Where do you find the most beautiful, cozy, and scenic places to visit in the Netherlands? Ask a local and they will often tell you Utrecht, the hidden gem of the Netherlands. Utrecht one of the most beautiful Dutch cities, is located in the heart of the Dutch countryside, its storied history shines through its centuries-old canals with unique wharf-side basement cellars and a grand cathedral split in two by a violent 17th-century tornado.
Let’s see why locals call Utrecht one of the most beautiful Dutch cities, and see what the best things to see and do on your voyage to this European travel gem.
Utrecht’s Unique Charm
Utrecht’s central Oudegracht Canal (essentially the ‘Old Canal’), at nearly 2 km long, is unlike any other I’ve seen during my travels in the Netherlands. Its unique wharf-side façades face the canal at water level and contain many restaurants, clubs and cafes in subterranean ‘dock cellar’ tunnels. You can also have a leisurely walk along the lovely tree-lined pathways that form the streetscape below the street level.
On my most recent trip, I made reservations for dinner at Gauchos, an Argentine steak house that is popular in Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam. To access the restaurant you have to traverse a stairway down from street level where the restaurant is built into an underground, arched tunnel. The feeling in the interior was like being inside a cozy wine cave from the middle ages. There are plenty of such restaurants and bars to explore on your trip to Utrecht.
Why is Utrecht one of the most beautiful Dutch cities?
Utrecht’s Unique Canal Architecture and Wharfs
Utrecht’s tree-lined canals are one of the most charming features of this ancient city, making it one of the most beautiful in Europe. The main canals in the city are the Oudegracht (old canal), the longest, it forms the main shopping artery of the city, and the Nieuwegracht (new canal), both running north and south through the historic centre.
Explore the 6 km loop along the Stadsbuitengracht (outer city canal) by boat, bike or foot, allowing you to circumnavigate the entire old city of Utrecht.
A fascinating fact: the Catharijnesingel portion of the 900-year-old canal had been paved over in the 1970s to accommodate a 12-lane motorway built over the top. Restoration work to correct this historical misdeed has recently been completed. You can even float under the Hoog Catharijne Mall on your journey.
The Dom Tower and Church
It’s hard to miss the Dom Tower or ‘Domtoren’ when ambling through the cozy streets of Utrecht. At 112 metres (367 feet) it is the tallest church tower in The Netherlands — it imposes a massive presence upon the city and rather uniquely stands apart from the church. Currently covered in scaffolding, the tower looks like a monolith freestanding in the middle of the medieval city centre.
Spine-Tingling Climb on The Dom Tower’s 367-Foot Spire for Amazing Views
Visitors (including me!) were afforded a rare treat this year as a bonus to the guided tour of the Dom tower — to venture outside the building at its highest point onto a temporary platform around the spire at the very top. Due to the nature of the scaffolding erected for the refurbishment, this is a far higher vantage point than visitors ever have been able to climb.
I am generally not scared of heights but as I climbed out onto the exterior platform, over 100 metres off the ground, and still further climbed a set of construction stairs on the exterior to the very top, I felt a sudden sense of vertigo hit me as we climbed so far up. Fighting back irrational feelings that this structure would rip away from the tower at any moment, we surfaced on a rather large — and stable — platform with breathtaking views and a 360-degree panorama of the city landscape.
Today guided tours of the tower, now located across the Dom Square from the church, allow you to climb the 465 steps to the top and find a remarkable view of the city of 300,000 people.
Below is the view from Utrecht’s iconic Dom Tower undergoing extensive exterior restoration from 2019 to 2024, the third major overhaul in its 700 years.
Dom Tower’s Near Destruction by 17th Century Freak Tornado
Walking around Utrecht’s massive cathedral I was struck by the size and beauty of the building, but also, something seemed rather out of place. The enormous tower we had been navigating towards appeared to be located on the other side of the square, separated from the church. Taking the tour of the Dom Cathedral provided an unusual and quite unexpected explanation.
On August 1st, 1674 a severe, unusually destructive storm blew across much of western Europe, causing widespread damage to the centre of Holland. Nowhere was the damage more severe than in the canal-lined city of Utrecht.1 What was believed to be a single tornado directly carved a path through the city and levelled the centre section of the church (from the nave between the tower and transept) fully collapsing that massive section. The damage was so severe that the rubble and debris remained for another 200 years.
