This walking route, that starts and ends at Utrecht Central Station, leads the way through a surprising and peaceful part of Utrecht. The neighbourhoods Lombok and Oog in Al in Utrecht West excel in beautiful monuments and historic houses dating back to the 1900s-1930s.
Combined with a multicultural shopping street, a pretty wood sawmill and lots of canals, this part of Utrecht is a not-to-miss! This self-guided walking route contains a map and lots of local tips for restaurants, coffee bars and lunch places along the way.
Check out the page Utrecht City Walks for more inspiration on walking routes in Utrecht
You can choose for a shorter or longer version of this walking route. The map for the longer route you’ll find further down in this blog
# kilometres = 4 – 7k | Estimated walking time = 50m – 1h30min
Muntgebouw Utrecht
Starting at Central Station, big coins integrated in the sidewalk of Leidseweg lead the way to Muntgebouw. This is the monumental building where the Dutch coins used to be made. Across the canal you have a fairy-tale-like view on Mill de Ster, with the reflection of the mill in the water, accompanied by some beautiful weeping willows. Later in this walking route, you can have a closer look at Mill de Ster.
Continue walking passed the water with its houseboats, the Lombok houses and characteristic white bridges. Pass Muntgebouw, cross the bridge and turn right towards Park Oog in Al. Turn around for a fantastic view on Muntgebouw and its surroundings. The sun shines beautifully on this monument, which is reflected in the water of the crossing canals. This spot definitely is one of my favourite places in Utrecht!
Landhuis in de Stad in Park Oog in Al
Walk through Park Oog in Al, a beautiful green park with lots of grass for relaxing, bootcamp or yoga. Big trees with benches underneath and even a small deer park. Hidden between the trees of the park you will find Landhuis in de Stad. Built in the 18th century, accompanied by a little dome used as a tea house. It’s a dignified and relaxed place to have some good coffee and nice lunch. Both inside as outside on the waterside terrace.
Read this blog for more tips on waterside terraces in Utrecht
The walking route continues below the map. Feel like doing the longer walk? Follow the ends of neighbourhood Oog in Al, where you walk past beautiful houses originating from the 1930s. A walking path shows you houseboats and some amazing canal views at Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal. Get yourself a drink at city beach SOIA and walk back to Park Oog in Al.
Cereolfabriek and restaurant Buurten in de Fabriek
On the edge of Park Oog in Al and the Merwedekanaal the 1908 Cereolfabriek, completely transformed in 2014, houses a theatre room, a primary school and a library. At the great terrace or inside at Buurten in de Fabriek you can enjoy food and drinks, almost any time of day. Sit down and relax, while viewing over the houseboats, the locks across the Merwedekanaal and the Lombok houses on the other side of the canal.
Mill de Ster
Cross the Merwedelocks – which, on a sunny day, will be full of sun lovers – and continue the walking route to Mill de Ster. From Leidseweg – on your way to Muntgebouw – you already have had a great view on this mill from across the canal. The terrace in the little park next to the mill is shared with some goats and the wooden trunks in the water remind of the old working days of the mill. Check out the website for the opening times of the mill café and the guided tours.
Kanaalstraat
On your way back to Utrecht Central Station, you pass Kanaalstraat. A lively street full of multicultural shops and places to eat, with on every street corner a grocery store with vegetables, nuts, olives and herbs. Eat some lahmacun doner at Bakkerij Lombok, a fish platter at Lombok Fish and buy your local Utrecht beer and liquor at Besselings’ Deli.
Are you walking this route, let me know on instagram! 🙂
Nice places in close proximity
Café Lombok
Café Lombok is situated on the corner of J.P. Coenstraat, the most dignified street of Lombok, and busy Vleutenseweg. It’s a cosy café to play games or drink one of the many local beers they have on offer. It feels like one big living room. The menu consists of good food, occasionally with surprising meals not to be found in a random café.
Asian Jasmijn & ik
Jasmijn & ik is a very nice Asian restaurant, with a mix of Thai, Vietnamese and Cantonese dishes. Situated right at Kanaalstraat, with a few outside tables on the sidewalk.
The Anthony and Brasserie Monk
In 2019 Hotel the Anthony opened its doors in an old convent, opposite the St. Antonius church at Kanaalstraat, in lively Lombok. A so-called urban city hotel, with a hip chic interior and some magnificent-looking rooms. Don’t worry, if you don’t sleep in the hotel you are also welcome to enjoy your coffee, beer or dinner in the restaurant or outside in the courtyard at Brasserie Monk. The old convent walls, with its stained wall windows and newly formed hotel rooms, embrace you with a peacefulness that honours the building’s former destination.
Ice cream at Zomers
In summer months you can by your Italian ice cream at Zomers – at a corner of Laan van Nieuw Guinea. Situated just around the corner of the Keulsekade: a super-relaxed place, with a broad walking bridge on the locks, crossing the water to Park Oog in Al. And with nice weather every piece of grass occupied. A perfect place for an ice-cream walk!
Pizza at Bastacosi
Bastacosi is a semi-self-service pizza place where you can eat marvellous pizzas in a friendly atmosphere. You can also eat bastacosi pizza at Biltstraat in Wittevrouwen and close to Wilhelminapark.
City beach Oog in Al (SOIA)
In the far end of Oog in Al, surrounded by Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal, city-beach SOIA created a super-chill place for food & drinks. The big terrace is most popular on sunny days, and you always have canal views (in which you are not allowed to swim though).
Interested in more Utrecht tips? Check out my other Utrecht city walks, tips on food & drinks and the best museums or follow me on instagram.
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