Surrounding area
There is a wide variety of museums in Utrecht such as the National Museum from Musical Clock to Street Organ, the Central Museum, the Catharijneconvent [national museum of religious art] and the Railway Museum. The lively city centre with its unique quay-side terraces, the Dom Tower and the fine canals are really worth a walk. The same applies to the Zadelstraat and the Lijnmarkt where you'll find beautiful antique shops, trendy and stylish fashion shops, surprising gift shops, widely stocked bookshops and much more. Would you like some peace and quiet? Walk on a little further to the fine courtyards and squares along the canals and the Nieuwegracht. Utrecht is indeed in so many respects a fascinating place to visit.
The smallest province in the Netherlands, but also one of the most varied. Walkers are treated to the woods of the Utrecht Heuvelrug, the stately country houses along the river Vecht and the tranquil polder in the west of the province, the edge of the Green Heart, where you can walk for miles without meeting a soul.
Utrecht is also unique from a cultural-historical point of view. It has more castles, forts and country estates than anywhere else. The Hollandse Waterlinie [Dutch Waterline] runs right through the province. Although the line has not been used since the Second World War, a large part is still intact.
