The tiny town of Giethoorn in the province of Overijssel in the Netherlands is often called ‘Little Venice.’ Founded in 1230, the village survived by cutting peat, which caused the formation of many ponds and lakes.
Giethoorn is a mostly car-free village and it’s known for its boat-filled waterways, footpaths, bicycle trails and centuries-old thatched roof houses. Most recently, Giethoorn beat out 182 contenders around the world to achieve a place on the board of the new international edition of Monopoly.
The village of only 2,620 inhabitants sees between 150,000 and 200,000 Chinese national tourists every year and at least one Canadian, Deb deLooze of Calgary, Alta.