Castles, canals and good folk in Utrecht
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, having started out in the 1st century as a Roman frontier fort. It has always been important, and has the scars and the achievements to prove it. Join me on a wander along canals and down laneways that have witnessed the passing of Knights, Emperors and Beguines. We will explore the less familiar northern quarters of the old city, to castles, a war time bunker, poetry on high, lofty mansions and little cottages. Utrecht is located in the centre of the country, and easy to get to from anywhere. You will come to understand the vitality of today's Utrecht more clearly through the layers of its near and distant past. There are also plenty of places to stop on the way to pull up a chair, order a coffee and watch the world walk, drift, or cycle by.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Annette
I am the Director of Culture Counsel, specialising in international art, museum and heritage initiatives.
My life has been filled with travelling and exploring since I was little, but sadly, I don’t remember much of the first big trip since I was only three at the time. It must have been a fabulous round-the-world voyage, which included passing through both the Suez and Panama Canals.
In recent years I have been living and working between the Netherlands and the Arabian Gulf. I was drawn to the Gulf to work on some new museums, and it's a real adventure. During this time, I have gotten to know many locals, and learned much about their lives, their land and their culture. Sadly, Khaleeji, the local Arab dialect still eludes me.
Having been born in Australia, I am also lucky enough to have dual citizenship, thanks to my parents who migrated there from the Netherlands. I’m told that I speak Dutch with an Australian accent and use strange old-fashioned words that emanate from Twente in the east of the Netherlands (my parent’s original base) – but I don’t believe it. It all sounds perfectly fine to me. Judge for yourself on my walking tours of Hattem and Utrecht in the Netherlands.
Creating walking tours in interesting places is a great way of enabling others to see and experience the fascinating world that we all live in.
Please join me on a tour of Sharjah in the UAE, or Gouda, Hattem and Utrecht in the Netherlands.
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 23
Poem by Jan Engelman at the corner of Breedstraat & Korte Lauwerstraat
It's a good place to stop for a few minutes as there are two interesting things to note about the corner house, number 58.
Firstly the poem on the side wall must have caught your eye. It was added here in ... Read More
View locations and route
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Hoog Catharijne
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Vredenburgplein
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Jacobikerk
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Dutch Museum of working-class districts
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Jacobskerksteeg
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Stg. ZRS Augustinessen
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R.K.Meisjesschool
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St. Augustine Church
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Jacobibrug
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Stadskasteel Oudaen
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Neude
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Post Utrecht
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Watertower Lauwerhof
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Loeff Berchmakerstraat
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Breedstraat
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'T Begijnehof
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Eye Hotel
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Kinepolis Utrecht City
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Drift
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Universiteitsbibliotheek Utrecht Binnenstad (UBB)
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Hestia
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Drift 19
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Janskerkhof 13
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Utrechtsch Studenten Corps
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Woolloomooloo
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Janskerkhof
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Janskerk
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Statue of Anne Frank
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Standbeeld Van Willibrordus
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Janskerkhof 2
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start locationGodebaldkwartier 54, 3511 DX Utrecht, Netherlands
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Total distance2km
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Final locationJanskerkhof 2, 3512 BK Utrecht, Netherlands
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Distance back to start location500.22m
Directions to Starting Point
Start: Hoog Catharijne, Godebaldkwartier 54, 3511 DX Utrecht
By public transport
If you are travelling by public transport, please check the Travel Planner on the NS website at https://www.ns.nl/en/travel-information. The nearest major rail station is Utrecht Centraal, which can be easily reached from any place in the Netherlands.
Once you have exited the station, walk through the Hoog Catharijne shopping centre and I will be waiting for you outside the exit on the Vredenburg square
By car
If you choose to travel by car, there are a number of options for parking nearby so please refer to the https://www.visit-utrecht.com/plan-your-trip/how-to-get-to-utrecht/by-car to find one that suits you.
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Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
Nederlands Volksbuurtmuseum, cafés down on the quays of the Oudegracht, bookshops near the University. Food and drinks to test on the way: croquettes, bitterballen, pea soup, pancakes, herring, smoked eel, appeltaart, coffee, genever and beer.
Best time of day
Many highlights on this tour can be experienced at any time of the day or year, but it will be easier to spot some details during daylight hours.
Most shops in the historic city centre are open daily from 09:30 to 18:00. On Mondays shops open slightly later, between 11:00 and 13:00. Most shops remain open until 21:00 on Thursday evenings.
If you would like to visit any of the museums or churches we pass on the route, please check their websites first.
Cafés and restaurants are generally open till later.
Precautions
Most of the time we will be exploring the quiet backstreets, where the pace is a little more leisurely but Utrecht is a major city, and we will pass through some busy streets, so please be careful of cars, trams, buses, and of course, since it is the Netherlands, do keep an eye out for bikes.
When in doubt, wait before you cross a busy road, and it is usually best to go with everyone else.
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Questions and Reviews
Questions and Reviews
