Book ahead for an interesting and relaxing vacation in the most authentic part of the Netherlands: Utrecht. During the Spring Performing Arts Festival (link here), which will be held in this city from May 14th to 23rd, you can not only admire the beauty of Utrecht but also take part in events that celebrate the arts, entertainment, and nature, as part of the “environmental sustainability” policies so dear to this nation. No travel stress: after landing at nearby Amsterdam Airport (AMS), in just 30 minutes—with a dedicated and personalized transfer (also with a driver)—you will arrive directly at your desired destination.
Discover Utrecht
Utrecht is built around a “pierced heart” , an ancient and jewel-like historic quarter dominated by the soaring Gothic bell tower (112 meters high) of the cathedral. Still famous today for its historic university, Utrecht was the most important city in the Netherlands, both in Roman times and in the Middle Ages.
Today, it is a city you should rediscover… slowly! Walking, cycling, or enjoying a ride on an electric scooter, you have many options to enjoy your tour in perfect harmony with the Dutch eco-friendly culture. You can also book a boat tour along the main canals.
Must-see places include the Protestant Cathedral, the Catholic Cathedral, the German House (the best-preserved monastery in the country), the Waterlinie forts… spectacular “edges” of a defensive “star” overlooking the canals, and Haar Castle. Strolling or sailing along the Oudergracht (the Old Canal), you’ll admire the splendid medieval architecture, the cafes with Gothic signs, and the street artists. If you want to get to know the true soul of Utrecht, however, you need to spend a few hours in the city’s many museums: the State Museum, the Central Museum, the Astronomy Museum, the Numismatic Museum… just to name a few.
Crazy things in Utrecht
Some monuments and places in Utrecht are unique and curious beyond belief. For example, the “suspended UFO”: a real “UFO” perched atop a skyscraper (the Inkpot Building) that continually seems on the verge of collapsing onto the street! Heading out of the city, the Prins Clausbrug bridge, spanning the great Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, is fascinating. And finally… it wouldn’t be Netherlands without a windmill! Utrecht’s monumental windmill is the Rijn en Zon. Built in 1745 on the city walls of Paardenveld, it was run for centuries by a family of very famous millers. During a storm on March 1st, 1949, the mill was damaged and remained abandoned for years. Renovated in the 1970s and then fully restored in the 2000s, it was used as a bio-food shop, a butcher’s shop, and finally, since 2020, as a museum.
The Spring Arts Festival
The Utrecht Spring Performing Arts Festival is a ten-day event celebrating arts such as dance, theater, and music, linked to the crucial theme of climate change. The festival also addresses the topic through workshops, social discussions, and the promotion of a more sustainable lifestyle.
As you admire the performances, listen to lectures, and participate in workshops and hands-on experiences, you’ll be immersed in the classic beauty of this city and its perfectly cured nature, nourished by the genuine ecological awareness of its inhabitants. An original way to enjoy a vacation while learning something new and useful.
Spring in Utrecht and beyond…
If you are based in Utrecht, you shall enjoy the famous Dutch spring, with fields and gardens bursting with flowers. Tulips aren’t the only flowers that brighten the spring days in these regions, and there’s no shortage of opportunities to explore parks or blooming canalsides.
From Maximapark (in the city center) to De Haar Gardens and the Botanical Gardens, flower season will be a spectacle. Leaving Utrecht, we particularly recommend visiting De Hoge Veluwe National Park… about an hour’s drive away, or the Keukenhof tulip park or the Weerribben-Wieden. Do not miss a visit to Amsterdam, just 51 km away (about 50 minutes drive by car) and offering all the wonders of a vibrant and modern city that still retains its historic charm and the colors of nature at every corner.
