Giethoorn, Netherlands, attracts millions via its canal network

Giethoorn, a village in the Netherlands, remains a popular tourist destination known for its network of narrow canals. Because cars are not permitted in the village, residents and visitors navigate the area via boats, bicycles, or traditional punters—small, flat-bottomed wooden boats used historically for transport, fishing, and hunting.

While the village attracts approximately one million visitors annually, the high volume of tourists can lead to congestion on the narrow, often one-way canals. The local population consists of approximately 2,630 residents.