This ancient and historic city houses many buildings going back to the early Middle Ages. Until it was overtaken by Amsterdam in the Dutch Golden age, Utrecht was the most important city in the Netherlands. It was and still is the See of the Archbishop of Utrecht, the most important Catholic leader in the Netherlands. The University of Utrecht is the largest in the Netherlands. One of the unique features of the city is the wharf system in its inner canals. Before the city was fully canalized, parts of the Rhine River flowed through the city center. Most prominent of the historic buildings is the Gothic Cathedral of Saint Martin, the construction of which lasted for almost 200 year, beginning in 1254.
Restaurants in Utrecht
5.0 based on 24 reviews
The house that architect Mart van Schijndel designed for himself in 1992 is an urban oasis hidden away in the heart of the city. Since 1999 – the year in which the architect passed away – the Van Schijndel House was listed as youngest monument. It is still a private home. Since it is a true signature masterpiece, his wife, architecture historian, offers small-scale personal tours by appointment.
4.5 based on 1,983 reviews
When you visit Utrecht you will notice the Domtoren almost immediately. The 14th century tower is the heart of the old city centre. At 112 metres, it remains the highest church tower in the Netherlands. The Domtoren is open all year round, and the view of Utrecht is worth seeing in every season. The tower can only be visited as part of a guided tour, during which our expert guides will take you on a historical journey. The tour starts in the Tourist Information Centre on Dom Square and takes about an hour. The Domtoren is in need of extensive restoration work on the exterior and the restoration will take about 5 years (2019-2024) The Domtoren is open for visitors as normal. No work will be done on the inside of the tower so you can visit the chapels and belfry. When you come outside on the galleries at 70 meters and 95 meters you will see some scaffolding but the view is unchanged and as impressive as always. And you get the unique opportunity to see the work up close!
A church tower at an altitude of over 100 meters in the center of Utrecht. The tower was adjacent to the church, but today it is separated by a small square. You can take a guided tour of the tower, climb about 480 steps and visit the different floors of the tower. From the top terrace there is a spectacular view of the city of Utrecht. The tour starts at the nearby tourist office. Reservations are recommended.
4.5 based on 3 reviews
4.0 based on 74 reviews
.....is undoubtedly how I would describe the Miffy Museum, if I was aged 2-3. Small people around that age will love this place. Miffy is a rabbit kids character, invented by a Dutch kids author, Dick Bruna. Our family visited here recently and had a ball. Our daughter (just over 2.5 yrs old) loved it. You start off your visit at a cloakroom, where you can use (free) lockers to store jackets etc. From there, you flow through the museum, (2 levels), encountering various interactive rooms and displays for children to play and learn. The rooms take their themes from topics various Miffy books, such as the home, school, transport, hospital etc. Each room has kid-scale furniture and items, for them to play with, learn about and explore. It's just amazing really, and I didn't see a single kid who was not busy and deeply engaged during our visit. The first zone is about the home and allows kids to explore various household rooms and their contents. At this age, they will recognise lots and enjoy exploring things they cannot touch at home (eg the cooker/oven). There was also a garden area and some books here. (Of course, most of the books were in Dutch, but we can forgive them that given the museum is in Utrecht!) You can tell most visiting adults (including me) are secretly jealous that the room contents are too small for them to try! My own....er, my daughters favourite bits were (i) the hospital zone, where they had little hospital uniforms for the visitors to try – one-piece costumes, which go on over clothes. And (ii) the road / transport zone which had driveable vehicles (including a daddy powered bus) and cool features such as a level crossing and traffic lights. Typically for a Dutch venue, the whole place was well thought out and very visitor-friendly, with lots of nice touches. (Imagine the complete opposite to a Scottish tourist venue, in every way – I say that as a Scotsman). The kid-sized toilets and sinks for example and the feeding area for babies, which even had a vending machine of baby food pouches. They had thought of everything. We had a great time and I am sure all families would enjoy a visit. Its lots of fun, delivered in an educational style. There is enough to do, to make it a reasonable length of visit, but its not too big as to be over-whelming for little ones. I think the age range I mention is ideal, but I am sure slightly older children would still enjoy it, especially if with younger siblings. Highly recommended. We were on holiday outside school holiday time, so it was not too busy during our visit. However I imagine the museum could get very busy at peak times, so probably best to be canny about your visiting time. NB – there is another venue (Centraal Museum) directly across the road, which has the ticket office and souvenir shop for the Miffy Museum. Grab your tickets in here before heading in. I can't remember the cost, but we were not appalled. The souvenir shop is good with stuff for any budget. Daughter got Miffy Jigsaws (4 in 1 box, no less) and Baby got some Miffy Baby Cultery. 2 happy children. The museum is in nice part of the City and is a short walk away from the Oudegracht canal which is pleasant to walk along and has lots of restaurants/cafes etc. I'd definitely go back, given the chance, once the younger one is at an appropriate age.
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