GO CITYBREAK:Forget about Amsterdam – Utrecht is the city Netherlanders prefer, writes PETER CLUSKEY
THE ONLY DUTCH city most foreigners visit is Amsterdam. But ask any Netherlander which of their cities they prefer and the capital, beautiful though it is, is likely to be virtually last on their list. At the top could well be . . . youthful Utrecht.
The reason is simple: foreigners like Amsterdam because it looks so picture-postcard Dutch, with its medieval streetscapes, its tiny humpbacked bridges and its picturesque network of inner-city canals. Perfect.
What Dutch people know, however, and foreigners rarely venture far enough to learn, is that many of the country’s other towns and cities are every bit as picture-perfect. They have all of the charm and allure of Amsterdam but none of its big-city hassles.
And that’s not just ageing Dutch baby-boomers talking, either. Utrecht has a student population of about 40,000, the largest in the Netherlands, and most of them are converts who’d rather live here than anywhere else.
The Romans took the same view. When their legions arrived in the Low Countries, in 59 BC, with Julius Caesar at their head, they chose Utrecht as the main outpost of the empire.
On the other hand, in the interests of balance, it’s probably also as well to quote James Boswell, biographer of Samuel Johnson, who arrived in Utrecht in 1763 and later recalled: “I groaned at the idea of living all winter in so shocking a place.”
Things have changed since 1763. In fact, as someone who arrived towards the end of last year to live not far from Utrecht, I can attest that the winters here are nowadays quite pleasant; this is a city with a youthful buzz and plenty going on, both commercially and culturally.
From a visitor’s point of view, the good news is that most of the sights of Utrecht’s old town are within 10 minutes’ walk of each other.
Two canals bisect the city: in typical Dutch fashion, they are the Oudegracht, or old canal, which dates to the 11th century, and the Nieuwegracht, or new canal, which dates only to the 14th. A third canal, the Singel, surrounds the lot.
No Dutch city would be complete without a tower with several hundred steps from which to survey the surrounding squares and markets, and in Utrecht all the interesting bits lie less than a kilometre from the Domtoren, the cathedral tower – which dates to 1321 and has 465 painful steps to its rewarding top.
The Domtoren is the official starting point for most tours, although the unofficial one tends to be the wonderfully named Winkel van Sinkel, an imposing former bank on the Oudegracht, now a cavernous and very chilled bar and nightclub and the city’s most popular landmark. You can have coffee out front under the portico and watch the world go by.
Just across the road you’ll see a flotilla of little pedal boats, which you can rent to explore the city via the canals – or you can always do as the Dutch do and rent one of their big second World War-style bikes.
Among the biggest draws here are the canal quaysides, which are a sort of mezzanine level beside the water, accessed by steps down from the street, and unique in Holland. They date to the city’s trading past – in fact, the 12th century – and are now mostly shops, restaurants and bars.
Trainspotters will want to head for the Netherlands Railway Museum, which has the Jumbo Express for children.
Literary types will head for Boekhandel de Wijze Kater, on Mariaplaats, one of the best-known esoteric and spiritualist bookshops in Europe.
Gardeners will head for De Oude Hortus, the renowned botanical gardens behind the Universiteitsmuseum, on Lange Nieuwstraat, where they’ll find numerous rare flowers and plants, including the ancient ginkgo biloba tree.
And where better to meet up again than Bert’s Bierhuis, on Twijnstraat, the shop where Bert de Ruyter sells – wait for it – 800 types of beer. It started as a hobby and has become one of Utrecht’s biggest tourist attractions – even more popular with Dutch visitors than with foreigners.
See www.utrecht.nl and www.holland.com
Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) flies from Dublin and Cork to Amsterdam. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies from Dublin to Eindhoven.
5 places to stay
Grand Hotel Karel V,
1 Geertebolwerk, 00-31-30-2337555, www.karelv.nl. This former knights’ hall, dating from the 14th century, offers the plushest accommodation in Utrecht. A double room costs from €225.
The Malie Hotel.
2 Maliestraat, 00-31-30-2316424, www.maliehotel.nl. With its stylish 19th-century facade, this 45-room hotel has as its motto “small enough to care” – and it does. Doubles from €125.
NH Centre Utrecht Hotel.
10 Janskerkhof, 00-31-30-2313169, www.nh-hotels.com. Located in an atmospheric old building with views of the church square, this comfortable hotel was built in 1870 and is a pleasant place to stay. Doubles from €120.
