We’ve now come to the last leg of walking tour after Part 1 and Part 2. I commend you if you’re still with me! From here, we’ll now wrap up our little Utrecht walking journey through Oudegracht’s shopping street from Twijnstraat.
Twijnstraat to Utrecht Centraal (Distance: 1.7km)
If you’re craving for some drinks while listening to some awesome live music, look no further than t’ Oude Pothuys which has performances every single night. Plus, there’s no entrance fee!
Right opposite the bar is Toko Pedis, an authentic Indonesian takeaway shop where they even sell their own homemade sambals. This, just like the hotdog, became a weekly affair at one period of my life as well.
Remember what I said about Utrecht’s creative scene? Well, on the right of Toko Pedis you’ll find Cafca. What started off as a café has not transformed into a creative spot with movie nights, chess competitions, vintage clothes sales, open-mic nights and more. A really interesting place with really interesting people!
Walk onwards a little more and we’ll now be greeted by several Kringloops (thrift stores) where you can get vintage furniture, vintage clothes, kitchenware, books, CDs and so much more. You’ll never know what you may find.
There’s also the Comedy Café Utrecht up ahead and several hobby and game shops where fans of Magic, Warhammer and other board games along with comics can browse and shop to their heart’s content. These places are also really welcoming to those new to the scene, so feel free to just ask them about their upcoming get-togethers or on how to get started if you’re interested!
Is it time to eat again? Even if you’re still stuffed, you may want to take away some desserts from Bond en Smolders. A bakery, I dare say, not many others can compare to in my personal Utrecht-biased opinion. My recommendations? Their cheesecake and stroopkoek!
We are now approaching the central area once more with just a few more stops before you are free of my endless (but enthusiastic) yapping. From Bond en Smolders, just further ahead on the left, you’ll see the Museum Speelklok – a museum specializing in self-playing musical instruments. It’s as intriguing as it sounds, even being dubbed as “the most fun museum in the Netherlands”! Next to it (and I add this place because you may have noticed the long queue) is Broodje Ben, a really popular sandwich shop franchise from Utrecht.
The Hoog Cathrajine mall lies ahead and from there, you’ll be able to retrace your steps back to Utrecht Centraal. Only if you’ve had enough that is, for this little random walking tour shows merely a fraction of what this beautiful city has to offer! I sincerely hope you enjoyed and found it interesting though. Every time I leave for a vacation and return, it feels like returning home and I’m definitely keen to explore and discover more of Utrecht and its residents.
Maybe I’ll share that with you next time?
De Nuk is toch voor Utrechters? Stop dan met het publiceren in het Engels? Als je in Nederland wilt wonen, leer je maar Nederlands. Idiotie. Doe ff normaal.