Amsterdam to Giethoorn and Zwolle: Private day trip

Main attractions

• A village of approximately 180 bridges and no road access to most properties — thatched farmhouses sit on small islands connected by arched wooden bridges, with canals serving as the primary thoroughfares navigated by flat-bottomed punters (fluisterbooten — whisper boats)
• The village was founded in the 13th century by Flagellants who discovered peat beneath the ground — centuries of peat extraction created the canal system that now defines the settlement entirely

What to eat

• Simple Dutch lunch at one of the canalside restaurants — erwtensoep (split pea soup) and broodje kroket (croquette roll) are the most appropriate choices in a village that rewards simplicity

Take note

• Giethoorn is extremely popular in summer — arrive early; boat hire is available at the village entrance and is the most rewarding way to see the canal network from water level

Main attractions

• The Sassenpoort — a 15th-century fortified city gate of considerable grandeur — marks the entrance to one of the best-preserved medieval city centres in the Netherlands; the star-shaped fortification system surrounding the old town is largely intact and walkable
• The Grote Kerk (Church of St Michael) is one of the largest Gothic churches in the Netherlands, its nave rising above a city centre of step-gabled merchants' houses and covered market passages

What to eat

• Blauwvingers — the nickname for Zwolle residents refers to the city's blue-fingered tradition; the Zwolse balletjes (small hard sugar sweets) are the city's traditional confection; the restaurant scene around the Melkmarkt is among the most interesting in the Dutch provinces