Utrecht’s hidden gems: how to spend 24 hours in the city

Utrecht is a gorgeous city in the Netherlands about 25 minutes by train from Amsterdam. Full of fascinating history, scenic canals and quaint pedestrian streets, it makes a perfect weekend getaway or a day trip from Amsterdam. I recently visited Utrecht to stay with my local friend, so I got an insider tour. I quickly fell in love with it and plan to return in the future! So for anyone else thinking to include this in their Netherlands itinerary, here’s a full guide to exploring Utrecht’s hidden gems and spending 24 hours in the city.

Utrecht is a beautiful city to visit in every season. Visit in the summer for: nice weather, long daylight hours to explore the pretty streets, outdoor canal boat tours and cultural events.

Visit in the autumn for beautiful tree colours and cosy vibes in the various bakeries, cafes and restaurants throughout the city. 

I visited Utrecht at the beginning of December, and the Christmas lights brought out the magic in the city. However it does get cold (around 6 degrees celsius) so wrap up warm. It also isn’t the best city to visit if you are mainly interested in Christmas markets. In 2025, Utrecht’s Christmas market will only run for two weekends in December (12-14 and 18-21). 

There are regular and convenient train connections from Amsterdam Central station and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to Utrecht Central station, which will put you in the heart of the city. 

From Amsterdam Central, the journey takes about 25 minutes and costs around 20 EUR. From the airport, it’s around 40 minutes and a similar price. 

While you can get a taxi or rent a car if you prefer, the trains are the most affordable and efficient way of travelling between cities in the Netherlands and means you don’t have to worry about parking. 

Once you’re in Utrecht, it’s very easy to walk around all of the main attractions of the city. Most of the city centre is pedestrianised, which makes it a pleasant stroll. However if you want to truly immerse yourself in the city and see it through the eyes of a local, I recommend taking this top rated guided walking tour of the city.

If you need to travel slightly further out, there are good bus connections. You can pay for this with a contactless bank card. I highly recommend Monzo and Revolut for good bank cards for travel. You can also use Uber in Utrecht. 

If you don’t have suitcases and want to try travelling the local way, why not cycle? Download the app Dott to access rental electric bikes parked all over the city. The app is easy to use; you can just connect it up to your bank card to automatically charge payments to that. It will also give you a map to show you where the nearest Dott bikes are. Follow the app instructions to unlock the bike, then you’re good to go! 

Alternatively, you can take a guided bike tour of the city.

Here are my top recommendations for where to stay when visiting Utrecht. All hotels are in the city centre and ordered by price from high to low:

• Daen’s Greenhouse: A luxury, atmospheric and charming hotel set in a historic building full of character. 
• Mother Goose hotel: Located 300m from the Dom Tower, this hotel is right in the historic centre of the city. The spacious rooms are modern but with a rustic feel. 
• Crowne Plaza Utrecht: Located by the central station, this popular chain hotel offers stylish, comfortable rooms. It also has a bar with views of the city, and conference rooms. 
• Bunk Hotel Utrecht: This interesting hotel / hostel hybrid offers ‘pods’ for 1 or 2 people in shared dorms for a very affordable price, or individual basic rooms. The interior decor is gorgeous with lots of warm wood surfaces and panelling, and it’s clean, modern and spacious. There’s also a bar, restaurant and they offer bike hire.

Exploring the old town of a new European city with a pastry in hand is one of my favourite things to do. There’s something special about early mornings. The streets are mostly empty, shops are just opening and it feels like going back in time to the medieval era.

For the best takeaway pasties and coffee in town, try out Casa Ferreira, a lovely little Portuguese bakery. I highly recommend the Pastel de Nata and the apple pastry. Their cappuccino was also divine. Yum. 

For a sit-down breakfast, you can’t go wrong with Moak Pancakes or De Ontdekking. For great omelettes and atmosphere, head to Pampalini lunchroom and coffee. 

Towering over the city skyline, the Dom Tower is the pride and joy of Utrecht’s residents and the tallest church spire in the Netherlands. 

There’s a lot of fascinating history related to the Dom church, which was built in the 14th century. In 1674, a freak storm destroyed the nave of the church, separating church from tower. 200 years later, the rubble was finally removed and Dom square was created in its place. 

