Museum
Museum Giethoorn ’t Olde Maat Uus
An authentic Giethoorn farmhouse with fisherman’s cottage, boathouse, film and audio tour. This is how people lived and worked here around 1900.
Home›Giethoorn on a rainy day
Season & weather
Giethoorn on a rainy day
Rain does not have to spoil your day out. A heated canal cruise, museums along the Binnenpad, pancakes and a good dinner will see you through.
Dry and warm
The canal cruise always sails
Our four large cruise boats are covered and heated, with panoramic windows all round. You see the bridges and thatched farmhouses just as well, while the skipper tells the stories and you stay dry. Departures daily from the dock at Ds. T.O. Hylkemaweg 7.
Prefer to steer yourself? Then move your self-drive boat to a drier slot free of charge, subject to availability. Showers here usually pass quickly; in summer it is often dry again within the hour.
- Canal cruise 1 hour, € 10 per person
- Covered, heated, panoramic windows
- Move your self-drive boat for free
- Private covered boat from € 200
Indoors
Three museums on the Binnenpad
All three sit on the walking route through the village, a short stroll from each other.
Museum
Museum De Oude Aarde
Gemstones, minerals and fossils, with the world’s largest egg as its showpiece: a 32 cm egg of the elephant bird.
Gallery
Gloria Maris Shell Gallery
Rare shells from around the world, including two specimens of the Gloria Maris, plus jewellery.
Also in the village: HistoMobil (Cornelisgracht 42), a car and travel museum in an old farmhouse with irregular opening hours. More on our museums page.
Warm food
Pancakes or a long dinner
On the water
Dinner at the dock
Next to our cruise dock at Ds. T.O. Hylkemaweg 7. Well-prepared dishes served on Delft Blue, with a view of the water. Perfect for sitting out a shower over coffee or for dinner after the cruise.
A classic
Pancakes in the village
A wet afternoon in Giethoorn calls for Dutch pancakes. Along the Binnenpad and Beulakerweg you will find several pancake houses and ice cream parlours, some with a terrace on the canal.
Example
A rainy day in Giethoorn
Coffee at the dock
Park for free at Hotel Old Art and start the day dry, with coffee and a view of the water.
One-hour canal cruise
Heated, covered and full of the skipper’s stories. Departs from the dock next to the restaurant.
The Binnenpad with an umbrella
Walk past the thatched farmhouses to ’t Olde Maat Uus and De Oude Aarde.
Pancakes or dinner
Finish with pancakes in the village or dinner at the dock. Clearing up? Squeeze in an hour of self-drive sailing before sunset.
Still fancy sailing in the rain?
Go for it. The boats are open, electric and silent, and a good raincoat works wonders. Many guests find the village at its most atmospheric in the rain: fewer boats, raindrops on the water and mist over the Bovenwijde. Just moor at a terrace if it really sets in.
Want certainty? Add the cancellation insurance (€ 11.95) when you book. Without it you can still move your booking to another time by arrangement, subject to availability.
Questions about rain
Does the canal cruise run in the rain?
Yes. The cruise boats are covered and heated, with panoramic windows. We only stay in port in a thunderstorm or gale.
Can I move my boat booking if it rains?
Yes, free of charge and subject to availability. Call, message or email us before your start time.
What can you do in Giethoorn when it rains?
Take the heated canal cruise, visit the museums ’t Olde Maat Uus, De Oude Aarde and Gloria Maris on the Binnenpad, eat pancakes or have dinner at the dock.
Are the museums open in winter?
’t Olde Maat Uus is open Friday to Monday (11:00–16:00) from 1 November to 31 March, and daily during school holidays. De Oude Aarde opens 10:00–17:00 in winter. Gloria Maris is closed in winter.
Is there a covered private boat?
Yes. Our luxury covered private boat (heated, up to 52 people) can be booked from € 200 for a private tour with skipper.
Rain or shine, you are welcome
Book the heated canal cruise for € 10 per person, or reserve a boat and move it for free if the rain gets too heavy.