Discover Utrecht: Must-See Attractions and Shopping Spots

Our first visit to Utrecht was two years ago as part of a three month adventure in Western Europe and it was always somewhere we wanted to revisit.
We have friends who live just south of the airport and so we recently combined a trip to see them with a few days based in Utrecht, both revisiting this fascinating city and also using it as a base to catch the train to a couple of other destinations.

History:
Utrecht, itself, probably had it’s first inhabitants a millennia ago during the Stone Age and there were definite signs of inhabitation during the Bronze Age but it was the Romans who are mainly credited with building what was then a town.
They built a fort or castellum in about 50 AD at a crossing point on the River Rhine, at the northernmost point of their kingdom at the time, and called it Trajectum. This then changed into the Dutch word for a crossing – “Trecht”. The “U” was attached to the front, highlighting it was downriver and thus distinguished it from Mass-trecht. The central square in Utrecht -Dom Square is the original centre of the Roman settlement and you can tour the underneath of the square as part of the DOMunder Museum.

The Romans left in the third century and little development occurred then until 650 when missionaries arrived and utilised it as a base to spread Christianity in the region.The Domkerk or Cathedral of St. Martin stands as a reminder of these days. With its Gothic facade it is the tallest religious building in the country. Across the square you can climb the 465 steps to the top of the Dom Tower for a panoramic view of the city.

The city continued to grow and as you walk the Old Canal you can see how shipping and trade helped to build the city you see today. This wonderful canal with its unique cafes, restaurants etc below street level runs the entire length of the town from north to south. As the Rhine began to silt up and a dam was built in 1122 which limited navigation into the town, a series of canals were built to keep the city connected both to the Rhine and the North Sea and beyond for trading purposes. Water levels in the canal are kept at a constant level and thus the buildings we see today below the street level were originally quays and storage cellars before finally becoming wharves for the wealthy owners of the beautiful houses you see above street level. The canal is crossed by sixteen bridges which all have only one or two arches but are beautiful to behold.

Our first one day visit to the city in 2023 was centred around a self guided walking tour of the city. We found the walk on the GPsMyCity app and it gave us a chance to both view and appreciate all the history still present today.

Hoog Catharijne-Shopping Centre:
On this, our second visit we stayed right next to the railway station which connects you to every major city in The Netherlands. Our primary excursion on our first day was to explore both the new shopping centre and the old, independent shops which still survive despite the development of the former.
Here in the UK there are very few examples where this complete opposite style of shopping exists side by side. The introduction of a new shopping centre usually results in the older, smaller shops going out of business.

Hoog Catharijne, built in 1973, is one of the largest shopping malls in the country, at over 350,000 sq ft with over 110 stores to select from and 35 million visitors per year. The shops open every day:
Monday: 12 noon until 8.00 p.m.
Tuesday to Saturday: 10.00 a.m. until 8.00 p.m.
Sunday: 12 noon until 6.00 p.m.

Another anomaly for us was that even when the shops close the centre itself remains open. In the UK this rarely occurs as the shopping centre at night would become a haven for the inebriated and/or homeless. It’s interesting if you research into this phenomenon because the manner in which the Dutch Government manage homelessness is far more proactive than I’ve probably seen in most other first world countries and this is not, therefore, an issue here in Utrecht.

There is a great choice of shops, our three favourites were:
C&A: Whilst this department store still trades in 18 European countries and other countries worldwide, it closed down in the UK in 2001 so this for us was a pleasant reminder of the past. Packed with clothing for men, women and children the clothing is bright, modern and reasonably priced. We both left with a few bits for the summer.
Sissy-Boy: -A completely new company to us with a great mixture of clothes and homeware in vibrant, bright colours. A little exclusive in terms of its pricing but it has a very modern, spacious and inviting layout. I found a few pieces of homeware that would have looked great in our home had I had room in my suitcase!
Leonidas: -This chocolate shop is outstanding, known for its traditional preparation of chocolates with fresh ingredients of the highest quality. 100% pure cocoa butter for the coating of the chocolates with fresh butter and fresh cream for the filling. They also have delicacies, such as hazelnuts from Turkey, almonds from Italy and ‘Morello’ cherries and walnuts from France. These Belgian chocolates make for the perfect gift. I really miss these type of specialist shops which sadly are often lacking back in the UK these days.

Finally please don’t miss the canal that runs through the centre. The canal, known as the Catharijnesingel, runs underneath the mall, and transparent glass panels in the “City Square” area allow visitors to see boats moving below. There are a few restaurants and coffee shops surrounding this area if you want to take a break alongside this indoor canal.

Independent Shopping:
If you come out of the front of the shopping centre, with your back to the entrance and the railway station on your left and then turn right you can walk along the old cobbled streets into the centre of traditional Utrecht. There are so many hidden alleys, small shops and beautiful houses you cannot fail to stop and just gaze in wonder.

Utrecht is blessed with specialist shops such as Kazerij Stalenhoef-a wonderful cheese shop at Twijnstraat 67. Alternatively just down the road you will find “It All Starts with a Postcard” which has a vast array of cards, journals and wall art. I do love a journal!
If you are looking for something more modern there is a large TK Maxx full of clothing for women, men and children, beauty products, shoes, accessories and homeware. All kinds of big brands and always up to 60% cheaper than the recommended price. It’s not a store I ever venture into in the UK but for some reason here in Utrecht it just seems more inviting, maybe its the location overlooking the canal?

Alternatively if you want somewhere to have lunch or dinner later in the day you cannot go far wrong by visiting Winkel van Sinkel. Our friends brought us here for lunch last year and we happily did a return visit.
This is a truly unique place with it’s impressive neoclassical building where you can start by admiring the caryatids, the female statues, on the exterior facade. Back in the 19th century, this was originally Holland’s first department store built between 1837-39
Nowadays, the iconic building houses a grand café that is open from early in the morning till late at night. During the daytime, you can have coffee or a meal, and after sunset the tables are moved to the side and you will find yourself in the Nachtwinkel (‘Night Shop’): a great space for dancing into the small hours.
The internal space has that old Cuban coffee house feel with heavy wooden furniture and the most ornate central glass ceiling.

Finally if you happen to be here during the Christmas Season this cafe/restaurant has an amazing external light display.

Utrecht is truly a highlight of any trip to The Netherlands or even Western Europe as a whole. If you have any feedback or questions please comment and/or “like” my post.
This post forms part of a series based upon a recent trip we took to The Netherlands. Please feel free to continue reading this series and contact me should you want any more information.