You can climb the Dom Tower on a guided tour, where you’ll get to see some of its 64 church bells and the view of the whole city from the top. Be warned – it can get very windy up there and it’s also 400+ steps, so you’ll need a decent fitness level for the climb. 

You can also take a guided tour below the Dom Tower to learn more about the history of the Roman fortress that once existed there. I really enjoyed this tour; you get to go underground and explore the archeological site with interactive lamps that pair with an audioguide. 

These were the top two tours recommended to us and took around 3 hours in total. You don’t need to book this in advance unless you’re going in peak tourist season – we just turned up at the ticket office and were able to purchase tickets easily. 

If you have the time after that, you can also take a guided tour of the underground Paleis Lofen and learn about the imperial palace where Utrecht was officially made a city.

After several hours of history, you’ve definitely earned yourself a sweet treat. Hop & Stork is a chocolatier very close to Dom square that serves up some incredible hot chocolates, coffees and other sweet things. Since it was December, I had to get their gingerbread hot chocolate!

Miffy, known as Nijntje in Dutch, is a small white bunny that is the star of a children’s book series and beloved worldwide. The creator of Miffy, Dick Bruna, was born in Utrecht. Miffy has now become a symbol for the city and you’ll find adorable statues of her all over the city. 

From the central station to Marriaplaats, you’ll find Miffy art everywhere. If you’re interested in learning more about her story, you can visit the Miffy museum. Booking a time slot is mandatory, so make sure to book online in advance. Prices are 12 EUR for adults, less for children. 

If you’re travelling with children, this museum should be high on your list!

This might be one for the summer months, but another great way to see Utrecht up close is from the water. Take a canal boat cruise to see more of the ancient wharfs, canal houses and city highlights while learning about the history. 

By now you’re probably working up an appetite, so here’s a few restaurant suggestions I’ve heard locals swear by:

• Ruby Rose:a beautiful, chic Mediterranean restaurant with gorgeous floral and mosaic aesthetics, perfect for your Instagram feed. On the menu: seafood, pizza, sharing plates and dangerously good cocktails. 
• Street food club: as the name suggests, a place where you go with friends and share small plates of food. They offer a variety of cuisines leaning more in the Asian and Latin American direction, and the interior is also very atmospheric. 
• Kartoffel: This German restaurant was recommended to me by a local I got chatting to in a bar as a place that locals love to hang out. Unpretentious, hearty good German food and beer. Plus, it’s right by the canal! Probably not suitable for vegetarians though.
• BROEI: This plant-based restaurant is a great alternative for vegetarians, vegans and those who are craving veggies. They focus on healthy, European and Dutch cuisine, offer 15+ vegan meals, and a nice lunch menu. They’re also big on sustainability, and work with local and small-scale farmers as much as possible. 

If you’re looking for some post-dinner fun, Duke of Tokyo is an awesome, retro Japan themed cocktail and karaoke bar. Hidden inside a light-up rave tunnel, it is quite literally a hidden gem that I stumbled upon by accident!

The decor of the bar immediately transports you to the neon lights of Shinjuku. The original cocktails on the menu are unique, delicious and dangerous (though perfect to get you in the mood to sing your heart out). 

You can book the karaoke rooms in advance online here, however they’re often fully booked weeks in advance. Instead, you can try your luck by turning up the bar and seeing if they have any walk-in karaoke rooms available. They do save some of their karaoke rooms for walk-ins, which can only be taken 15 minutes before the start time. These cost 16 euros per person. 

If you’re planning to stay in Utrecht a little longer, here are a few more highlights to explore: 

• The Railway Museum: an interactive museum on the history of railways and rail travel, set in a restored 19th century station
• Musem Speelklok: a remarkable collection of self-playing musical instruments, from music boxes to clocks, barrel organs and more.
• Centraal Museum: a 19th century museum covering art, fashion and the history of the city
• Utrecht Botanic Gardens: a gorgeous botanical garden established in the 17th century, featuring a diverse array of plants, flowers and tropical greenhouses. 
• De Haar Castle: this gorgeous 19th-century medieval-style palace is a bit outside Utrecht, so best to do as a day trip. Though there are buses going there, unfortunately the public transport links to the castle aren’t very convenient, so I’d recommend doing this by rental car or Uber. 

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