6Giethoorn, Netherlands
Giethoorn feels less like a traditional European town and more like a village from a children’s story.
Instead of busy roads dominating the historic center, canals and small bridges define the landscape. Traditional thatched-roof houses sit beside waterways, often surrounded by gardens and greenery.
Visitors can explore the canals by small boat or simply walk along the paths connecting the different parts of the village.
Its unusual layout is what makes Giethoorn so memorable: the scenery is peaceful, green and wonderfully different from the grand historic cities found elsewhere in Europe.
