I love putting together travel content so, to provide a bit of extra inspiration in between my own trips, I’m kicking off a new series inviting Instagram and blogging friends from all over the world to share insider tips for their home towns.
First up is photographer Wen van Woudenberg, who lives in the beautiful Dutch city of Utrecht. Wen runs brand-awareness and visual-storytelling studio beeldSTEIL and is the co-founder of photography, concept and styling agency w/ Style; you’ll also find her on Instagram at @beeldsteil and @domstories.
I’ll admit Utrecht is not somewhere I knew much about, but Wen’s recommendations and stunning images have certainly made me want to visit! Located in the centre of the Netherlands, it’s one of the oldest cities in the country and has a historic core encircled by pretty tree-lined canals. It also has a lively atmosphere, with a thriving cafe culture and vibrant art, food and music scenes. Over to Wen for her favourite shops, museums, sights, restaurants and more…
Centraal Museum
“Founded in 1838, this wonderful museum has a wide-ranging collection of local and international art, as well as regularly changing exhibitions. What’s more, it’s located in one of the most beautiful and historic areas of Utrecht.”
Centraal Museum, Agnietenstraat 1, 3512 XA Utrecht
Rietveld Schröder House
“Built in 1924 by Utrecht-born designer and architect Gerrit Rietveld, this is one of the best-known examples of ‘De Stijl’ architecture. A Dutch art movement, ‘De Stijl’ (‘The Style’) advocated pure abstraction through a reduction to the essentials of form and colour, and featured vertical and horizontal lines alongside black, white and primary colours. The house was a private residence until 1985 but it’s now open to visitors, and it’s very inspiring for anyone who loves architecture, design and interiors.”
Rietveld Schröder House, Prins Hendriklaan 50, 3583 EP Utrecht
Dom Square
“Historic Dom Square is unmissable if you’re a first-time visitor to Utrecht. It’s home to the iconic Gothic-style Dom Tower, which is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands and the symbol of the city. You can also explore the story of Utrecht at DomUnder, which takes you beneath the square to see medieval foundations and archeological finds.”
Domplein, 3512 JC Utrecht
The Village Coffee & Music
“This is the place to go for a freshly brewed coffee, good music and a relaxing atmosphere. There are two branches, one on Voorstraat in the centre and one in the Utrecht Science Park to the east of the city.”
The Village Coffee & Music,Voorstraat 46, 3512 AP Utrecht, and Bisschopssteeg 21, 3584 SB Utrecht
Louis Hartlooper
“This excellent cultural venue, arthouse cinema and cafe is located in a former police station at the end of Twijnstraat, a shopping street with small, local stores and coffee bars. It shows a mix of films from the Netherlands and beyond, and there are monthly screenings with English subtitles.”
Louis Hartlooper, Tolsteegbrug 1, 3511 ZN Utrecht
emma b.
“emma b. is the best store in town for Scandinavian design and interiors inspiration, and one of my favourite places to shop.”
emma b.,Oudegracht 218, Hoek Hamburgerstraat, 3511 NS Utrecht
TivoliVredenburg
“Located in the centre of Utrecht and opened in 2014, TivoliVredenburg is a music venue with several halls. Its programme covers all kinds of styles, from pop to jazz to chamber music and more. There are also bars, lounges, a cafe and a restaurant.”
TivoliVredenburg, Vredenburgkade 11, 3511 WC Utrecht
Restaurant LE:EN
“This Asian concept restaurant occupies a big industrial building close to the city centre. It serves excellent food, cocktails and saké.”
Restaurant LE:EN, Heuveloord 140, 3523 CK Utrecht
Oosterkade / Westerkade / Patsoe Factory
“Close to the central train station and Restaurant LE:EN, this is a lively, up-and-coming area centred around the former factory of Patsoe Furniture, which has now moved to another location. There are coffee bars and lots of places to eat; in summer, it’s also a relaxing spot to sit by the water and watch boats pass by.”
Springhaver
“Finally, if you want to mix with the locals, head to this small cinema and cafe (sister venue to Louis Hartlooper). It has a range of special beers and also does monthly screenings with English subtitles.”
Springhaver, Springweg 50, 3511 VS Utrecht
Thanks Wen!
Utrecht is easily accessible from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, which is only 30 minutes away by train. The city is also served by trains from all over the Netherlands, as well as daily international trains from Brussels (2 hours), Cologne (2.5 hours) and Paris (3.5 hours).
Most photography by Wen van Woudenberg; Rietveld Schröder House and Restaurant LE:EN images via the venues themselves
What a brilliant idea!
Thank you! Another insider’s guide to follow next month…