Giethoorn, the Netherlands – Welcome to a Fairytale Kingdom

By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team, compiled and reported

The small Dutch village of "Giethoorn" is a renowned tourist destination, famed as the "Venice of the North" and "Venice of the Netherlands." It gained its fame because there are no cars or roads here—only an intricate network of canals and 176 small wooden bridges connecting homes, where canals and boats serve as the main modes of transport. Coupled with the lush green surroundings, the picturesque, movie-like scenery leaves a deep impression.

Hundreds of years ago, when the first settlers arrived, they discovered that the most—and only—resource underground was peat. Over years of digging, various waterways and lakes of different sizes gradually formed. Later, villagers connected and widened the ditches to allow boats to freely transport goods, eventually creating the beautiful scenery of crisscrossing canals we see today.