In the Dutch village of Giethoorn, in the northeastern part of the Netherlands

 In the small Dutch village of Giethoorn, the tranquility is almost dreamlike.

====================================================================
(in the northeastern part of the Netherlands, about 85 minutes from Amsterdam, in the province of Overijssel) Giethoorn, a beautiful fairytale village where the locals and visitors navigate it in whisper-quiet ways: by bike, boat, or foot. In this hamlet, a collection of small peat islands are connected by bridges. Despite the fact that there is not much to do here except slip into solitude among thatched-roof farmhouses and footbridges crossing the maze of canals, Giethoorn is visited every year by a million people. The village is so quiet because there are no cars here, due to an absence of roads. The village’s name harkens back to the 13th century: the story goes that its original farmer-settlers discovered a collection of horns belonging to wild goats that appeared to have died in the Flood of 1170. “Goat horn,” or “Geytenhoren,” was shortened to Giethoorn, and the name stuck. Centuries after that flood, water continues to define the village's living history and landscape.

+ Giethoorn is also known as the “Venice of the North,” thanks to canals and quaint bridges throughout the town. The canals are also lined with thatched-roofed, antique cottages -- maintaining the ancient allure you want to get acquained with. Yet, while the cottages offer a rustic tranquility you may wish to experience firsthand, they really are people’s houses (i.e., not museums).

+ Giethoorn, located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, is about five km (3.1 mi.) southwest of Steenwijk. It remains a popular Dutch tourist destination, both within the Netherlands and abroad. Tourism has an influence on the old traditional town; the village, still only fully accessible by boat, has 176 bridges.

+ Giethoorn used to be a pedestrian precinct, but nowadays exceptions are made. It became locally famous, especially after 1958, when the Dutch film maker Bert Haanstra made his famous comedy Fanfare here. In the old part of the village, there were no roads (though a cycling path was eventually added), and all transport was undertaken by water over one of the many canals. The lakes in Giethoorn were formed by peat digging. Giethoorn was a separate municipality until 1973, when it became part of Brederwiede, which subsequently lost its municipality status in 2001 to merge with Steenwijk.

+ Visitors and residents of Giethoorn village need to park their car outside the village at special car parks. This car-free area is now the commercial heart of the village. You can rent whisper boats, board a guided cruise, or visit a museum here, along with lots of choices of restaurants and cafes. The cycling/foot path known as the "Binnenpad" is like walking onto a film set. (Some 90% of visitors now only make their way to this popular part of the village.)