Tired of the urban hustle and bustle, one always seeks a quiet place to stay. Ideally, it would be very peaceful, with fresh air; if possible, there would be a large yard, and next to it, a murmuring river; sitting in the yard, you could enjoy the fragrance of flowers and the songs of birds…
If you like such a place, this small town in the Netherlands might fulfill all your fantasies! Welcome to Giethoorn!
Giethoorn, a fairy-tale village sealed away, has been without roads for over 700 years! It lies in the Overijssel province in northeastern Netherlands, within the De Wieden nature reserve. Bordering Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the west and north, it’s approximately 120 kilometers from Amsterdam. 
While the outside world has moved into the 21st century, here there’s not a single skyscraper. For 700 years, there have been no roads, no cars, as if time itself has been “sealed”!
As the world outside is engulfed in prosperity and noise, this place seems like a utopia. Entering here feels like stepping into a breathtaking painting, accidentally wandering into a fairy-tale-like paradise.There’s no traffic, no neon lights, only an intricate network of canals and 176 small wooden bridges connecting households.
The entire village is almost covered in greenery, with a dense network of rivers weaving through, earning it the nickname “Venice of the North.” But compared to the bustling Venice, Giethoorn offers more tranquility and leisure.
Here, travel is by boat, on foot, or by bicycle! Visitors arriving by car must park outside the village and enter by boat or stroll along the narrow paths to explore.
Even couriers deliver packages by boat, and newlyweds travel to the church for their wedding ceremony in a decorated boat.
What’s even more special is that the boats here aren’t the traditional kind… they’re nearly silent, gliding peacefully through the village’s small streams. Watching the ripples they leave behind, your heart swells with beauty.
In this village, each house seems like a work of art; thatched roofs like giant mushrooms dot the banks of the canals, making you feel as if you’ve entered some magical castle.
Every household has a standalone cottage, with flowers and plants in front and back, and the open yards extend to the water’s edge, offering freedom and openness.
You can grow flowers, raise ducks, horses, or sheep, and of course, it’s ideal for gardening.
Imagine this: a small yard full of greenery, where you can sit and see the flowers outside, listen to the gentle flow of water at your feet, leisurely sipping coffee, and experiencing this unique world! This must be what the prince and princess’s secluded life in fairy tales looks like!
Here, there might not be famous landmarks, but the charming rural scenery overflows, with every frame a scenic masterpiece!
The winding canals and flowing clear water provide endless imagination and yearning.You might accidentally stumble upon a garden, as if walking through a beautiful painting.
Whether you’re on a boat or standing by the shore, you can feel the tranquility of this small town.
Entering Giethoorn, you’ll want to find someone to spend the rest of your life with here! Giethoorn, a place where time is forgotten! It seems like 700 years have passed, but the sky remains the same, the rivers still flow, and the houses are unchanged… making one easily forget the hustle and bustle of the outside world, returning to the Middle Ages, where life moves at a particularly slow pace.
Staying here for a while, you’ll fall into a dream from which it’s hard to escape. Every day, sitting in such a yard, facing the river, you could spend half a day just watching the pastoral scenery and drinking coffee, feeling the peace of time!
You can sit with your loved one in a quiet boat, aimlessly drifting along the river, encountering small bridges and streams or stumbling upon romantic private gardens; it all gives you a feeling of wanting to walk through life together.
Or rent a bicycle and leisurely navigate through the narrow paths, where every corner holds unexpected surprises.
In spring, with blooming flowers and greenery, even the soil carries the scent of fragrance.
In summer, with flowers in full bloom, romance fills the village, like entering Alice’s dream.
In autumn, golden leaves cover the ground, as if the entire village has been transported into an oil painting.
In winter, when white snow blankets the roofs, the village becomes serene and cozy.
It seems in Giethoorn, “the prince and princess lived happily ever after.” “Living in seclusion among people, yet without the noise of carriages and horses,” with blue skies, green grass, and fresh flowers, I believe no one could not love Giethoorn!
