Travel Report: Utrecht
- Dirk Vandereyken
- Dec 8, 2025
- 6 min read
Canals, good vibes and hidden gems
Bicycles, water, culture and a touch of quirky personality: Utrecht charms effortlessly. A personal account of two days filled with flavour, rhythm, and spontaneous warmth.
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I mostly knew Utrecht from postcards: canals with low quays, swarms of bicycles, and a Dom Tower pointing confidently toward the sky like a raised finger. But no image prepared me for how the city embraced me upon arrival: in style. Much of this had to do with the warm welcome at the Karel V Hotel, perhaps the most renowned hotel in Utrecht and the surrounding region.And certainly the most elegant.
My stay at the Karel V Hotel felt like stepping into another era. Thick carpets, wooden beams, warmly dimmed lights. And a room that exudes both timeless class and comfort. Two nights – but the moment I opened the window in my room, overlooking the inner garden, I felt the city preparing to hold onto me. That first evening I dined in the hotel bistro, located in the oldest monastic kitchen in the Netherlands.
Chef Jules Borninkhof and his team spoiled me with an enticing three-course menu full of refined flavours, without pretence. A perfect start. The open kitchen provided a strong additional charm.
On the first steps of the Dom
The next morning I headed to Dom Square. I had booked a private tour and climbed the first 25 metres of the tower. It seemed a small effort, but it felt like a ritual. At the top – even before the imposing view everyone talks about – there was silence. In the middle of the city, I felt an unexpected intimacy.
In all honesty: I didn’t go all the way up. Not because the 475 steps scared me, but because the guide had other plans for me, such as an underground exploration of DOMunder. And sometimes choices simply have to be made.
Beneath Dom Square, an entirely different world opens up. Utrecht turns out to be built on the remains of a Roman fort. This way, I immediately experience over 2,000 years of hidden history. The underground exploration of the vanished Palace Lofen – partly located beneath Dom Square and the Vismarkt – takes me to the remnants of a former medieval palace. Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in the Low Countries for good reason.
Colour and simplicity
After a light lunch I walked along the canals to the Miffy Museum. After all, who doesn’t have Miffy books lying around at home? The museum is not only an ode to her creator Dick Bruna, but for many adults it is a trip down memory lane. A remarkable number of Japanese visitors, too – Miffy is incredibly popular there, even today. Though especially a paradise for children, the visit moved me. The primary colours, the tender design, the playful simplicity – everything radiates joy and wonder.
The Centraal Museum brings a different kind of surprise: a mosaic of art, design and fashion that refuses to fit into any single box. You could easily spend hours here. Be sure to visit the temporary exhibition Drawn: Nature.
A nice bonus: both museums are located directly across from each other.
I kept to a tight schedule, because for my next visit – the Rietveld Schröder House – I actually had a time slot. Only a limited number of visitors are admitted per session. And for good reason: this iconic villa is one of the most famous in the Netherlands. The house is over 100 years old – designed in 1924 – yet it remains an architectural masterpiece.
Art experts consider the Rietveld Schröder House one of the highlights of the De Stijl movement. Its key features include the harmonious transitions between indoors and outdoors, and the clean horizontal and vertical lines. Only primary colours are used, alongside white, grey and black. I picked up these facts while listening to the guide/attendant. The tour isn’t really guided, but there is always someone from the foundation present – if only to transform the house through a few hocus-pocus manoeuvres, constantly altering its form and layout. But what a tour: radical and harmonious at once. Sliding panels, clean lines, a play of space and colour that subtly reshaped my view of architecture. And what a revolutionary vision – already in 1924.
That evening I dined at Broei. Vegan, but anything but dull: roasted vegetables, herbs, layers of flavour that tease your curiosity. Once started as a coffee bar, Broei has over the years evolved into a renowned vegan restaurant. And although I’m not usually a fan of vegan dining, Broei managed to surprise me in a positive way.
A choreography of movement
The next day was devoted to cycling. A guide showed me the outer districts and the brilliant infrastructure that makes Utrecht a world cycling city. Bridges, tunnels, separated lanes: a choreography of movement in which everyone seamlessly adjusts to one another. Cycling here isn’t part of life – it is life.
At midday I wandered through Wijnstraat, where small shop windows beckoned with the scent of leather, paper and coffee. I bought nothing, yet took something with me: the feeling that beauty hides in small, handcrafted things.
One more note: those who love shopping malls should head to Hoog Catharijne, a mall with more than 120 shops, from well-known fashion chains to small boutiques, plus around 30 dining options. Personally, I prefer to roam the city centre. It has character in abundance, with a maze of streets and alleys – mostly near the Oudegracht, without doubt the vibrant heart of Utrecht. Here you’ll find second-hand shops, boutiques and many other inspiring shopping spots. The Oudegracht dates back to the 12th century and was originally intended as a connecting canal between the Vecht and the Vaartsche Rijn.
Culinary intimacy
In the evening at Restaurant Het Zuiden, I tasted generosity on a plate: dishes that welcome you, straightforward yet simply delicious. The style is Mediterranean, with a wide range of day-fresh fish. Meat lovers are equally well cared for. I chose the house’s signature dish: surf and turf with Tomahawk steak and fresh lobster. Simply divine.
The final morning I spent at the Railway Museum. It smelled of metal, oil and history. Children ran past, their excitement contagious, while I let my hand glide over the cool steel of an old locomotive. I imagined the travellers who once departed with suitcase and anticipation – just as I was now, with a bag full of impressions.
As I walked back to the hotel, I felt that soft touch of melancholy that always accompanies a trip that simply clicks. The sound of bicycle bells, the water gently lapping against the quay walls, voices blending into an airy background melody – everything felt part of an intimate farewell. Two nights at Karel V had wrapped around me like a warm blanket. Utrecht hadn’t overwhelmed me; it had enchanted me. This is not a city you conquer; it seduces you – softly, memorably.
I stayed at the Grand Hotel Karel V, a 5-star luxury hotel housed in a 14th-century monastery in the centre of Utrecht. The hotel offers elegant rooms, green gardens, a gastronomic restaurant and a brasserie in an idyllic setting to truly unwind. Restaurant Karel V holds a Michelin star and is located in a lush medieval dining room overlooking the gardens. Guests can choose from several room types, ranging from Comfort Rooms to Empire Rooms and Suites. Those who wish can spend the entire day relaxing in the Wellness & Spa, or work on their fitness in the gym.
The hotel is nestled within a green oasis of nearly 10,000 m². In good weather, you can pause here and enjoy the serene surroundings.
More info:
More about Utrecht: www.ontdek-utrecht.nl
More about the Netherlands: www.holland.com
Hotel Karel V: www.karelv.nl
Restaurant Het Zuiden: www.restaurant-hetzuiden.nl
Restaurant Broei: www.restaurant-broei.com
The Miffy Museum: www.nijntjemuseum.nl
The Centraal Museum: www.centraalmuseum.nl
The Rietveld Schröder House: www.rietveldschroderhuis.nl
The Railway Museum: www.spoorwegmuseum.nl
Text: Igor Vandenberghe
Photos: Utrecht (various sources)
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