U+24 Hours

What if you have only one day to spend in Utrecht? Find out how Utrechters like to spend their 24 hours in their city.

Nicole Walma

Founder U+ME

Interests: authentic Utrecht, architecture, (interior) design, good coffee, wine+dine. I love a picknick in the park or cruising the canals by boat on a sunny day. And one of my favourite Utrecht festivals is the 'Trek Foodfestival' in May.

Photo: personal archive

Leon Mazairac

Chef at former Podium onder de Dom

Interests: good food, wine and passionate about Grappa. I like to meet my friends at non-pretentious bars, restaurants or culinary events and experience the vibe of the city. I grew up with an eye for furniture design, thanks dad! In my spare time I enjoy walking through the city and see it developing around me. I stop by little antique stores on de Oudegracht or the farmer's market at the Twijnstraat. If I have foreign friends or colleagues over I like taking them to a FC Utrecht soccer match. It's quite an experience!

Photo by

Chantal Perlee

Documentation & Research + Coordinator Public Information at Centraal Museum

Interests: Genuine people, art, social design, good food+drinks and great music. Any experience should give energy. That' s why I like the interaction with people in whatever I do; art show openings, bbq's next to the canal, having a drink and laugh at a local bar. Utrecht is getting bigger and better as a festival city, I'm looking forward to everything that's happening this summer but my favorite is a golden 'oldie' , celebrating it' s 25th anniversary this summer: the Parade!

Photo by Liset van der Laan

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Coffee at The Village Start the day with a cup of fresh brew. The Village feels like your extended living room. Find your spot at a table, curl up on the couch or look out on the street from behind the window. What's your favorite? A strong espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, flat white, latte, an iced cappuccino?	Cultural heaven: Centraal Museum This is my favorite Utrecht museum. The building itself is stunning. Wander around and discover modern design, classical art, fashion designs and Utrecht icons Rietveld and Nijntje on display. There even is a 'workshop' where you can be the artist! photo by Ivar Pel
Hmmm, typical Dutch treat A lot of Utrechters have a 'broodje Mario' for lunch, while shopping. Good choice, but for a real Dutch treat you go to the 'Frietwinkel' in the 'Vinkenburgstraat'. They serve the best fresh, organic 'friet'. One of my guilty pleasures!	original dutch souvenirs Go to PUHA, Strand West or conceptstore De Kast for a souvenir made by Dutch or local designers. No time to shop? Order your Donker Utrecht picture online and have it send home.
Take a stair down to the wharf See the city form a whole new perspective. Take the stairs down to the wharf along the Oudegracht or Nieuwegracht. Utrecht is the only city who has these type of wharfs. You find lots of creative entrepreneurs who reside in the wharf cellars, but also restaurants, shops and canoe/waterbike rental shops.	Marlies Dekkers Originals Maybe not a souvenir you'd think of... but an original Marlies Dekkers is a joy to wear. She designs exclusive lingerie and swimwear. There's also a men's line and Marlies Dekkers sunglasses.
Here on saturday? Flowermarket! Every saturday from 08-17h Janskerkhof (square around Janskerk) looks like a meadow filled with thousands of flowers. Experience some real flower power in the heart of Utrecht.	Surprise your tastebuds! Thee are lots of nice restaurants in Utrecht that serve excellent dishes in a great atmosphere (webpage eat+sleep). One just around the corner from where I live is 'Keuken van Gastmaal'. The people working there are pleasant and I just love their 3-course vegetable dinner. Mind you: I'm not vegetarian. The eatable flowers on their dishes and fabulous accompanying wines make my day! photo by Els Zweerink
Roberto Gelato for dessert! End your day in style with arguably the best gelato you've ever had. My personal favorites include: Limoncello, lemon cake, licorice, Frollini, 'Wittevrouwen' (yoghurt/honey/ sesame).

