Before we begin to discuss the attractions in Utrecht, let’s clear the concept of Holland and the Netherlands. Often people are confused, thinking that Holland is the same as the Netherlands. But in reality, Holland (North-Holland and South-Holland) are only 2 out of the 12 provinces in the Netherlands. The 12 provinces are Utrecht, Drenthe, Gelderland, Groningen, Flevoland, Friesland, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North- Brabant), Overijssel, Zeeland, Noord-Holland (North-Holland) and Zuid-Holland (South- Holland).
The Capital Amsterdam, is located in North-Holland but Utrecht, is located in a province called Utrecht. So, let it be clear that the City of Utrecht lies in the Province of Utrecht.
When we talk about the languages spoken in the Netherlands, it is a multilingual country. Official language is Dutch but most people can easily communicate in English. People also understand German and French languages in some parts of the country. So, as a tourist, it is good news that you can easily communicate with locals while exploring this beautiful land.
The city of Utrecht is a source of attraction for the people of all age groups. From hustle bustle cafes and restaurants in the city center to the quiet and wonderful museums, from historical monuments to lush greenery all over. Exploring the whole region through cycling in a fresh atmosphere without any traffic issues like other countries makes it an even more exclusive source of attraction for the visitors.
THE MOST CYCLE FRIENDLY CITY IN THE WORLD:
Utrecht is considered as “Best cycling city in the world” and many people know this place as “The most cycle friendly city in the world”. People of all ages are able to cycle safely. There are many places where it is preferable to use cycling for better travelling and enjoying the better view naturally.
The exclusive feature in Utrecht which makes it an eye-catching attraction for everyone is that it has the largest bicycle parking in the world right next to the Central Station. There is a room for parking 12,500 bicycles at a time.
This parking facility remains open all the time and you can park your bike for the first 24hours free of cost.
For a detailed view about the parking of bicycles, have a look at this documentary.
DOM TOWER:
Dom Tower is considered as a symbol of pride to Utrecht for so many reasons. This tower is not only the tallest tower in Utrecht, but also the tallest Church Tower in the whole of the Netherlands. Having the height of 112m (369 feet) is a treat to watch. This beautiful tower was built in 1382A.D and since then it is considered as the symbol of power for the entire Utrecht.
Dom Tower is itself one of the biggest tourist attraction sites in Utrecht. Dom Tower is open to the public and offers an excellent view of the Church from inside and outside along with the surrounding area. When you enter inside, you can enjoy the view of fourteen swinging bells hanging halfway up the Dom Tower. These bells are rung on the religious holidays, special occasions and each Sunday during prayers.
You can go upstairs and if luck favors and you find a clear sky then, you can see far and wide from the top of the tower, providing you a mesmerizing moment to capture it through your cameras. There are several hotels and restaurants which you can explore during the tour.
ACCORDING TO THE NATIVE NYNKE SUSANNA HOSPES FROM NETHERLANDS:
When we talk about the cuisine in the Netherlands, there is a variety of food from continental to international. Just in Utrecht, there are a variety of restaurants that provide local food along with the restaurants from people all over the world. From Afghan to French, USA to Chinese, Vietnamese to Japanese, Korean to Thai, Mexican and many more. As a tourist, you can enjoy meals according to your taste. There are few exceptional delicious food items in Utrecht which you cannot miss while visiting this beautiful part of the world.
DOMTORENTJES:
There is a special dessert “Domtorentjes” named after the historically famous “Dom Tower”. Domtorentjes are dark chocolate bonbons prepared with chocolate fillings. This dessert with a special recipe was introduced by the bakery “Theo Blom” back in 1922. It is a must try item when you visit Utrecht for the first time.
DE BOTERSPRITS:
De Botersprits is yet another famous dessert in Utrecht offered by many bakeries including “Theo Blom”. It is a soft crumb prepared from butter, sweet sugar along with vanilla or lemon peel. Sometimes, bakers add dark chocolate to increase the variety in flavors.
BURGERS AT MENEER SMAKERS:
Meneer Smakers is one of the restaurants in Utrecht, famous for providing quality burgers. This is my personal favorite restaurant as they have the best burgers of Utrecht, delicious and made from local ingredients with stylish interior. Especially, I love their loaded fries. This restaurant is highly recommended to the tourists who are fond of eating burgers and fries.
