The charming, vibrant and green city of Utrecht was brief stop on the 2024 travel adventures. Located a short 30 minute train ride away from Amsterdam, it should be high on your list as an alternative city break, or as a day trip from the capital. Home to a charming old town, gorgeous canals, lots of greenery, great cafes, plus lots of bars and restaurants. Utrecht is a good example of ‘looking a little further’ than just the key tourist cities in Europe and you will find gems.
Utrecht was the first stop of Ky’s travel with good friend Tim, staying here for a few nights before moving onwards to Belgium. We didn’t know a whole lot about Utrecht, but we were both flying into Schiphol Airport, and having visiting Amsterdam before, we decided to find a nearby city. Ky and Tess’s experience in nearby Leiden convinced us that a smaller Netherlands city would be a great idea, and visiting Utrecht in summer did not disappoint. There was a real ‘local feel’, and a vibrant student community, housing one of the most prestigious universities in the Netherlands. We expected cute canals, but we were impressed by the substance in the town.. think excellent cafes, cute bars, lots of greenery, and friendly locals.
If you’re looking for Amsterdam day trips, or want an alternative European city break, Utrecht is worth considering! Read on for a few tips, and some photo highlights from our visit!
A few things to consider doing when visiting Utrecht:
- Wander the charming Utrecht old town: small in nature, but large in ‘vibe’, the old town is easy to walk by foot. With a few main central streets, there are smaller alleyways which wind off and are worth visiting. There’s a few key main streets, the cathedral, the canals, the tower, beautiful cafes, boutique shops and much more!
- Walk the trail along the canal that encircles Utrecht: one of the main canals in the town circles Utrecht, and has a lovely walking path. Filled with greenery and great views, it’s a top thing to do in Utrecht. We also enjoyed a run along this trail on our first evening in town.
- Enjoy the excellent coffee & café scene: The Netherlands has great coffee culture, and like most university towns, there’s a plethora of options to choose from. See a few of the café’s we sampled and recommend in Utrecht below:
- Ohøj Coffee Roasting: situated just outside the main town, this will give you one of the best coffee’s in town. Worth the walk!
- TEDS: visit the popular café for brunch by the canal. Try to get a seat right on the water for amazing views. The coffee and brunch options are also excellent.
- De Keuken van KEEK: a cute café/bakery on one of the main canals.
- Wakuli Specialty Coffee Bar: want to grab a cold brew or takeaway coffee. Heat to Wakuli for an excellent ‘on the go’ option.
- Sit in one of the outdoor bars for a drink: The Utrecht town has a multitude of excellent outdoor bars, restaurants and cafes. In summer the outdoor areas are pumping with locals enjoying the weather.. it’s a vibe!
- Sunbake or picnic at Park Lepelenburg: A popular spot in summer for locals to picnic, have drinks, or just sunbake. You can bet we spent some time enjoying this local vibe.
Where we stayed in Utrecht:
We stayed in Moxy Utrecht, a boutique hotel located on the fringe of the town, right next to the train station, in an excellent location. The price point was right, the rooms excellent, and they had great shared facilities. We’d recommend it as a great option for those looking to spend a night or 2 in Utrecht. See Moxy Utrecht here. You can also check out other options in Utrecht by clicking here.
How long should you spend in Utrecht?
- Short stay in Utrecht: The city is small, and perfect for a short stay. We would recommend 2 nights, or longer if you are looking to use it as a base for visiting Amsterdam (see below).
- Day trip from Amsterdam? Utrecht is located in close proximity to Amsterdam (30 minutes), making it an excellent day trip option from Amsterdam.
- Stay in Utrecht as a base for Amsterdam: A great alternative option for you visit to Amsterdam is using a closeby city as a base and catching the train into Amsterdam for the day. We would highly recommend this, having stayed in nearby Leiden during our last Netherlands trip. Utrecht or Leiden (see our Leiden guide here) are both excellent options as a base in close proximity to Amsterdam. You will save money, and likely have better ‘night vibes’ than in Amsterdam.
Visiting Amsterdam from Utrecht:
- Catch a short 30 minute train from Amsterdam Centraal to Utrecht Centraal. There are multiple trains every hour, and the prices are reasonable (around 10 euros).
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