Giethoorn
Gliding down little canals past dilapidated but charming farmhouses with thatched roofs is so serene, so unique, and has such basic beauty that it almost seems real.
A senior citizen could be strolling over to see a neighbor if you take a left down a side street (another tiny canal). No, this is neither Colmar nor Venice. It is the Dutch village of Giethoorn.
It's too calm, silent, and far away. Its moniker as the "Venice of the North" may create the wrong idea of its size, crowds, and commercialism because it is so serene.