Have you ever been to a place without a single road for cars?
Welcome to Giethoorn, a picturesque village in the Netherlands, located about 75 miles away from Amsterdam. Situated in Overijssel province, Giethoorn is a village built entirely on tiny islands that are connected by canals and over 180 wooden bridges.
Giethoorn was originally established as a settlement of peat harvesters. Peat cutting created ponds and lakes, and people built houses on the islands between and around them. As a result, access was only possible by bridge or using traditional Giethoorn boats called punters, which are narrow boats pushed along using a long pole by a punteraar.
At first glance, this idyllic neighbourhood is just like any other typical Dutch village where you can perfectly see how the Dutch love to live with and on the water, but what makes Giethoorn a one-of-a-kind place is that it’s a car-free zone!
Believe it or not, no motorized vehicles are allowed on the roads in this blissful village. A large section of the village is only accessible by footpath and canal, which means the only other way to go around from house to house, aside from walking, is by taking a boat ride along the canal!
Giethoorn today has become a popular tourist destination and many tour trips to this village are arranged by travel agencies worldwide. Alternatively, visitors can hire a small electric boat that requires little technical skill to operate, and seats two or three comfortably. However, visitors should always be mindful and not cause disturbance since it is a village with real residents!
