Fresh Air › Instead of Amsterdam
Utrecht
Utrecht has something Amsterdam does not: a double-deck canal system where the water level sits one storey below the street, with wharf-level restaurants and bars built into the canal walls that you reach by stairs. It is one of the most distinctive urban environments in the Netherlands and is genuinely undervisited by international tourists. The Dom Tower is the tallest church tower in the country. The city is a major university hub and has a lively food and music scene driven by students rather than tourism.
Why visit
Remarkable double-deck canal system (unique in the world), the Dom Tower, a genuinely functioning city with good cafes and restaurants, and a strong cycling culture.
Crowd level
International tourist numbers are modest. The university population keeps the city animated without tourism dependency.
Best time
Spring or early autumn
Getting there
30min train from Amsterdam Central. Utrecht Centraal is one of the busiest rail junctions in the Netherlands.
Tradeoffs
Smaller than Amsterdam, fewer major museums. But the canal system is actually more interesting than Amsterdam's in some ways, and you can walk it without thousands of other people.
Direct comparisons
Layers
Region
At a glance
- Country
- Netherlands
- Region
- Utrecht
- Fresh Air Score
- 83/100
- Cost level
- $$
- Distance from Amsterdam
- 35 km