Giethoorn Guided Day Trip

Giethoorn Guided Day Trip is one of ten day trips compared on this site, it runs 7 to 8 hours, and the live listing opens at $100.80 a person. It carries 4.8 from 575 reviews, reproduced here exactly as the operator publishes it.

Overview

The coach leaves from outside the NH Collection Amsterdam Barbizon Palace, opposite Amsterdam Central Station, at 11:00 in the morning, with check-in opening a quarter of an hour earlier. From there the day runs seven to eight hours door to door, returning to the IJ waterfront behind the station at roughly half past six in the evening. Dutchtrips runs the trip with a professional guide on board the bus for the drive out, which is where much of the commentary happens: polders and dams roll past the window while the guide fills in the history.

The village itself is the payoff. Giethoorn is a car-free village, and the tour includes a one-hour cruise through the canals past farmhouses and bridges. After the cruise there is free time to eat, wander and shop, with lunch at your own cost. Several travellers report roughly two hours on their own in the village plus the hour on the water, which most found enough, though a few wanted more.

Who it suits: people who want the countryside without renting a car or planning trains, and anyone happy to spend a chunk of the day on a coach. Reviews repeatedly single out the guides as the best part of the trip. It does not suit wheelchair users, and the listing caps the group at 60 travellers, so expect a big-bus feel rather than a small group.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Barbizon PalaceCheck in between 10:45 and 11:00 in front of the NH Collection Amsterdam Barbizon Palace, opposite Amsterdam Central Station. The coach departs promptly at 11:00.
2. Countryside driveThe guide gives commentary on the way out, covering the polders and dams the route passes. Travellers describe the ride as roughly two hours.
3. Local produce stopOne review mentions a stop en route to try local produce and do some shopping at fair prices.
4. Giethoorn villageAdmission to the village is free. The guided visit centres on the car-free village, its canals, bridges and farmhouses.
5. One-hour canal cruiseA one-hour boat cruise through the village canals is included. The canals can be busy with other boats at busy times.
6. Free time and lunchYou get free time to eat, walk and browse the shops. Lunch is not included and is at your own expense; travellers report roughly two hours on their own.
7. Return to AmsterdamThe coach heads back and the tour ends at De Ruijterkade 153, on the IJ waterfront behind Amsterdam Central Station, at approximately 6:30 p.m.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical things shape the day, from the meeting point logistics to how the time in the village is split.

• Getting there. You meet in front of the NH Collection Amsterdam Barbizon Palace opposite Central Station and the tour ends at a different spot, De Ruijterkade 153 behind the station. The listing is firm on timing: check-in runs from 10:45 to 11:00, the coach leaves promptly at 11:00, and the day finishes at approximately 6:30 p.m.
• Lunch and extras. Lunch is an optional break at your own cost, and gratuities are not included in the price. Reviewers mention having time to eat, browse the shops and enjoy the views during the free period, and one mentioned a stop at the ice cream boat. Budget for food and anything you want to buy.
• Group size. The listing caps the trip at 60 travellers, so this is a large-group coach tour, not a small-group walk. Reviewers still describe the guides as attentive and personable, but expect a big bus and a busy boat.
• On the boat. The included cruise lasts one hour. One reviewer said they could not hear the guide on the boat and suggested sitting near the back to catch the commentary. The canals themselves get crowded with other boats, which some travellers found entertaining and others found slow.
• Pace and time. The bus ride out is described by travellers as around two hours. In the village you get the boat hour plus roughly two hours of free time for lunch and wandering; some reviewers felt rushed, so decide in advance what matters most to you, eating or exploring.
• Weather. The listing says the experience requires good weather, and a full refund or a different date is offered if it is cancelled for poor conditions. Much of the day is spent outdoors in the village and on the water, so the forecast matters for this one.

Common issues. The honest downsides: it is a large coach tour with up to 60 travellers, and one reviewer felt most of the day was spent on the bus. The village canals jam with other boats at busy times, which slows the cruise. The start and end points differ. Lunch is not included and the guide and boat captain ask for tips, which one reviewer disliked. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, though pushchairs are fine and infants sit on laps. A few reviewers wanted more free time in the village than the schedule allows.

Questions People Ask