TIVOLIVREDENBURG:
TivoliVredenburg is a unique contemporary music complex for all kinds of music and entertainment. It is located next to the central train station, in the city center of Utrecht. TivoliVredenburg carries the honor of having several halls under one roof; in order to provide quality events at a time. Another interesting fact about TivoliVredenburg is that each hall is designed by a different architect which creates a variety of flavors for the visitors in the same building.
This building is a source of entertainment for the public where they come together to dance, see performances and shows. This place is also a great source of motivation for the performers who are performing there. This place carries the honor of connecting classic with the rock at the same time. In the past, it hosted famous personalities like “Prince” and “Nirvana”.
Let’s discuss each hall briefly.
GROTE ZAAL (THE GREAT HALL)
Grote Zaal is located on the ground floor of the building, having the capacity of accommodating over 1700 persons along with seats. This hall is designed by the architect Herman Hertzberger. Being on the ground floor, it provides the facility of public toilets and places to eat and drink on the same floor.
RONDA:
Ronda is located on 2nd floor of the building, having the capacity of accommodating around 2000 persons without seats. The biggest attraction of this hall is that the public is near the stage at any part of the room and we can enjoy clear vision and nice sound throughout the performance. This hall was designed by Jo Coenen.
PANDORA:
Pandora is a hall located on the 7th floor of the building, having the capacity of accommodating 650 persons without seats. It is a versatile venue without a fixed stage, providing an opportunity to create a unique stage every time according to the requirement. This unique hall was designed by NL Architects.
CLOUD NINE:
Cloud Nine is a hall located on the 9th floor of the building, having the capacity of accommodating 450 persons without seats. This beautiful jazz hall was designed by Thijs Asselbergs.
CLUB NINE:
Club Nine is a hall located on the 9th floor of the building, having the capacity of accommodating 100 to 150 persons. This smaller hall was initially designed as a café section followed by the Cloud Nine Hall. Later on, it was also used for performances with intimate settings.
RABO OPEN STAGE:
Rabo Open Stage is located in the central hall of the ground floor of the building. The beauty of this stage is that it provides an opportunity to the new musicians to perform in front of the public. Rabo Open Stage is often used as an extra stage during festivals. Apart from that it is also used for debates and knowledge based programs.
There is a restaurant next to the Rabo Open Stage namely “Het Gegeven Paard” (The Given Horse). The name of restaurant represents a famous Dutch phrase “Don’t look a gifted horse in the mouth” which means “Don’t be critical about the things you are gifted.” Whenever you pass through the Rabo Open Stage, this restaurant is a must visit place.
All in all, it can be concluded that TivoliVredenburg is a heaven for musicians and music lovers where you can enjoy music at different stages, each having its own exclusive atmosphere.
NOTE: We are thankful to the following for the research work.
https://www.dinerbon.nl/restaurants/provincie-utrecht/utrecht/het-gegeven-paard
https://www.anolislighting.com/casestudy/tivoli-theatre-netherlands
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g188616-d534409-Reviews-Dom_Tower-Utrecht.html
https://www.utrecht.nl/city-of-utrecht/mobility/cycling/our-policy-on-cycling/
https://www.komoot.com/guide/65589/road-cycling-routes-in-utrecht
https://www.holland.com/global/tourism/discover-the-netherlands/visit-the-cities/utrecht.htm
https://banketbakkerijtheoblom.nl/domtorentjes/
https://www.thedutchtable.com/2014/01/botersprits.html
https://www.tivolivredenburg.nl/bezoek/zalen/grote-zaal/
https://www.tivolivredenburg.nl/bezoek/zalen/ronda/
https://www.tivolivredenburg.nl/bezoek/zalen/pandora/
https://www.tivolivredenburg.nl/bezoek/zalen/hertz/
https://www.tivolivredenburg.nl/bezoek/zalen/club-nine/
https://www.tivolivredenburg.nl/bezoek/zalen/rabo-open-stage/
https://www.tivolivredenburg.nl/english/https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/netherlands/top-10-remarkable-facts-about-dom-tower-of-utrecht/
Such an amazing article about the best city ever! You are such a talented writer, connecting your knowledge, network and curiousity with the world! 🤗
Thanks, I am glad that you guys liked my work.
Holland 😍
Very well explained article..
I love to attend musical performances on the stages of all the floors of TivoliVredengurg….
Nice work… Keep it up!
This city is not only the cycle friendly country but at the same time, it is free from air pollution which is accumulated by the heavy traffic….