De Lindenhof
Why we like it: For a treat: sleep beside the water and dine at the two-star restaurant without taking the car.
Duration1 night
From AmsterdamTrain + bus · about 2 h · car 1 h 30
Best timeApril – June and September
Budget€150–300 pp
BoatFrom €20 an hour
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Amsterdam on a Saturday morning and return on Sunday afternoon. The key is to be on the canal when the day excursions are not there, on Saturday evening and first thing on Sunday. De Lindenhof is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so Saturday is a good day to dine there.
Saturday
- 109:30Train and bus from Amsterdam
About two hours to Giethoorn. Leave your luggage at the Hotel de Harmonie, on the Beulakerweg.
- 211:30The Dorpsgracht path
An hour on foot beside the canal to get your bearings and decide where to sail later.
- 312:45Lunch at Grachthof
South-facing terrace over the canal, on the Binnenpad.
- 414:15't Olde Maat Uus museum
Next door, at Binnenpad 52: the peat, the farmhouse and the boat shed.
- 517:00Electric boat at dusk
Smit is open on Saturdays until 21:00. Two hours along the Dorpsgracht and the Bovenwijde, with the canal already calm.
- 619:30Dinner at De Lindenhof
Two Michelin stars on the Beulakerweg, a few minutes from the hotel. Book weeks ahead.
Sunday
- 109:00Bike through the peatlands
The circuit via Dwarsgracht and Jonen, flat and car-free, from spring to autumn. If you prefer the water, a canoe from the Dwarsgracht Kanodorp, which opens at 10:00.
- 213:00Lunch at Smit
In the southern part of the village, over the canal; open every day.
- 315:00Return to Amsterdam
Bus 70 to Steenwijk and train; in Amsterdam around 17:00.
Giethoorn can be seen in a day from Amsterdam, but the village of the photographs, with the still canal and the reed-thatched houses reflected in the water, appears when the excursion coaches leave. That is why it deserves a night. On Saturday you arrive at midday, stroll and see the museum; late in the day you go out by boat on the almost empty Dorpsgracht and have an unhurried dinner. On Sunday, before the crowds return, you set off by bike or canoe through the Weerribben-Wieden National Park, and have lunch by the canal before heading back.
How do I get there?
Without a car, train from Amsterdam Centraal to Steenwijk, sometimes with a change at Zwolle, and bus 70 to the Dominee Hylkemaweg stop: about two hours in total. By car, an hour and a half via the A6 and A32; you cannot drive into the old centre, so park at your hotel or in the car parks at the entrance.
What does it cost?
| What | How much | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Electric boat | From €20 an hour | The boat, for up to 8 people |
| 't Olde Maat Uus museum | €7.50 | €2.50 for ages 4 to 12 |
| Canoe at Dwarsgracht | From €25 a day | April – September |
| Dinner at De Lindenhof | Tasting menu | Two Michelin stars, reservation required |
Where to stay
The Hotel de Harmonie, at Beulakerweg 55, has rooms that look onto the canal or the national park and free parking. For a treat, De Lindenhof has suites beside its restaurant. With a tent or in a tiny house, the Dwarsgracht campsite is open from April to September and hires out canoes on the same bank.
Where to eat
Grachthof and Smit Giethoorn for midday, both with a terrace over the canal and boat hire. De Lindenhof for the special dinner; closed Monday and Tuesday.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Giethoorn, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Giethoorn
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Where to stay
Where to stay in Giethoorn
Hotel de Harmonie
Why we like it: Rooms overlooking the canal or the national park, a few minutes on foot from the old centre. In winter, check that it is open.
Camping Dwarsgracht (Kanodorp)
Why we like it: Small campsite of 15 pitches and tiny houses in Dwarsgracht, 3 km from the centre of Giethoorn, inside the national park and with canoe hire at the gate.
From €25
View details
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Giethoorn
Grachthof Giethoorn
What to order: something to nibble on the terrace while the boats go by.
Open every day from 10:00 to 21:30; dinner starts at 19:30 at the latest · also hires out boats
Smit Giethoorn
What to order: a simple meal and a coffee on the terrace.
In season, arrive before one o'clock · also hires out boats
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Go out in a boat late and early
Before ten and after five the canal is a different place.
- 2Book dinner before the hotel
De Lindenhof fills up weeks ahead.
- 3Bring warm clothes
At dusk, on the water, it gets chilly even in summer.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth sleeping in Giethoorn?
Yes: the excursion coaches arrive mid-morning and leave in the afternoon, and before and after that the village is quiet.
Can you do it without a car?
Yes, by train to Steenwijk and bus 70. In the village you get around on foot, by bike or by boat.
When is the best time to go?
From April to June and in September, better on weekdays. In winter there is less hire available and some businesses close.
How much does the getaway cost?
Between €150 and €300 per person with hotel, boat, museum and meals; dinner at De Lindenhof raises the total.