10 Reasons to Visit Utrecht

Despite having lived in the Netherlands for five years, it wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I managed a trip to the city of Utrecht.

I had heard many good things about the most populous city of the Dutch province with the same name but I wanted to find out for myself it met expectations.

Here are ten reasons why I think you should visit the city of Utrecht:

1. Domtoren – I couldn’t start a list about Utrecht without mentioning it’s famous tower. The Domtoren, which was built between 1321 and 1383, rises to a full 112 metres (376 feet). You can climb (465 steps) almost all of the way to the top for a view of the city.

2. Centraal Museum – The oldest municipal museum in the Netherlands houses a large and varied collection, including the largest collection of Rietveld designs in the world.

3. Oudegracht – The oldest canal in the city now houses the bustling terraces filled with cold drinks and hot food. The perfect place to meet-up with friends and enjoy the vibe of the city.

4. Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum (Dutch Railway Museum) – Step inside the 19th-century Maliebaan station and experience the museums extensive collection of locomotives, trains, carriages, paintings, and railway objects.

5. Nijntje Plein – Visit the square with the famous bunny who was created by the writer Dick Bruna.

6. Museum Speelklok – Located inside the city’s oldest church, Buurkerk, the museum displays mechanical musical instruments. The bonus is the free tours that lead you through the museum and let you see how the instruments work and more importantly, what they sound like.

8. Cafe Olivier – Tucked away on a side street between the shopping street of Lange Elisabethsstraat and the Hoog Catherine Mall, Cafe Olivier is housed in a former church.

9. Rietveld Schröderhuis – Built in 1924 by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld for Mrs. Truus Schröder-Schräder, the house is one of the best known examples of De Stijl-architecture.

10. Museum voor het Kruideniersbedrijf – A working replica of an old grocery store with friendly ladies in old-fashioned aprons selling sweets and tea in decorative containers. The museum is located upstairs.

What would you add to the list?