1 to 6 hours
1. Skipper your own boat
A silent electric boat for 4 to 12 people from €24 an hour. The free navigation app guides you along routes of 1 to 4 hours through the village and across Lake Bovenwijde.
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Village guide
Things to do in Giethoorn
Fifteen things to do in Giethoorn, from an hour on the water to a full day out. With time estimates, prices and what to know before you go.
Start on the water
Giethoorn is best seen from a boat
The village is built around a canal of roughly 4.5 kilometres. The thatched farmhouses, the wooden bridges and the gardens all face the water, so whether you skipper your own boat or step aboard a canal cruise, you see Giethoorn the way it was meant to be seen.
After that there is plenty to choose from: a walk along the Binnenpad footpath, three small museums on that same path, Weerribben-Wieden National Park right behind the village and the old harbour town of Blokzijl within cycling or boating distance.
- Boat rental from €24 an hour, no licence needed
- One-hour canal cruise for €10 per person
- Boat rental open from 09:00 until sunset
- Free parking at Zuiderpad 14A
Top 15
The fifteen best things to do
In the order we recommend them to visitors. Times are a rough guide.
1 hour
2. Canal cruise through the village
Sit back while the captain steers you past the bridges and farmhouses. €10 per person, departing from Ds. T.O. Hylkemaweg 7.
1 to 3 hours
3. Private tour with a captain
Your own boat and captain for your party: open boat from €80, covered and heated boat from €200.
1.5 to 2 hours
4. Walk the Binnenpad
The free 4.3-kilometre footpath past thatched farmhouses and over the wooden bridges. The heart of the village on foot.
1 hour
5. Museum ’t Olde Maat Uus
An authentic Giethoorn farmhouse with a fisherman’s cottage, boathouse, film and audio tour. Binnenpad 52, €7.50 adults, €2.50 children (2026).
30 to 45 min
6. De Oude Aarde
Gemstones, minerals and fossils, including the “largest egg in the world” at 32 centimetres. Binnenpad 43.
Foto: Eef NL, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
30 min
7. Gloria Maris shell gallery
A free gallery of rare seashells, including two specimens of the Gloria Maris. Binnenpad 115, open April to October.
Foto: QueenCityCebu, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
1 hour
8. HistoMobil
A car and travel museum in an old farmhouse at Cornelisgracht 42. At the same address: glow golf, laser tag and an escape room run by Giethoorn Adventures.
Half a day
9. Weerribben-Wieden National Park
The largest lowland peat marsh in north-west Europe starts right behind the village. De Wieden visitor centre in Sint Jansklooster is about 27 kilometres away by cycle route.
2 to 4 hours
10. Cycle the flat countryside
Signposted junction routes start in the village, such as the 50-kilometre Blokzijl loop or Giethoorn–Ossenzijl at 43.7 kilometres. Bike rental €10 a day.
1 to 2 hours
11. Eat at the cruise dock
On the water at Old Art Hotel, Ds. T.O. Hylkemaweg 7. Dishes served on Delft blue. Picnic baskets for the boat are available too.
Half a day
12. Blokzijl by boat or bike
A fortified harbour town with a lock and the Michelin-starred Kaatje bij de Sluis. 12 kilometres by boat (about 1.5 hours) or 15 kilometres by road.
20 min
13. Taste cheese and eat ice cream
Kaasmakerij Giethoorn at Binnenpad 41 offers free tastings. IJssalon Koppers at Hylkemaweg 10 serves 24 flavours of Italian ice cream.
30 min
14. Zuidervermaning and the village church
The Mennonite Zuidervermaning (1871) on the Binnenpad has the only church tower in the village. The Protestant church at Beulakerweg 80 dates from 1645.
Summer
15. Swim in Lake Bovenwijde
Swimming is allowed in the lake behind the village; watch for blue-green algae warnings. Combine it with a day on the boat and a picnic on board.
Planning
How much time do you need?
Half a dayTwo hours on a boat or a one-hour canal cruise, then a stretch of the Binnenpad and an ice cream. Plenty for a first visit.
Full dayA boat for three or four hours including Lake Bovenwijde, lunch in the village, a museum and the quiet canal at the end of the afternoon.
WeekendStay at Old Art Hotel or Hotel Giethoorn, spend day one on the water and cycle to Blokzijl or the Weerribben on day two.
What does a day in Giethoorn cost?
The village itself is free and always open. You only pay for what you do.
| Activity | Price | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Boat rental (4 people) | from €24 an hour | 1 hour to a full day |
| Canal cruise | €10 per person | about 1 hour |
| Private tour, open boat / covered boat | from €80 / €200 | 1 to 3 hours |
| Museum ’t Olde Maat Uus | €7.50 / €2.50 (ages 4–12) | about 1 hour |
| Gloria Maris shell gallery | free | 30 minutes |
| Bike rental | €10 a day | full day |
| Binnenpad walk | free | 1.5 to 2 hours |
Booking online in advance is the cheapest way and guarantees your boat. All boat rates are on the prices page.
Rain? There is still plenty to do
The covered, heated boats keep sailing, the three museums on the Binnenpad are a short walk from each other and at the dock you sit dry by the water.
Frequently asked questions about Giethoorn
What is there to do in Giethoorn?
Boating comes first: rent your own electric whisper boat or join a canal cruise. Then walk the Binnenpad, visit the museums ’t Olde Maat Uus, De Oude Aarde and Gloria Maris, go cycling or head into Weerribben-Wieden National Park. For food by the water there is our restaurant.
How many hours do you need in Giethoorn?
Half a day covers a one- to two-hour boat trip plus a walk. If you also want a museum, lunch and Lake Bovenwijde, plan a full day.
Is Giethoorn free to visit?
Yes. The village is open to everyone, the Binnenpad is free and parking at Boatrental Giethoorn is free. You only pay for the boat, the cruise and the museums.
When is Giethoorn quietest?
On weekdays, before 10:00 or after 16:00. July, August, weekends and public holidays are the busiest. See our page on the best time to visit.
Can I rent a boat without a licence?
Yes. Our electric whisper boats are easy to steer and you get instructions at the dock. Book ahead on the boat rental page.
Is Giethoorn fun with children?
Very much so: children can help steer, the navigation app has routes to follow, you can swim in Lake Bovenwijde and ’t Olde Maat Uus has an audio tour. See Giethoorn with kids.