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Day twenty-one

The NeTherlaNDs / Utrecht

FactsPopulation299’000

official websitewww.utrecht.nl

historyAlthough there is some evidence of earlier inhabitation in the re-gion of Utrecht, dating back to the Stone Age (app. 2200 BC) and settling in the Bronze Age (app. 1800-800 BC), the founding date of the city is usually related to the construction of a Roman fortifica-tion (castellum), probably built in around 50 AD. The name of the Utrecht fortress originally was sim-

ply Traiectum denoting its location on the Rhine at a ford. Later the name was adorned with the pre-fix Ultra (on the far side) to distin-guish it from other settlements (for example Mosa Trajectum Maas-tricht). Over time the two parts of the name merged and evolved into the current name (Utrecht). In 1579 the northern seven provinc-es of these Low Countries signed the Union of Utrecht, in which they decided to join forces against the Spanish rule. The Union of Utre-cht is seen as the beginning of the Dutch Republic.

BasicsPublic transportTo save some money on public transport, buy your blue ‘strippen-kaart’ at any tabacco or bookshop. Also available at kiosks, located in the train station’s main terminal.

taxiUtrechtse Taxi Centrale; Tel. +31 30 23 00 400; www.utc.nl

trainsNederlandse Spoorwegen (NS); ww.ns.nl

airportSchiphol Airport, Amsterdam; www.schiphol.com

hospitalsThe major academical hospital,

University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), is located just outside the city’s boundaries. Bus 11 and 12 take you there, get off at the last stop. In case of a minor injury call 0900 450 14 50 (0.10 € / min) to contact the Central General Practitioner’s Post. It’s located at Rubenslaan 190 and opened 24 hours a day. Bus 12 and 13 in direction of ‘de Uithof’ take you there, get off at ‘Rubenslaan’ stop.

internetFree WiFi internet at Coffee Com-pany (Vismarkt). Hotspots can be found in the main station, Neude Square (Le Journal) and the sev-eral University faculty libraries within the city centre.

Utrecht’s ancient city-centre features many buildings and structures from its earliest origins on-wards. It has been the religious centre of the Netherlands since the eighth century AD. Utrecht is host to the largest university of the Netherlands, as well as other institutes for higher education. Due to its central position within the country, it is an important transportation hub in the Nether-lands. It has the second highest number of cultural events in the Netherlands, after Amsterdam.

Utrecht / Photo: M Nota

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Day twenty-one

Utrecht / The NeTherlaNDsinsiDersFood and DrinksA must eat while in Utrecht is ‘Broodje Mario’ (Mario’s bread), an Italian food stall that has been located on both sides of Old Ca-nal for over several decades. There are also lots of take away sandwiches and juice bars.

supermarketConnected to Utrecht Central Station is a mall (Hoog Catheri-jne) in which you can fi nd Albert Heyn, one of major supermarket chains in the Netherlands. Not the cheapest, but they do have about everything you please. They also have a Albert Heyn To Go, with less stuff and higher prices lo-cated in the main terminal of the train station.

MonumentsThe Dom Tower (1) was built in the Middle Ages (1321-1382) and it shows the huge power and wealth of the Christian Church in Holland. It’s the highest tower of Holland (112 m). The heaviest bell is an amazingly 8.227 kg! The bells are clinging every 15 min-

utes, so be aware!

shoppingStroll through the cozy streets of Utrecht, nice shops can be found along the Oude Gracht (Old Ca-nal), Zadelstreet and Lijnmarkt.

nightlife‘Tivoli’ (2): Attend an Arctic Mon-key - or Franz Ferdinand - alike concert at this cozy venue. Also, do not leave Utrecht without hav-ing visited ‘Cafe Belgie’ (over 20 beers on draft, 120 on bottle), ‘Oude Pothuys’ (daily live music combined with tasty food, spe-cial beers in an old brewery down by the Old Canal), ‘ACU’ (once a squatted building, still is an alter-native hang out) and the ‘Wool-loomooloo’ (old WWII bunker, turned into a club as part of the city’s oldest fraternity).

a Building in the De Uithof Utrecht University area Photo: Marco van Wijnbergen (www.mcclarity-media.nl)

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