This self-guided city walk through Utrecht city center shows you beautiful monuments, fancy hotspots and surprising hidden gems. You’ll pass by the must-see highlights but also go off the beaten track through the quite Utrecht city streets! Further, I’ll share many tips for nice restaurants, sunny terraces and fun shopping on the route of this Utrecht city walk. Including a handy map with the walking route and tips to stop along the way.
More nice walking routes check this page with Utrecht city walks
Check the map below for the walking route Utrecht city center
• # kilometres = 5 à 6 k • estimated walking time = 1h – 1h10m •
Start the city walking route at Utrecht Central Station
From Utrecht Central Station you’ll start your city walk in shopping mall Hoog Catharijne. Lots to see and taste in Hoog Catharijne but be sure to leave some time for (the shops in) Utrecht center. Leave Hoog Catharijne and walk from Vredenburg square into Drieharingstraat. This little street is filled with restaurants and small terraces. Try Italian at Restaurant de Markt or tapas at Vintage. For some cocktails Mr. Finch is your guy!
More restaurant tips in Utrecht city center? Check this blog with a list of my favourites!
Architecture at the library in POST Utrecht
At the other side of Drieharingstraat you enter Oudegracht, the beautiful canal with its unique wharf cellars. Left-right-left and you are at POST Utrecht. This former post office is built in the style of Amsterdam School and is recently fully renovated, when modern glass walls were added. Currently POST Utrecht is home to a location of Library Utrecht and only for the architecture already a big tip to pay it a visit.
When you’re in the library, don’t forget to walk up to the first floor for some amazing views on the big hall and its high parabole ceilings. On the second floor you can get some coffee or lunch with Oudegracht views at Noda.
From the hustle-and-bustle to peaceful city streets
Continue this city walking route at Neude square (one big terrace in summertime), go right to Schoutenstraat (with the best Italian to-go sandwiches at Bigoli) to Ganzenmarkt. Here the choices for a sunny terrace or some happy drinks are also numerous. Go left straightaway at Minrebroederstraat, to Jansdam, Korte Nieuwstraat amd finally Korte Nieuwegracht.
Love some fine dining? Here you’ll find, not far from each other, two lovely and exclusive restaurants: Restaurant Hemel & Aarde and Restaurant Maeve*
Paushuize at Kromme Nieuwegracht
Kromme Nieuwegracht is a beautiful, old cobblestoned street with on one side a small canal and little bridges leading to the front door of the monumental houses. A very photogenic street that you often have to yourself. At the end of the street, you’ll pass Paushuize.
Paushuize is a monumental building dating back to the beginning of the 16th century. It was built commissioned by the only Dutch pope, Adrianus VI. Unfortunately, he died after being a pope for only one year and never got to live here. Since 2012 Paushuize (paus is Dutch for pope) is a wedding location and meeting complex.
Dom Tower, Dom Church and Pandhof
Standing at Paushuize you have Nieuwegracht at your left. This wonderful street and canal has the same wharf cellars as Oudegracht, but then without the many people, shops and cafés. We’ll get back to Nieuwegracht later, first let’s visit Dom Tower!
Together with Dom Church, Dom Tower is the true icon of Utrecht. The street Achter de Dom gives a majestic view walking towards Dom Church. At the end of the street, Kluts is a perfect place for some good coffee and fine (vegan) cake with Dom Church views.
Around the corner Dom Tower is ready for a visit up the top, while DomUnder wants to meet you below the street stones. In the archaeological excavations going back to Roman times! Read this blog for more about Dom Tower, Church and its hidden gardens.
Park Lepelenburg, Zocherpark and Museumkwartier
We continue walking Korte Nieuwstraat and go left at the big terrace -hidden underneath the big trees- of de Rechtbank. Right across lies De Goedheyd, a bistro where the food and atmosphere are always good! Go right to Nieuwegracht, left again at Brigittenstraat and follow your way to Park Lepelenburg and Zocherpark.
TIP! Zocherpark is a green park with walking paths all the way past Singel, the canal with which Utrecht city center is surrounded. Rondje Singel is a nice walk in itself; a walk of around an hour.
Pass by Sonnenborgh & Sterrenwacht (a cool museum to visit) and go wander the streets of Museumkwartier. Here you’ll find working class houses and lots of other museums. From the University Museum and botanical garden Oude Hortus to the Central Museum and Miffy. A perfect place for some wine, specialty beer or whiskey and some tasteful bar bites is Rubens Proeflokaal.
Read further to read everything about the best museums in Utrecht
Shopping at Twijnstraat
The next stop of this Utrecht city walk is shopping street Twijnstraat. Whether you would like to buy some delicacies, wine or specialty beers, living accessories, clothing or the best postcards, Twijnstraat got you covered! And don’t forget to wander the side streets towards the canal for a wonderful little walk. Twijnstraat aan de Werf gives you a unique view of the city!
Rondje Singel and Oudegracht
Follow Singel and enjoy Zocherpark for a bit more. If you’d like you can make a little detour towards ‘de zeven steegjes’ (7 alleys): a true working-class neighbourhood in Utrecht city center. Pass by Geertekerk and its courtyard, go right at Cafe deRat and walk back to Oudegracht.
TIP! At the corner of Oudegracht you can rent a canoe to go for a round around the Utrecht canals.
Go left and after Weesbrug get the stairs to the wharf cellars for yet a different angle of the wharf cellars, Dom Tower and the reflections of the centuries-old houses in the canal.
More shopping, food and drinks
Straight ahead and two of my other favourite shopping streets pop up: Lijnmarkt and Zadelstraat. Zadelstraat also gives some fantastic Dom Tower views and check out the painting of the tower on the cobbled stones. If the tower would fall, it would end right at this painting. The square at the end of Zadelstraat is Mariaplaats, a great place for lunch (for example Café Elize) and drinks (‘t Taphuys).
End of Utrecht city walk
Ready to head home? Turn right and you’ll soon arrive at Vredenburg square, shopping mall Hoog Catharijne and Utrecht Central Station. Have you been walking this route, let me know on instagram! 🙂
Interested in more Utrecht tips? Check out my other Utrecht city walks, tips on food & drinks and my favourite museums.
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