The quaint Dutch town of Giethoorn is also known as the 'Venice of the Netherlands" with its over 88km of canals.
CARS are a seemingly indispensable part of modern life, so much so that the very idea of a region that is completely car-free is unfathomable.
That said, it has been claimed that a village in the Netherlands is totally car-free due to the extensive waterways crossing through the quaint hamlet.
Is there any truth to this?
VERDICT:
TRUE
Yes, there is a car-free village in the Netherlands – the village of Giethoorn, a village that in fact has no roads at all.
According to National Geographic, the absence of cars in this village of 2,800 inhabitants is due to the waterways, which are approximately 88km long.
As such, all residents travel using waterways and there are boats for tourists to rent.
However, those who wish to keep their feet dry may do so in Giethoorn – a village said to have been named after the horns of goats that died in a flood in 1170 – as the town has over 170 bridges and footpaths for people to walk and cycle on.
References:
1. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/visit-giethoorn-quaint-village-without-cars
2. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/giethoorn-in-netherlands-the-vllage-without-roads/photostory/34780586.cms
3. https://www.businessinsider.com/visiting-giethoorn-car-free-village-netherlands-tarnished-2019-9
4. https://giethoorn.com/en/giethoorn-a-village-with-no-roads/
