If you are planning for a mini fairytale vacation, away from the hustle of the city, the village of Giethoorn is the place for you. Founded in 1230, this ‘Venice of Netherlands’ has no roads or any mode of transportation, except for canals.
The village is connected via waterways and 176 bridges, and the only way to commute is by ‘whisper boats’ (noiseless-engine boats).
The canals are surrounded by thatch-roof cottages, with flowery front yards and quacking ducks. The website says: “the loudest sound you can normally hear is the quacking of a duck or the noise made by other birds”.
Even the mail here is delivered through a postman riding a boat.
The village was founded around 1230 when its first inhabitants found numerous peat deposits and started digging holes, which eventually turned into lakes.
The islands that were created as a result were connected with wooden bridges, that make the village look like it’s straight out of scenery.
The total population of the village is around 2600 and it receives reasonable tourism every year. The place is one of the quaintest spots one can ever visit, making it quite a destination for thinkers, writers, and poets.
You can visit Giethoorn easily on a trip to Amsterdam.
(h:t: brightside)