No top reasons to visit this place

Utrecht is a charming Dutch town that promises a pleasant passage of time. Just don’t weigh it by the classical parameters of tourism
Why we travel says a lot about who we are. While many tourists cross Netherlands off their list by visiting Amsterdam, Utrecht is a city which proves that travel itineraries are made to be ignored. With only one tower under the 'sights and monuments' list and walking as the best mode of transport, Utrecht may not seem worth the 30-minute train ride from Amsterdam. But my first brush with Utrecht through the window of a coffee shop on the top floor of the train station, made me believe in love at first sight.


Buildings of different shapes and colours sat next to each other. It was obvious that the best vantage point was going to be from an altitude. As if made to order, the only touristy spot in the city was The Dom Tower – at 112 metres the tallest church tower in Netherlands. The guided tour was obviously the next step.




We were warned that the climb that could punch the wind out of us. But the promise of a sweeping view of this charming little town kept us inspired. Dizzying stairs led to stuffy floors and barring some distorted stone gargoyles we didn't see much. Except a giant bell which happens to be the second largest in Europe. For a nondescript town, Utrecht sure sets a lot of records.
But it was the sight of the cathedral from the top of the tower that finally took my breath away. Constructed in 1382, it was never completed. A part of this cathedral was destroyed in a tornado in 1647 but as a salvage operation, the exterior wall was painted to portray the interiors. Net effect, it looks like there was no wall at all. Very ingenious.


Every town in the Netherlands, large or small, has its eccentricities, and they can tend to the macabre or the bizarre. Utrecht has its curiosities too:

A building with a rib-cage?
A sewage pipe or a rollercoaster? We can’t tell

Outside of the oddities, Utrecht is a place where talking a stroll and watching the world go by is probably the best thing to do. The best place to do it is at the D&E (Douwe Egberts) coffee shop, with the best coffee I encountered in the Netherlands. A table outside is perfect for people watching and having little purpose was a perfect precondition for a very pleasant passage of time.

A quick bite of veggies at a local restaurant in Utrecht

Before you leave, drop by the well-stocked Belgian beer cafes such as Olivier or Café Beligie, both offering a fine selection of brews and a fun vibe. A word of advice: go slow and don’t try to work your way through the menu. Here’s why:

To be honest, there isn’t much to see or do in this quaint little small town. But what it does offer is leisurely time for self-reflection in serene and beautiful surrounds. And that makes up for a lot that it might lack.