Utrecht

Along the Oudegracht, the quays sit one level below the street, and in the old storage cellars beneath them, guests now dine right at the water's edge – these werfkelders exist in this form only in Utrecht. A trip to Utrecht takes you to one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, with the tallest church tower in the country, a large university and a relaxed atmosphere far from the Amsterdam crowds.

Roman Fort and Bishop's City

Around the year 50, the Romans built a fort on the Rhine here, and you can see its remains beneath the Domplein. In the Middle Ages, Utrecht was the seat of a powerful bishop and for a long time the largest city in the northern Netherlands. In 1579, the Union of Utrecht was signed here, laying the foundation for the later Dutch Republic, and in 1713 the Peace of Utrecht ended the War of the Spanish Succession. In 1674, a storm destroyed the nave of the cathedral, and ever since, the Dom Tower has stood apart from the church – the square in between is the Domplein. Utrecht was also the birthplace of Dick Bruna, the creator of Miffy, who has a museum dedicated to him.

Sights in Utrecht

The 465 steps up the roughly 112-meter-high Dom Tower are rewarded with views all the way to Amsterdam; the climb is possible only on a guided tour. Beneath the Domplein, DOMunder presents excavations spanning 2,000 years. The Centraal Museum holds works by the Utrecht Caravaggisti and furniture by Gerrit Rietveld; his Rietveld Schröder House is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Museum Speelklok, with its mechanical musical instruments, and the Museum Catharijneconvent, with religious art, are also worth a visit. A flower market takes place on Saturdays at Janskerkhof, and a book market is held at the Neude around the old post office building. A boat trip on the Oudegracht shows you the city from the cellar's perspective.

Eating and Going Out in Utrecht

With tens of thousands of students, Utrecht is young and lively. The werfkelders on the Oudegracht and the Nieuwegracht are popular spots for waterside restaurants and cafés. Around the Neude, on Lange Nieuwstraat and around the Mariaplaats, you'll find pubs, wine bars and bistros, including traditional brown cafés. For typically Dutch fare, try bitterballen, poffertjes and herring; the city also has a strong vegetarian scene. At lunchtime, people gather in the courtyards of the old town or in Lepelenburg Park.

Quiet Corners of the Old Town

The old town is compact, and the prettiest corners lie off the main streets: the lanes around Lange Elisabethstraat and Breedstraat with small shops, the Mariaplaats with its cafés, and the area around the Plompetorengracht, where canals and hofjes (almshouse courtyards) lie hidden. In the residential neighborhood of Buiten Wittevrouwen, 19th-century workers' cottages line quiet streets.

Getting Around Utrecht and the Best Time to Visit

Utrecht Centraal is the largest train station in the Netherlands, directly connected to the Hoog Catharijne shopping center and the Jaarbeurs exhibition grounds. You can reach Schiphol in about 30 minutes and Amsterdam Centraal in just under half an hour; ICE trains run to Cologne and Frankfurt. The station is home to the world's largest bicycle parking garage, with space for more than 12,000 bikes. The best time to visit is from April to September. Day trips lead to De Haar Castle, the largest castle in the Netherlands, to the new development district of Leidsche Rijn with its park, or to Amersfoort.