The laid-back alternative to Amsterdam for a city break | Travel News | Travel

Amsterdam, renowned for its historic canals, vibrant nightlife, and cultural attractions, has long been a top tourist destination, welcoming up to 20 million tourists a year.

The Dutch capital’s immense popularity has led to overcrowding, with the local government taking steps to manage mass tourism and address issues related to unruly visitors.

As a result, many travellers are seeking alternatives that offer similar Dutch charm without the crowds and high prices.

Utrecht, the fourth-largest city in the Netherlands, is emerging as a cheaper and less crowded alternative to party-hard Amsterdam.

With its unique blend of history, culture, and charming canals, Utrecht provides a more relaxed and authentic Dutch experience.

Just 45 minutes south of Amsterdam, Utrecht shares many similarities with the capital. It’s often called ‘Mini Amsterdam’ due to its pretty canals and well-preserved traditional Dutch architecture. It has all the beauty of Amsterdam but just a fraction of the crowds and, to some extent, the cost.

Here’s our guide on why you should skip Amsterdam this summer and head to uber-cool Utrecht instead. 

There are fewer tourists 

Utrecht has much less tourist traffic than Amsterdam, making it a much more pleasant place to visit, especially in the high season. 

The historic streets of Amsterdam are often crowded with snap-happy tourists buying stroopwafel and gawping at landmarks. In contrast, Utrecht is a living city full of residents and students.

Here, you’ll find locals biking and walking around the compact centre and canals, and you can hear the expressive Dutch language all around you, with its guttural ‘g’s, diminutive ‘ties’, and pleasant sing-song accent. 

You should visit Utrecht over Amsterdam if you want to explore a Dutch city with a vibe and design similar to Amsterdam but with much less foot traffic and selfie-taking tourists.

It’s less expensive than Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a wildly popular tourist spot, so everything is more expensive, from accommodation to food and attraction tickets, as demand is so high.

In under-the-radar Utrecht, there’s still plenty to see and do, but the cost of hotels and eating out will inevitably be lower than in Amsterdam, meaning your travel money can go a bit further. 

You can reduce costs further by staying in a backpacker hostel, booking self-catering accommodation, or seeking free city activities and events, such as a free walking tour of Utrecht.

There’s no better way to get to know the city than walking along the 12th-century Old Canal Area (Oudegracht), Europe’s only inner canal system with wharves and wharf cellars.

Ask your guide to take you along the waterside to see the cellars and learn more about the canals’ history and historic inhabitants.

You can also discover nature as a low-cost wellness activity by walking in Wilhelminapark, Lepelenburg Park, or the botanical gardens and appreciating the natural beauty in and around the city. 

It has unique canals and waterways

Yes, Amsterdam has iconic canals and waterways, but they are not like those found in Utrecht. 

The canals in Utrecht are at a split level, meaning they are at street level and water level. Along the water, street-level cellars also date back to the 13th century. 

What used to be warehouses, workhouses, and factories have now been refurbished into trendy restaurants, cafes, shops, and trendy bars. 

Utrecht is the only city in the Netherlands where restaurants have terraces right at the water level. You can enjoy a meal or drink on these waterfront terraces as you watch boats gracefully glide by. 

Thriving art and culture scene

Amsterdam has many art museums and galleries, including the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. However, Utrecht also offers plenty of art and culture for visitors.

Utrecht is a recognised hub for De Stijl (Dutch for “The Style”), an art movement founded in 1917 in Leiden that’s based on a strict geometry of horizontals and verticals. The impressive Rietveld Schröder House in Utrecht is De Stijl’s architectural highlight, and many art and culture fans make a pilgrimage to this unusual attraction.

This off-beat house was built in 1924 according to the guiding principles of the De Stijl art movement. It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Listed house that is open to the public for guided and audio tours.

The Centraal Museum is the main museum in Utrecht and is also well worth a visit. Modern meets historic at this museum, founded in 1838. It now houses a wide-ranging modern art collection, including the most extensive collection of Rietveld pieces worldwide, and many special exhibits.

Fantastic Food

The city’s youthful population means plenty of trendy bars and restaurants where you can sample international cuisine and traditional Dutch dishes like Poffertjes and Bitterballen. Eating out in Utrecht is slightly cheaper than in Amsterdam, as fewer tourists drive the prices up. 

Head to the canals for wharf-side dining and drinking and enjoy the cafe buzz of terraces packed with students and professionals. Talud9 Wijnbar is an excellent spot for a strong espresso by day and a cheeky wine at night.

For international flavours, BLAUW is the place to go for quality Indonesian dining and is very popular with locals. Order their famous ‘meat and fish rice table’ and feast upon a vast selection of dishes, including Beef rendang, chicken rica rica, goat satay, mackerel pepsin, codfish meeting, shrimp satay, and lamb gulai.

For a steak dinner in the city, head to STAN in the centre for meaty dishes cooked on the charcoal-fired Josper grill at this swish dining venue. They also have Buddha bowls, breakfasts and massive sharing plates on the menu. 

Nightlife without the tourists 

It’s no secret that Amsterdam is the stag do city of choice, with its hedonistic nightlife, huge selection of party bars, and backpacker hostels. A night out in Utrecht is a chance to escape the noisy crowds of tourists and have a more relaxed evening surrounded by more chilled-out locals. 

The city has an active cultural life, and you’ll find theatres, cinemas, music festivals, live music, clubs, and bars to suit all tastes. Its large student population means a big night out on the town has a youthful and vibrant feel.

If live music is your bag, there are several venues to see indie bands and artists. Ekko is a famous alternative pop stage in the city where you can have a meal, grab a beer and enjoy a live gig. 

Utrecht bars worth a visit include Kafé België, a beer lover’s paradise with a large selection of brewed and bottled beers, and Winkel van Sinkel, for a glass of wine in a lovely outdoor seating area. 

Stylish Street Food Club is an eclectic venue for getting expertly stirred and shaken signature cocktails and Asian & Peruvian street food. 

For green spaces 

While Amsterdam has busy Vondelpark, Utrecht also contains beautiful green spaces to escape the urban surroundings that can be less crowded than Amsterdam’s parks. Rent a budget bike from the tourist centre and bike to the botanical gardens, Máximapark, and the large urban park Amelisweerd.

Get off your bike and connect with nature by hiring a boat and exploring the scenic waterways. Hire a Canoe from De Rijnstroom and paddle through the Amelisweerd nature reserve. Glide through peaceful waters and appreciate the wildlife and swimming Dutch locals, who wave languidly from the water.

Paddle through fields, forests, and bridges on this gentle expedition and soak up some rays while on it. Along the way, you can stop and picnic at one of the picnic fields you will pass or feast upon delicious Dutch-style pancakes at the waterside Rhijnauwen tea house.