Village - many visualise different images depending upon their experience of village. One common notion (though wrong I believe) that it is inferior to stay in a village compared to a city or a town.
Typical Village does not have features, facilities and glamour of a City. Together It does not have hustle bustle of a city, traffic, pollution to name a few.
I hold my village at great esteem. Nice, tiny group of many houses. Around 40. There are some villages that have one or two houses as well in our place. Strange but true. By the way I am talking about my village in India.
Since I am living in Netherlands for two years now, I came across this village while trying explore the tourists spots.
Giethoorn a beautiful lush green (in Summer) with canals, no roads. It does have a path along the canal though. Many houses are centuries old with thatched roof.
History of Giethoorn:
Earliest known history says that people from southern Europe moved here taking refuge due to plague and religious persecution in 13th century. Peat extraction also started here in 16th century. Gradually people settled here and Christianity was also established. There is still a functional old church.
This village is also known as Venice of Netherlands due to its canal and the wooden archway type small bridges.
This village came into limelight after it was featured in a film called - Fanfare.
There is a statue of his along the canal. It is selfie spot for everyone.
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| My wife with Mol |
Location of Giethoorn:
Zwolle is a major city in northern Netherlands. From Zwolle station Take bus 71 and switch to Bus 70 in Zwartsluis and get down at Giethoorn. Google says to get down at Blauwe Hand. It is wrong. Get down at next stop and walk down to village.
It is about 30 minutes from Zwolle station by car.
Time to visit the place :
Best time is in June or July. It is very green and flowers in full bloom. Winter may be good if the canal is frozen when one can enjoy skating. However winter wont be that harsh every year. Similarly some summer may be worse too. Be aware of it.
Activities in Giethoorn :
If you go by car, you can reach the paid parking lot and walk to the village. It is not far off. There are many parking lot.
There are no motor road with in the village itself. Either you can walk along the canal or take boat on hire.
Variety of boating is possible. 4 to 6 seater boat either peddled or battery run, single kayak, or bigger boat that takes 40 or 50 tourists. You can hire it locally or buy it online. I suggest to go there and decide and buy locally. Big boats offer one hour or two ride.
It is really enjoyable boat ride. If you are a family of four or six, then take a boat, have some eatables and enjoy the ride for an hour or two or for 5 hours if you want.
There are many restaurants and souvenir shops .
You can hire a room or studio for few days too. People come here to stay for few days quietly.
Now the pictures :
The beautiful houses are private properties and we are not supposed to enter their premise. Just walk along the canal.
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| This was our boat |
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| When you take a boat, you go along the canal, follow the route while passing through you get a a big water body , like a big lake. What many do not know is that the depth of the lake is not more than three feet despite its vast area. |
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| DOG House. |
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| A Restaurant |
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| This plant is known to attract butterflies. |
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| Some World war II vehicle it looks like. |
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| Near parking lot. |
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| Peach plant |
