Utrecht has something no other Dutch city can match: canals with two levels. The Oudegracht runs through the center with a street above and a wharf level below, where medieval cellars have been converted into restaurants, cafes, and bars with tables at the water’s edge. On a summer evening, with canoes gliding past and the wharf terraces full, it is one of the most convivial scenes in the Netherlands.
The Dom Tower — the tallest church tower in the country at 112 meters — dominates the skyline, though it has not been connected to its cathedral since a tornado destroyed the nave in 1674. Climb its 465 steps for views that extend to Amsterdam on clear days. Utrecht is a university city, which keeps it young, affordable, and lively: the Voorstraat is lined with independent shops, the Trajectum Lumen is a nighttime art walk illuminating historic buildings, and the Centraal Museum holds everything from medieval manuscripts to Rietveld’s iconic furniture. The city’s compact size means everything is bikeable in minutes, and the absence of mass tourism gives it an authenticity that Amsterdam has to work harder to maintain.
When to go: April to September for canal-side dining and cycling weather. The Festival Oude Muziek in late August is one of Europe’s finest early-music festivals.