The Park Plaza Utrecht.
50 Westplein, 00-31-30-2925200, www.parkplaza.com/ utrechtnl. Near the train station and the city’s exhibition centre, this modern hotel caters mainly for business travellers – and does it well. Regularly has good deals, with doubles from about €88.
Strowis Budget Hostel.
8 Boothstraat, 00-31-30-2380280, www.strowis.nl. If you’re on a budget and trying to save every penny you can, this is a good option. Friendly and comfortable, though basic, it has a cosy bar. Doubles cost from €55.
5 places to eat
Goesting.150 Veeartsenijpad, 00-31-30- 2733346, www.restaurant goesting.nl. This is the place in Utrecht to see and be seen. One guide describes it as "crypto-minimalist". Despite that, the food is good and the atmosphere buzzing.
Opium.80 Voorstraat, 00-31-30-2315515, www.restaurant-opium.nl. Asian fusion cooking at its best, with an ultra-cool interior and friendly service.
Oudaen.99 Oudegracht, 00-31-30-2311864, www.oudaen.nl. The dining room is a restored 14th- century banquet hall. Steaks and good seafood, including grilled tuna and sea bass.
Polman's.Corner of Jansdam and Keistraat, 00-31-30-2313368, www.polmanshuis.nl. As if to compete with Oudaen, this is a former gentlemen's club, complete with ceiling frescoes. The emphasis is on classic French cuisine.
De Beleving Restaurant.125 Oudegracht aan de Werf, 00-31-30-2400099, www.debeleving.nl. Dinner here is more than a night out, warns the restaurant, it's "an experience". That's because the singing waiters and waitresses perform old favourites while they serve.
5 places to go
The Canal Company.
Canalside on Oudegracht, opposite the town hall, 00-31-20-206239886, www.canal.nl. Taking to the canals in a pedal boat is a must-do experience in Utrecht. It’s great fun and gives you a unique view of this magnificent city and its architecture.
Domkerk and Domtoren.
9 Domplein, 00-31-30-2360010, www.domtoren.nl. The Dom Tower allegedly stands on the spot where Utrecht was founded, 2,000 years ago. Its Gothic belfry dates back to 1321 and is 112m high – and you’ll know all about it when you scale the 465 steps. Worth the view, though.
De Oude Hortus.
106 Lange Nieuwstraat, 00-31-30-2538008, www.museum.uu.nl.
Behind Utrecht University Museum, the botanical gardens are an oasis of calm, displaying a huge array of plants collected by the Dutch during their years as colonial explorers. A treasure trove for plant lovers.
Netherlands Railroad Museum.
Maliebaanstation, 00-31-30-2306206, www.spoorwegmuseum.nl. This isn’t just for trainspotters: it’s actually interesting even
if you’re not obsessed with trains, which is quite an achievement. Great fun for kids, too – they get to ride the Jumbo Express.
Museum Het Catharijneconvent.
38 Lange Nieuwstraat, 00-31-30-2313835, www.catharijneconvent.nl. This is the finest collection of medieval religious art in the Netherlands and perhaps outside the Vatican. The illuminated manuscripts, carvings and robes are stunning, and certainly not to be seen elsewhere.
Where to shop
The main shopping area is just outside the enormous Hoog Catharijne Centre, which includes the city’s railway station. The centre itself is about to be demolished as part of a regeneration programme, but all the big designer names are in the streets nearby. And don’t forget Bert’s Bierhuis, at 41 Twijnstraat, if you’re a fan of rare beers.
Hot spot
Winkel van Sinkel.
158 Oudegracht, 00-31-30-2303030, www.dewinkelvansinkel.nl. The most popular night spot in town, with plenty going on. A former bank, it has the Grandcafe for lunch, dinner and drinks; the Nachtwinkel, a disco specialising in underground house and techno; and the Nachtrestaurant, which serves hot and cold tapas. Very relaxed.
Coffee break
Mockamore. 37 Steenweg, 00-31-30-2333410, www.mockamore.com. Great coffee, and bagels as well, which aren’t very easy to find in the Netherlands. If you’re asking directions, don’t ask for a “coffee shop” unless you’re looking for a quiet corner and a cannabis joint.
What to avoid
Being run down by a bicycle. Like everywhere else in the Netherlands, bikes rule. No matter what a cyclist does, if there’s an accident it’s the motorist or pedestrian at fault. Two Dutch words you’ll need: pas op! or watch out!