Utrecht is the fourth-largest city in the Netherlands, and a joy to visit. It’s full of life, is blessed with a wide range of beautiful buildings and isn’t inundated with [drunk British] tourists.
The ancient and atmospheric city centre is built around a network of canals, reminiscent of Amsterdam but without the masses of people and associated tat. On a pleasant sunny afternoon, the bars and cafes that line the pedestrianised streets and alleys fill out quickly with locals and visitors.
It’s a city that rewards exploring on foot and and we spent most of our short stay doing precisely that – wandering its main roads and residential streets, soaking up the vibes, admiring the architecture, visiting some of the independent shops and stopping for a beer or two. The main canal is the Oudegracht, which slices through the city centre and in part follows the ancient main branch of the Rhine. It’s an unusual two-tier structure, with the main streets well above the water and old wharves at water level, many of which are now boutiques, bars and cafes. The section north of the Stadhuis is busier, more commercial and has too many of the chain shops and restaurants. South of the town hall is much more appealing.
Towering above everything is the 12th century Dom Tower, once attached to the hulk that is St Martin’s Cathedral but now free standing.
Situated outside the city and just a short drive away is dramatic de Haar Castle, an attractive architectural cliché of battlements, turrets, moats, fortifications and drawbridges. This red brick confection looks centuries old but wasn’t completed until the end of the 19th century, although there’s been a castle / country house on the site since the 14th. It was originally built for the de Haar family, passed to the Van Zuylens and, over the years, became a sorry ruin. In the 19th century, the then owner married into the vastly rich Rothschild dynasty and copious amounts of money became available for a rebuild and reimagination under the guidance of Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers. Nowadays it’s the largest castle in the Netherlands.
Several of the rooms are open to the public and we took the tour. There’s a real mix of styles on display, most of them over the top, with the epic grand hall more reminiscent of a cathedral than a country home. Full of gothic touches and lavish furnishings, it’s clear that money was no object when it came to the restoration.
While the interiors are garish and designed to dazzle, the grounds are far more restrained. There are plenty of formal gardens in the Versailles style with low box hedging, pergolas draped in wisteria, roses and yew trees. A dead straight canal is a contrast to the lakes in the more informal park. It may not be my favourite style of planting – I much prefer the naturalistic – but it’s still a place for a pleasant stroll on a sunny day. Much like Utrecht…