethoorn-Noord, rarely busy. Here too you have a village canal as in the center with a walking path / bike path next to it. Quite remarkable that the average tourist has not yet discovered Giethoorn-Noord.
Cycling longer distances by the electric bike
Since the electric bike has conquered the Netherlands, we have started cycling much more and setting out longer cycling routes.
Water and more water
Take the Beulakerwijde and Belterwijde near Giethoorn and admire the lakes of the Wieden while cycling. Here you will find extensive reed beds, the flowering meadows and dense swamp forests.
Starting point bike tour
Visitor center De Wieden in Sint Jansklooster is the ideal starting point for a day in this water-rich nature reserve. The Wieden and De Weerribben together form the Weerribben-Wieden National Park. Cycling is possible in this water-rich nature reserve on the Kop van Overijssel. Weeding is a charming and colourful area in all seasons: yellow dots in spring, lush green in summer, bronze reed beds in autumn and ice blue tranquility in winter.
Wide range of restaurants
When visiting our village you will not easily get starved. Partly due to the structural presence of an annual 1 million (international) tourists, many different restaurants have arisen.
Do you want to eat what the Dutch eat?
Then you can go to 2 traditional pancake restaurants and a few snack bars or a fishmonger.
International cuisine of our village
Want more on the Italian tour? Our village has 2 Italian restaurants. Giethoorn also has several restaurants with a European menu and a real traditional Chinese restaurant. Here the dishes are served like the Chinese, used to eating it in China.
Restaurant de Lindenhof by Martin Kruithof
Did you know that there is a real 2 Michelin star restaurant in our village? For a quarter of a century, martin Kruithof's impeccable cuisine and the hospitality of his partner, hostess and sommelier Marjan de Jonge have attracted guests from home and abroad. After the top dinner there is a spacious cabin with four apartments for overnight guests.
Diner cruise
Do you not want or can not sail in a boat yourself, but giethoorn from the water? Then choose a cruise through Giethoorn. There are several boat rental companies in our village that can take you on a canal cruise. Various packages i.c.m a cruise are also offered. Think, for example, of an adventurous dinner on board! A 3 course menu while you are sailed through our village canal. Most tour boats are covered, which is ideal if you come to visit our village on a rainy day.
Rent a boat in Giethoorn
Giethorn.com is a boat rental company, which is located at Beulakerweg 55 in Giethoorn. This boat rental company is located near the village center of Giethoorn. As a boat rental company, we have luxury, comfort and sustainability at number 1. That is precisely why we only offer electric whisper boats and sloops for rent. Our luxury sloops and whisper boats can be rented at an affordable and fair price. If you want to make sure that you’ll have a boat, you can always hire a boat in advance, to ensure a boat is reserved for you.
About Giethorn.com
Giethorn.com originated from a tour operator that transported buses with tourists from Amsterdam to Giethoorn on a daily basis. Due to the corona pandemic, we were forced to look for an alternative source of income, which is why we now rent out boats in Giethoorn.
Check-in on location
Even without a reservation you can rent a boat with us. Please call in advance if we still have a boat available. You can pay on the spot with:
- Bank card (pin)
- Cash
- Tourist office vouchers
If you want the certainty that a sloop or whisper boat is waiting for you, you can reserve one with us. Our boats can be booked via Giethoornbootjehuren.nl.
Sailing route Giethoorn
Boat rental Giethorn offers you a sailing chart, with the suggested sailing route of Giethoorn center and surroundings, to ensure that you see everything during your visit. You are not obliged to follow this route. Keep in mind that in some places one-way traffic is set up to promote the flow of the boats.
Which boats for rent
We offer 5 types of boats for rent in Giethoorn:
- 4 person whisper boat
- 6 person whisper boat
- 4-5 person sloop
- 8 person sloop
- 12 person sloop (max persons allowed by law)
All our electric boats have soft cushions. All our boats have a steering wheel. No license is required to drive these boats. In addition, you can hire a private skipper through us to drive your boat.
Giethoorn Canal Cruise
You can also let yourself be sailed around by us. In a covered tour boat or a 12 person sloop, weather permitting, we will sail you through the famous village canal of Giethoorn. The skippers of Giethorn tell during such a cruise, everything about the history of our village.
Reserving a boat
If you want to make sure you definitely have a boat, you can hire a boat in advance at Giethoornbootjehuren.nl. For availability you can also reach us at 06-33399923
- Giethoornbootjehuren.nl
- 06-33399923
Opening hours
The boat rental is open from:
- 09:00 to 21:00 (July-August)
- 09:00 to 18:00 (April-June)
- 10:00 to 16:00 (Low season)
Giethoorn parking
You can park your car next to the boat rental at Beulakerweg 55 at a Giethoorn parking and is free of charge.
Are you looking for a maximum experience of Giethoorn? Still rent a boat in Giethoorn but can't or don't want to sail yourself? Then let yourself be accompanied by a local Private captain/guide. These guides will show you all the highlights and hidden treasures of Giethoorn. You will see places in Giethoorn that 95% of the visitors will not see. Traffic jams are also a thing of the past. We can also be hired for:
- Bachelor parties
- Team building
- School trips
Giethorn guide
Giethorn.com, this is a private tour guide company with many years of experience in guiding tourists in the Netherlands. The private guides of this company are specialized in guiding foreign tourists. The guiding of tourists through (among others) Giethoorn village is possible by boat ,bike or foot. They even guide their customers through the narrow canals of Giethoorn in their old Dutch sloop.
What kind of boats do we sail in?
- Interboot 21 (8 persons max)
- Van Vossen sloop (12 persons max)
- Canal boat (covered) (44 persons max)
Parking Giethoorn
You can park your car next to the boat rental company Giethoorn boat rental and hotel de Harmonie at the Beulakerweg 55 in Giethoorn. Parking is free there. The private tours start from there.