Utrecht City

Introducing Utrecht City

On the surface, there’s not much to the tiny, petite province of Utrecht, save for charming Utrecht City itself – its tree-lined canals and medieval quarter hog the limelight, making the province virtually a city-state. Yet, like Doctor Who’s Tardis, there’s more to discover if you care to poke around. The splendid Kasteel de Haar on the city’s doorstep is one of the country’s most beautiful castles. Amersfoort, a really pretty walled town in the northeast corner, oozes medieval character. Then there’s Oudewater in the southwest, synonymous with witchcraft (Monty Python fans will dig it). Utrecht is also home to palatial mansions to the southeast in Doorn, where a defeated German Kaiser went into exile, and in Amerongen, seat of well-to-do aristocrats since the 13th century.

If you like boating and swimming, what’s stopping you from visiting the province’s many shallow lakes? For pedal pushers, the countryside is laced with bike paths that can be taken at a relaxed clip.

Yes, Utrecht has come some way since James Boswell whinged in 1763, ‘I groaned with the idea of living all winter in so shocking a place’.

Utrecht City

Utrecht is one of the Netherlands’ oldest cities – not that you’d know it when you step off the train and find yourself lost in the maze that is the Hoog Catharijne shopping centre. The Hoog is huge…and it’s attached to the station…and it seemingly goes on forever…and ever. Never fear: it’s going to be destroyed soon. But fight your way through and you’ll emerge starry-eyed into a beautiful, vibrant, old-world city centre, ringed by striking 13th-century canal wharves. The wharves, well below street level, are unique to Utrecht, and the streets alongside brim with shops, restaurants and cafés.

In summer, Utrecht is Festival City, hosting various jazz events (you’ll see musicians on every corner) and the Netherlands Film Festival in September. Added to that, the city’s student community of 40, 000 is the largest in the country, making it one very infectious place.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009