The 5 funniest things tourists do in Giethoorn

Giethoorn attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world every year. With its canals, farms and bridges, it really is a paradise. Sometimes tourists create hilarious situations, often unwittingly. In this blog, I tell you the five funniest things you can experience in Giethoorn.

1. Bumping boats

Renting a boat on Giethoorn seems easy: give it gas, turn the steering wheel and sail. Yet for many tourists, it proves difficult and a big challenge. You regularly see the boats zigzagging through the narrow canals. They bump into bridges, banks and sometimes even other tourists. In addition, it often happens that the boats make too sharp a turn and run straight into a garden of the people living there.

2. Walking on private bridges

Giethoorn is famous for its hundreds of bridges, but many tourists do not know that some bridges are private property. You regularly see tourists standing on a bridge enjoying the view, while the owner then asks them to leave. The tourists think they are on a public bridge, but for the residents, it can feel like someone is suddenly strolling in your backyard.

3. Selfies

Of course, a visit to Giethoorn cannot fail to include a photo session. Tourists hang out of boats, sit on the edge of the boat or off a bridge and all for the perfect selfie. But it often goes wrong… A tourist who leans too far forward ends up with a big splash into the water.

4. The supermarket on the water

Thanks to all the photos and videos online, some tourists think Giethoorn is a town on the water, including a floating supermarket. When these tourists ask residents how they do the shopping by boat, we residents always have to laugh and tell them that the supermarket is just on the mainland.

5. Wrong canals

The network of canals in Giethoorn is super beautiful, but it can also be confusing. Tourists renting a boat often end up in the wrong canals or dead ends. Tourists think they are following the right waters, but have not read signs such as ‘private property’ and ‘no entry’.

Giethoorn is a beautiful place to visit, but will certainly make for a funny experience by the tourists. So should you ever visit Giethoorn, enjoy not only the views but also the funny moments around you. Want to learn more about Giethoorn? Then do the SmartWalk Giethoorn and learn about the hidden gems, the nicest restaurants and do it all at your own pace. Have fun in Giethoorn  and don’t forget to laugh at the funniest moment!