Advantages: transport, language ease Disadvantages: the rain
Utrecht was the first city I visited as a lone traveller from England. I was worried about many things; getting the transfers from the airport, finding the hotel and above all I spoke not a scrap of Dutch.
Stepping off the plane at Schipol - the airport in Amsterdam- I was greeted by easy to follow signs pointing me where I needed to be, to collect my luggage, then booths to buy train tickets, which I'd managed in under 2 minutes, and was quickly off on my way to get the train to Utrecht. Located right in the airport, the train station has ever so friendly staff that appear delighted to help you and will enter into a bit of friendly and polite banter with you too; so (after figuring out very quickly I was English) they helped me find the right train platform and off I went with a smile on my face.
The train came in the next 5 minutes ...
Advantages: Big shopping centre, Great city centre Disadvantages: none
Utrecht is situated in the centre of the Netherlands. If you want to visit Utrecht, you best travel there by train. From the trein you walk directy in one of the largest shopping centres of the Netherlands : ?Hoog Catharijne?.
You will find many many shops there from various genres. Ofcourse many clothing shops, but also electronics, music, food etc. If you leave the shopping centre you will enter the city centre. This is one of the most pleasant centres of Holland. The shops are situated around canals. The centre is quite old. One of the most visited building is the ?Dom?, about 100 m. high. This city is certainly worth a visit. ...
Advantages: All the benefits of Amsterdam but cheaper and more relaxed Disadvantages: Maybe not as 'full on' but still a great place to stay!
OK, so everyone thinks it's THE place to go to have a wild time. But not so many people know that just 45 minutes away, Utrecht has just as much to offer the traveler without being overrun by tourists and pickpockets.
With its winding streets, historical buildings and endless canals, Utrecht has a lot to offer the aesthete as well as the party animal. The Domkerk (a cathedral dating back to the 1400s that also has the tallest bell tower in the country - you can see Amsterdam from the top on a clear day), the 'Nationaal Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement' (a museum full of fairground organs and music boxes), the Catharijne Convent Museum and the Schroderhuis (a collection of some of the most bizarre modern art and furniture you'll ever see) are all worth a look.
Utrecht also has its fair share of eateries, pubs, clubs and of course ...
