One Day in Utrecht

I have one day in Utrecht. It’s a quiet morning when I arrive. The narrow cobbled streets are shy with the absence of bicycles and people, and as I approach the tall Dom Tower in the heart of the city center, I can hear my breath in the silence. It’s a treat. I revel in the fact that I have the city to myself, and start my day in Utrecht by exploring hidden corners that I wouldn’t have noticed had I been distracted dodging people and bikes.

As with The Hague and Rotterdam, I have one day in Utrecht to see everything I can. And like the other destinations on my Netherlands travel itinerary, I’m here to discover my favorite places in the city.

Utrecht Day Trip

As I approach the Dom, I find myself in a welcoming square with historic university buildings and high church walls hiding gardens so immaculately manicured they would make the Conception itself jealous.

Around the corner, I find myself in front of the prettiest pink cafe, Carla’s Conditorie, where I can’t resist the lure of cheesecake (one of the best things about traveling alone is that there’s nobody to tell me not to eat cheesecake for breakfast!).

Sated, I continue my one day in Utrecht by exploring the silent streets along the canals. The skinny houses and sea of bike baskets remind me of Amsterdam, only without the crowds and tourist shops.

In fact, the shops here are incredibly stylish, like Blackbird Coffee & Vintage, a boutique that doubles as a trendy cafe.

But my walk through Utrecht takes me away from the canals, too.

Rietveld Schroder House

One of Utrecht’s most unique landmarks is a place on the edge of the city center called the Rietveld Schroder House.

Designed in 1924 by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld, the house is a famous work of modern architecture and a great introduction to Dutch design.

I’ve wanted to visit the Rietveld Schroder House since I took a modern architecture class in college. We studied the building as well as the greater De Stijl movement, and I loved the use of space and color in it.

Traveling to Utrecht has been on my to-do list ever since, and being on a tour of the house is so exciting that I want to hug all my fellow architecture nerds (I don’t).

The house itself is small, but makes amazing use of space and light. Upstairs there’s a great surprise for us, and I would tell you all about it if I were inclined to ruin it for you. I’m not, but I promise you’ll love it when you visit.

Things to Do in Utrecht

Back in the city center, I continue my one day in Utrecht by discovering everything from markets to squares.

The once bereft streets are busy with bicycles, and the flower market is noisy as the shouts of vendors vie with the loud colors of spring tulips for attention.

The squares are full of stylish locals and eager visitors, and I can’t decide whether I like the energy of the city more or less than the solitude I enjoyed in the morning.

But as the city’s circulating population swells, I lower its numbers as I leave for London.