Characteristic quarter 'Zeven Steegjes' Just around the corner from where I live are the 'Seven Alleys'. I love to just walk around in this authentic part of Utrecht. The small alleys, people sitting outside making small talk. This is how I picture Utrecht a century ago. Good to see that some things never change.	Talud 9 Talud 9 is a great place for coffee + pastry and wine + appetizers. They serve breakfast, lunch and a selection of mouthwatering appetizers. The owner is a friend of mine, but that's not the only reason I love to stop by. I really enjoy the laid back atmosphere!
Pastoe, a trip down memory lane My dad used to design furniture for Pastoe (see picture). His workplace was the Pastoe factory at Rotsoord. I sometimes visit the showroom and there the smell of recent fabricated furniture takes me back to when I was a young boy. Pastoe offers beautifully designed minimalistic furniture, bye the way!	Meet the neighbours at WoW
Amazing building: new city hall Utrecht is a relatively small city and very modest most of the time. The architects forgot all about modesty when they designed this new city hall. Wow!	Relax, wine and dine at Luc A relatively new hotspot in the city. Open for breakfast, lunch, drinks and dinner. I really like their non-pretentiousness. Just be yourself and have a good time at Luc.
Cheer for FC Utrecht! Into sports and soccer? A real Utrecht experience is going to the stadium and watch FC Utrecht play. Get yourself a beer and a meatball on a bun before taking your seats. I promise you, this is something else!	Keep it Simple Before restaurant Simple opened their doors in the Lange Nieuwstraat 88, we used to welcome our guests there in restaurant Podium. We moved to a great location near de Domtower and Simple, with two of my former employees, took over. I really like what they've created. Good food + nice assortment of wines in a beautiful setting.
Impressive city of music: TivoliVredenburg TivoliVredenburg is a unique place if you're into music and festivals. This one building houses 5 different music halls: de Grote Zaal, Hertz, Ronda, Pandora and Cloud Nine. And they can accommodate five music concerts at the same time!	Catch a movie at Louis Hartlooper What I like about going to the movies at Louis Hartlooper is that an expert gives you a personal introduction to the movie before it starts. The atmosphere is intimate and pleasant.
After hours at Stathe Looking for a place to hang out after hours? I like to go to bar+poppodium Stathe in the Rozenstraat. In the weekend they stay open as long as the mood is lively!

Yoga at the beach, soia The best way to start a beautiful morning is with yoga at the beach of strand oog in al (soia). When the place is quiet, you look over the water, exercise and easily connect with your inner self. If you're not into yoga, come around a little later and enjoy the city's beach life!	Zwart Goud Koffie & Vintage Another good way to start the day, is enjoying a good cup of coffee. I like mine with a golden touch. If you're staying in West, you must stop by Zwart Goud. They serve great coffee and you can even lay our hands on vintage furniture and crockery.
Spa Sereen, a treat for body & mind If you can take the heat? Go to Spa Sereen, spend 15 minutes in the sauna and cool down in the lake. Treat your body to a hammam, massage or total body wrapping. Treat your senses to a beautiful surrounding, a breath of fresh air, homemade juices and let the wind tickle your skin while you're reading a magazine on a daybed on the lawn.	Must see: Rietveld Schröder Huis Ready to snif some typical Utrecht culture? I recommend a visit to the Rietveld Schröder Huis. It's an architectural masterpiece by architect and designer Gerrit Rietveld (1888-1964). The house can only welcome 12 visitors at a time. So better make your reservations for the tour in advance. My favourite spot is on the first floor, the large window that opens up the entire corner of the house. A magnificent view!
De Veldkeuken, worth cycling for! Escape the city centre for a wile and cycle towards Amelisweerd (Bunnik). For lunch I love to go to De Veldkeuken. They bake their own bread and serve salads with local grown vegetables. Check out Amelis' Hof and see for yourself where al the fresh produce comes from. Here you can also handpick a bouquet of flowers or buy some lovely fruit and vegetables. Explore the surroundings and take a stroll through the woods.	Creative hub VechtclubXL Need some creative inspiration? Or are you looking for an original Utrecht souvenir? Check out VechtclubXL! It houses working spaces for creative entrepreneurs, a restaurant, a vegetable garden, shows and expositions.
De Klub for coffee, lunch or... Need a break while exploring De VechtclubXL? De Klub serves coffee and pastries, breakfast, lunch and dinner inside or outside on their terrace. Try the daily special 'barhap' for only € 10,-!	Shopping in the Voorstraat My favourite stores are located at the up&coming Voorstraat. Start at 'Revenge' and walk along the street towards 'Klijs & Boon' and 'PUHA'. There are also some really nice vintage and second hand stores.
Dine at Leon's Podium onder de Dom If you fancy a true culinary experience? Reserve a table at Podium onder de Dom before you even travel to Utrecht. Why? Because, you're not the only one who loves good food, accompanied by delicious wines and great atmosphere. No reservations made? If you're lucky there's an informal table set for you in the bar.	Perfect ending of a perfect day! Café Kanaalzicht anno 1905 is one of my best kept Utrecht secrets. It's around the corner from where I live in Utrecht West. I love the colourful mix of people who come here to meet, have drinks or enjoy a simple dish. Please don't tell everybody about this authentic cafe, we prefer to keep it authentic.

U+24 Hours

What if you have only one day to spend in Utrecht? Find out how Utrechters like to spend their 24 hours in their city.

Coffee at The Village

Start the day with a cup of fresh brew. The Village feels like your extended living room. Find your spot at a table, curl up on the couch or look out on the street from behind the window. What's your favorite? A strong espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, flat white, latte, an iced cappuccino?

