The small province of Utrecht (Utrecht) includes the preserved old center of Utrecht - a miniature city-state consisting of three canal lines, and the mass of surrounding settlements .Here you can see much more than it seems at first glance .The delightful castle of Kasteel de Haar "on the threshold of the city" - one of the most beautiful castles in the country .Pleasant to the eye and Amersfoort - a very beautiful city in the northeast of Utrecht with a vivid medieval character .And the province of Utrecht - the birthplace of luxurious mansions in the southeast of Doorn, where the Kaiser Germany was defeated .Here, in Amerongen, exiled aristocrats, since the 13th century .In addition, the province stores a lot of pretty lakes, where you can go boating or just swim .The area is also suitable for cycling enthusiasts .
The city itself, the center of the province, deserves a separate laudatory ode. Even though the Scottish writer James Boswell wrote in 1763:
Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in the country, once destroyed and then scrupulously restored. Its beautiful, lively, ancient center is surrounded by two-tier canals of the 13th century - unique to the whole of Holland.
In the summer, Utrecht is a city of festivals, jazz events are held here, musicians play at every corner. In September, the famous film festival is held. Finally, Utrecht is a student city, the Studios community has more than 40 thousand people: more even in Amsterdam, no.
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How to get here
Utrecht Centraal Station is one of the main stations of the Dutch railway, here you can take any train in any direction. For example, in Amsterdam and Schiphol airport the journey takes about 30 minutes and € 8 one way. High-speed train ICE delivers tourists to Cologne and Frankfurt. For adventure lovers - EuroNight trains that go right up to Moscow through Berlin, Warsaw and Minsk,
The railway station is on the western border of the Old Town, a 5-minute walk from the Hoog Catharijne shopping center (in the common parlance "Centrum") and near the bus station.
The bus stop is right behind the station. International bus services depart from the west ('Jaarbeurszijde'), while local and urban bus services depart from the east. By the way, it is worth bearing in mind that intercity buses are slower than trains (this rule applies to the whole of Holland).
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Climate
Partly cloudy, light rain +9 ° C in the afternoon +7 ° C at night ° С water |
Cloudy, rain +3 ° С a day +3 ° C at night ° С water |
Cloudy, rain +5 ° С in the afternoon +3 ° C at night ° С water |
| Weather forecast for Utrecht 10 days | ||
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Shopping and markets
In the city every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday opens a huge open-air market in the Vredenburg square. On Saturdays, you can also visit the Janskerkhof Flower Fair and the flower market at Oudegracht.
Most of the shops are in the city center, around the squares of Oudegracht, Vredeburg and Neude. There is also a large shopping center in the east, in the Wilhelminapark area. But tourists, as a rule, buy in a huge mall right near the station - Hoog Catharijne. This is a real shopping area connecting the central hall of the railway station Utrecht Centraal with the city. Arriving in the city by train, you can not pass this shopping center.
Entertainment, excursions and attractions Utrecht
The "business card" of Utrecht is the oldest Gothic cathedral of the country with the highest spire in the Netherlands, Dunkerque (St. Martin's Dome Cathedral, website). There you can climb, but only during a group excursion (about 40 minutes, the ticket is sold in the tourist office opposite the cathedral, the views are magnificent). Also of interest are the Town Hall, the Coin Museum and one of the largest in the Netherlands and one of the oldest in Europe - the University of Utrecht.
A characteristic feature of the city is the two-tier canals, connected by numerous bridges with adjoining houses, which served as warehouses in the Middle Ages. Now the terraces of the first storey have been turned into numerous cozy cafes and restaurants, and the canals themselves are mainly used for recreational walks and rest.
In summer, it is worth visiting the Wilhelmina Park, where local people like to go on a picnic.
Museums of Utrecht
Museum of the Society of Art and Science, Railway Museum, Central Museum (collection of works of art of the early 17th century).
One of the largest collections of medieval art in the country in the Museum of Christianity. Address: Lange Nieuwstraat, 38; tel .: + 31 (0) 30 231 38 35, working hours: Tues-Fri 10: 00-17: 00, Sat-Sun 11: 00-17: 00, entrance - 11, 5 EUR, children 6-17 7 , EUR 25.
The National Museum of Musical Automata, which has been operating since 1956. In his collection are a variety of jukeboxes, most of which are still workable. And also: music boxes, clocks, chimes, mechanical organs and organ organ. Address: Steenweg 6 3511 JP, phone: +31 (0) 30 231 27 89, working hours: Tue-Sun 10: 00-17: 00, entrance 8 EUR, children 4-12 years old - 4, 50 EUR.
Photos of Utrecht (12)