Shopping in Utrecht
The Best Shopping Streets in Utrecht
To find a traditional Dutch shopping experience, navigate to Oudegracht and its surrounding side streets such as Oudkerkhof, for a pleasant mix of boutique shopping, fashion brands and countless cafés and bars to have a relaxing drink after your spending spree.
Vrendenbrug Straat and Vrendenbrug Market – This bustling street sits just outside the entrance to the Hoog Catharijne mall running parallel to the big market square. The Vrendenbrug market in the square is open three days a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and is billed as the largest fresh food market in Utrecht. Here you can find fresh vegetables, fish, meat, bread, olives and in-season plants and flowers when available.
Beyond the market going south, Vrendenbrug turns into Lange Elizabethstraat which is a very busy shopping street with many brand-name stores and restaurants. This direction makes a good pathway to the rest of the scenic, historic centre.
Hoog Catharijne Mall
Utrecht is a bit unusual with respect to its shopping options for the Netherlands. For all its quaintness and medieval city charm, Utrecht is home to one of the largest American-style shopping malls in Europe — “Hoog Catharijne”, located directly adjacent to the impressive new Utrecht Station. The Station itself is home to an extensive amount of shopping, eating and drinking venues.
The recently refurbished Hoog Catharijne mall is lovely — as far as malls go — however it is seen as quite controversial in the sense that locals deem the concept of the mall as quite out of place, and not befitting of a historical city like Utrecht.
Whatever your opinion is of Hoog Catharijne, it does have extensive shopping opportunities, 125 shops, as well as multiple hotels and restaurants within its perimeter. The mall does remind me of a museum gift shop in that you have to go through it to get to the historic centrum of the city.
One superlative function of the mall is it makes a great navigation tool when you are trying to find your way through the countless little side streets to find the Train Station!
Eating and Drinking in Utrecht
There is no shortage of good quality food and drink in Utrecht. A well-established University city (the University dates back to 1636), Utrecht is home to plenty of nightlife as well. Amble up and down the Oudegracht or any of the connecting streets and you are bound to find a great experience.
Twentig Utrecht For Drinks:
I stumbled upon this cozy small brasserie-style bar while waiting for my dinner reservation. The bar was so relaxing and inviting that I was tempted to stay the evening, although unfortunately, they did not have a full dinner service.
Some delightful options for bar snacks and shareables were on the menu. Sitting at the bar, my fellow patrons had plenty of good things to say about the food and quality drinks. I highly enjoyed the excellent selection of beers on tap!
Location: Ganzenmarkt 20, Utrecht $$ | +31 30 202 2526
Guachos (aan de Werf) For Argentinian:
I have to admit I am a diehard fan of this local restaurant chain, which has become a bit of a Netherlands institution. I chose to seek out their ‘aan de Werf’ (on the Wharf) location as it was the only location (of six) I had not been to. This location is unlike any of their other restaurants, as it is built into one of the ancient wharf-side cellars. It is a bit of a trick to find in the dark.
The Steaks are always exceptional (although they do tend to cook them on the rare side), but my favourite has always been the BBQ Spareribs. I’ve treated many a colleague and large party to their location in The Hague and I can’t stay away.
Location: dockside at Oudegracht 150, Utrecht | $$ | +31 30 232 8372
Other Highly Rated Places to Eat in Utrecht:
For the Best Coffee in Utrecht:
- Ohøj Coffee roastery and espresso bar – For an amazing cup of Coffee | $ | Location: Rijnlaan 27, Utrecht
For the best Dinner and Bites:
- The Seafood Bar – for yes, awesome seafood and the open-air kitchen | $$$ | Location: Stationsplein 22, Utrecht, +31 30 227 2430
- WT Urban Kitchen – for the view | $$$ | Location: Heuveloord 25, Utrecht, +31 30 303 1216
- Restaurant Maeve – For the Michelin Experience | $$$$ | Location: Kromme Nieuwegracht 18, Utrecht, +31 30 200 6767
References
van der Schrier, G., & Groenland, R. (2017).
A reconstruction of the August 1st, 1674 thunderstorms over Holland. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 17(2), 157–170.