Cultural heaven: Centraal Museum

This is my favorite Utrecht museum. The building itself is stunning. Wander around and discover modern design, classical art, fashion designs and Utrecht icons Rietveld and Nijntje on display. There even is a 'workshop' where you can be the artist! photo by Ivar Pel

Hmmm, typical Dutch treat

A lot of Utrechters have a 'broodje Mario' for lunch, while shopping. Good choice, but for a real Dutch treat you go to the 'Frietwinkel' in the 'Vinkenburgstraat'. They serve the best fresh, organic 'friet'. One of my guilty pleasures!

original dutch souvenirs

Go to PUHA, Strand West or conceptstore De Kast for a souvenir made by Dutch or local designers. No time to shop? Order your Donker Utrecht picture online and have it send home.

Take a stair down to the wharf

Marlies Dekkers Originals

Maybe not a souvenir you'd think of... but an original Marlies Dekkers is a joy to wear. She designs exclusive lingerie and swimwear. There's also a men's line and Marlies Dekkers sunglasses.

Here on saturday? Flowermarket!

Every saturday from 08-17h Janskerkhof (square around Janskerk) looks like a meadow filled with thousands of flowers. Experience some real flower power in the heart of Utrecht.

Surprise your tastebuds!

Roberto Gelato for dessert!

End your day in style with arguably the best gelato you've ever had. My personal favorites include: Limoncello, lemon cake, licorice, Frollini, 'Wittevrouwen' (yoghurt/honey/ sesame).

Characteristic quarter 'Zeven Steegjes'

Just around the corner from where I live are the 'Seven Alleys'. I love to just walk around in this authentic part of Utrecht. The small alleys, people sitting outside making small talk. This is how I picture Utrecht a century ago. Good to see that some things never change.

Talud 9

Talud 9 is a great place for coffee + pastry and wine + appetizers. They serve breakfast, lunch and a selection of mouthwatering appetizers. The owner is a friend of mine, but that's not the only reason I love to stop by. I really enjoy the laid back atmosphere!

Pastoe, a trip down memory lane

Meet the neighbours at WoW

Amazing building: new city hall

Utrecht is a relatively small city and very modest most of the time. The architects forgot all about modesty when they designed this new city hall. Wow!

Relax, wine and dine at Luc

A relatively new hotspot in the city. Open for breakfast, lunch, drinks and dinner. I really like their non-pretentiousness. Just be yourself and have a good time at Luc.

Cheer for FC Utrecht!

Into sports and soccer? A real Utrecht experience is going to the stadium and watch FC Utrecht play. Get yourself a beer and a meatball on a bun before taking your seats. I promise you, this is something else!

Keep it Simple

Impressive city of music: TivoliVredenburg

TivoliVredenburg is a unique place if you're into music and festivals. This one building houses 5 different music halls: de Grote Zaal, Hertz, Ronda, Pandora and Cloud Nine. And they can accommodate five music concerts at the same time!

Catch a movie at Louis Hartlooper

What I like about going to the movies at Louis Hartlooper is that an expert gives you a personal introduction to the movie before it starts. The atmosphere is intimate and pleasant.

After hours at Stathe

Looking for a place to hang out after hours? I like to go to bar+poppodium Stathe in the Rozenstraat. In the weekend they stay open as long as the mood is lively!

Yoga at the beach, soia

The best way to start a beautiful morning is with yoga at the beach of strand oog in al (soia). When the place is quiet, you look over the water, exercise and easily connect with your inner self. If you're not into yoga, come around a little later and enjoy the city's beach life!

Zwart Goud Koffie & Vintage

Another good way to start the day, is enjoying a good cup of coffee. I like mine with a golden touch. If you're staying in West, you must stop by Zwart Goud. They serve great coffee and you can even lay our hands on vintage furniture and crockery.

Spa Sereen, a treat for body & mind

Must see: Rietveld Schröder Huis

De Veldkeuken, worth cycling for!

Creative hub VechtclubXL

Need some creative inspiration? Or are you looking for an original Utrecht souvenir? Check out VechtclubXL! It houses working spaces for creative entrepreneurs, a restaurant, a vegetable garden, shows and expositions.

De Klub for coffee, lunch or...

Need a break while exploring De VechtclubXL? De Klub serves coffee and pastries, breakfast, lunch and dinner inside or outside on their terrace. Try the daily special 'barhap' for only € 10,-!

Shopping in the Voorstraat

My favourite stores are located at the up&coming Voorstraat. Start at 'Revenge' and walk along the street towards 'Klijs & Boon' and 'PUHA'. There are also some really nice vintage and second hand stores.

Dine at Leon's Podium onder de Dom

Perfect ending of a perfect day!