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Cycling route

Dutch Venice

Cycle 59 kilometres from Willemsoord (Colony III) through Weerribben-Wieden National Park to Giethoorn, the 'Venice of the Netherlands', and back. Along the way you enjoy the watery Weerribben-Wieden nature reserve, the largest lowland peat bog in Western Europe.

Windmill in the Weerribben

About this route

Dutch Venice is a cycling route of 59.3 km. You finish where you started. Allow about 3 h 55 min.

A long bike ride of more than 59 kilometres that starts and ends in Willemsoord (Colony III). You cycle through the watery Weerribben-Wieden National Park to Giethoorn and back.

Along the way you pass through Steenwijk, with its old fortifications, and villages such as Tuk, Zuidveen, Scheerwolde, Basse and Dwarsgracht. You ride past the De Weerribben nature reserve, along the Beulakerwijde lake and the Giethoornsche Meer, and in Giethoorn along the Dorpsgracht and past the Tjasker Giethoorn Noord. The De Wicher windmill also lies on the route.

Allow almost four hours of cycling, without stops.

Practical information

Starting point: View the starting point on OpenStreetMap

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More information on Giethoorn.com:

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