1 hour · € 10 per person
Heated canal cruise
Covered, heated and with panoramic windows. The skipper tells the story of the village while you sit in the warm. Departs from Ds. T.O. Hylkemaweg 7.
Home›Giethoorn in winter
Season & weather
Giethoorn in winter
Silent canals, heated cruises and, on dry days, self-drive boats until sunset. This is the village without the crowds.
November to March
The village to yourself
In winter Giethoorn is a different place. No queues at the bridges, no waiting for a table on a terrace, and on the water the only sound is your own whisper boat. The thatched farmhouses look their best in the low winter light.
We stay open all year round, weather permitting. The cruise boats are heated; the open self-drive boats can be rented on dry days from 09:00 until sunset, which is around 16:30 in December.
- Heated canal cruises every day
- Self-drive boats on dry days until about 16:30
- Free parking, no queues
- Christmas atmosphere in December
On the water
Three ways to sail in winter
From € 24 per hour
Self-drive on a dry day
Put on a warm coat and rent a whisper boat for an hour or two. On a clear winter day the village canal is still and glassy.
From € 200
Private covered boat
Your family, friends or colleagues on a heated covered boat with your own skipper. Drinks and nibbles on board if you like.
Ice skating on the canals?
The image of skaters gliding under the wooden bridges is famous, but rare. Natural ice needs a long, hard frost. The Hollands Venetiëtocht, the 55 km skating tour organised by IJsclub Giethoorn with start and finish on the Bovenwijde, was last held as a race in 2012.
When it does freeze properly, Giethoorn turns into a skating village within days. Just do not plan your visit around it. If there is ice, we obviously do not sail; cruises and rentals resume as soon as the water is open again.
Practical
Good to know in winter
Short daysOn 21 December the sun sets around 16:27. Start a self-drive boat before 14:00 if you can.
Dress warmlyOn the water it feels a few degrees colder. A hat, gloves and a blanket make all the difference.
Museums’t Olde Maat Uus opens Friday to Monday in winter (11:00–16:00), daily in school holidays. De Oude Aarde daily 10:00–17:00.
Warming upOur restaurant next to the cruise dock, or stay the night at Hotel Old Art at the same address.
Christmas holidays in Giethoorn
From 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027: festive lights in the village, heated cruises and a peaceful New Year.
Questions about winter
Can you sail in Giethoorn in winter?
Yes. The cruise boats are heated and sail every day. The open self-drive boats can be rented on dry days from 09:00 until sunset, weather permitting.
Can you ice skate on the canals in Giethoorn?
Only in a long, hard frost, and that is rare. The Hollands Venetiëtocht was last held in 2012.
What is there to do in Giethoorn in winter?
A heated canal cruise, a walk along the Binnenpad, the museums ’t Olde Maat Uus and De Oude Aarde, pancakes and dinner at the dock. In mid-December there is the Christmas Art & Gift Market.
Is the village open in winter?
Yes, the village is always freely accessible. Some shops and terraces keep reduced hours; our cruises and boat rental run all year.
How late can I rent a boat in winter?
Until sunset, around 16:30 in December. For two hours on the water, start by 14:30 at the latest.
Is it quiet in winter?
Yes. Outside the Christmas holidays it is the quietest time of the year, weekends included.