Skip Amsterdam: Utrecht, Dutch Canals Without the Chaos

Utrecht: the Netherlands the Dutch Keep to Themselves

Amsterdam is a victim of its own success. The canals of the Grachtengordel, once a symbol of mercantile elegance, are today the stage for rowdy stag parties, overcrowded coffee shops and a historic centre where residents are now a minority. Utrecht, a mere thirty minutes by train, is everything Amsterdam was before it became a brand: a lively, elegant and profoundly Dutch university city, with canals that have a feature unique in the world.

Canals with Cellars

Utrecht's great distinction is the Oudegracht and Nieuwegracht, the medieval canals with a double level: the lower wharves, carved out of the ancient cellars of commercial warehouses, today house restaurants, cafés and terraces directly on the water, at a level below the street. It is an urban configuration unique in Europe, and on a sunny day sitting down to lunch in one of these cellars with your feet almost touching the canal is an experience that no café on the Prinsengracht can match — because here there are no tourist hordes passing above your head.

What to See

- Dom Tower — The tallest Gothic tower in the Netherlands (112 metres), separated from the church by a storm that brought down the nave in 1674. Climbing the 465 steps offers a view across the whole of the Netherlands.

- Oudegracht — The main canal with its water-level cellar restaurants. Walk along both banks.

- Speelklok Museum — A unique collection of self-playing musical instruments: carillons, fairground organs, player pianos. Fun for all ages.

- Centraal Museum — Art from the Middle Ages to the contemporary, with the largest collection of works by Gerrit Rietveld.

- Rietveld Schröder House — UNESCO World Heritage Site, an icon of De Stijl architecture. Visitable by guided tour.

- Botanical Garden — Belonging to the University, one of the oldest in Europe, with tropical greenhouses and a rock garden.

University Life and Culture

Utrecht is the largest university city in the Netherlands, and this gives it a young, cultural energy that permeates every corner. The Lombok neighbourhood, west of the station, is a melting pot of world cuisines, vintage shops and street art. Along the Vecht, the river that runs through the northern outskirts, stately historic mansions alternate with perfectly restored windmills. The Festival Oude Muziek (August–September) is the most important early music festival in Europe.

Where to Eat and Drink

The cellars along the Oudegracht are the gastronomic heart of the city. De Rechtbank offers modern Dutch cuisine in a former courthouse, with a terrace overlooking the canal. Blauw is the best rijsttafel outside Amsterdam (Dutch colonial cuisine is a national tradition). For a craft beer, Olivier occupies a deconsecrated church — Gothic pillars and draught taps in a surreal combination. On Saturday mornings, the Vredenburg market is a feast of cheeses, stroopwafels and raw herring.

How to Get There

Utrecht Centraal is the main rail hub of the Netherlands: every Dutch train passes through it. From Amsterdam Centraal it is 27 minutes by intercity, with departures every ten minutes. From Schiphol airport you can reach it in 30 minutes without going through Amsterdam. The city is compact and perfect for exploring by bicycle — you can hire one at the station.

When to Go

Spring (April–May) is the magical time: the canals fill with flowers and the terraces reopen. Nearby, Kasteel de Haar — the largest castle in the Netherlands — is surrounded by gardens in bloom. Summer is lively with festivals and open-air events. September is perfect for early music. Winter is cosy: Utrecht has one of the finest Christmas markets in the Netherlands, and the canal-side cellars transform into warm, luminous refuges.

The Utrecht Advantage

Amsterdam welcomes around 20 million visitors a year; Utrecht does not reach 2 million. Yet it has a UNESCO World Heritage Site (the Rietveld Schröder House), more characterful canals, an excellent gastronomic scene and that Dutch authenticity which in Amsterdam you now only find in the outlying neighbourhoods. Do yourself a favour: get off at Utrecht Centraal instead of continuing to Amsterdam. The real Netherlands is waiting for you, thirty minutes from the crowds.