Castles, Canals and Good Folk: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Utrecht
- 1.3–2.7 hours
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
- Private tour
Highlights
Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, having started out in the 1st century as a Roman frontier fort. It has always been important and has the scars and the achievements to prove it. Join me on this self-guided GPS audio tour along canals and down laneways that have witnessed the passing of Knights, Emperors and Beguines. We will explore the less familiar northern quarters of the old city, to castles; a wartime bunker; poetry on high, lofty mansions and little cottages. Utrecht is located in the centre of the country and is easy to get to from anywhere. You will come to understand the vitality of today's Utrecht more clearly through the layers of its near and distant past. There are also plenty of places to stop on the way to pull up a chair, order a coffee and watch the world walk, drift, or cycle by.
Inclusions
What's included
- VoiceMap App for Android and iOS
- Lifetime access to this tour in English
- Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
What's not
- Smartphone and headphones
- Transportation
- Food and drink
- Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route
Itinerary
The tour starts outside the east entrance to Hoog Catharijne.
Nothing beats a Dutch city centre market. Who’s up for croquettes, pickled herring, fresh bread or more cheese varieties than you ever knew existed?
A small but impressive museum that presents the life and times of those who lived in the working-class neighbourhoods of Utrecht in the tough times of the 1920s.
Utrecht has always had a pivotal role in the religious life of the Netherlands. The Jacobikerk is an important Protestant church that starts our walk through a neighbourhood filled with stories of faith and commitment.
Oudaen is a city castle and one of the most significant buildings in Utrecht. It was built around 1276, so has been around for a while. It’s a great place to stop for refreshment, especially to check out the craft brewery in the cellars.
The most beautiful post office in the whole of the Netherlands is on Neude square.
This is the largest and oldest fabric market in the Netherlands, and has been going for around 400 years.
The tour passes by this boutique hotel that was home to an eye hospital in the past.
The tour passes through the old University neighbourhood of Utrecht.
The powerful sculpture of a remarkable young woman who continues to have meaning in our lives long after her passing.
The tour ends near Janskerk with a story about the Order of the Knights of Utrecht.
Cancellation
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Reviews
4.3
- 56
- 42
- 31
- 21
- 10
Ratings come from 10 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- The tour starts on Vredenburg square. Before arrival, install the VoiceMap app and use the code provided on your ticket. This is a self-guided audio tour that you can start, pause, or restart any time and complete at your own pace. Directions to the starting point are in the app.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- VoiceMap Audio Tours
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- There is a short section along the Oudegracht where the tour takes the stairs down to the water level. Those in a wheelchair or with a stroller can continue the tour on the main street and will only miss a few details that the tour points to.
How it compares in Utrecht
- Its from-price is 63% below the median of the 9 city tours we list in Utrecht.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 3 of 9.
About Utrecht
Utrecht is a Dutch university city of old canals with sunken wharf cellars, a soaring cathedral tower and museums from music boxes to Miffy.
Utrecht began as a Roman fort and has been a religious and trading centre ever since, and its heart is the Dom Tower, a 112-metre church tower that is the tallest in the Netherlands. The Oudegracht, the old canal, runs through the middle of the city with quays set below street level, and the cellars of the old warehouses along the water are now cafés and restaurants. The university, founded in 1636, fills the streets with students and bicycles.
Top-ranked sights in Utrecht: Dom Tower, De Haar Castle (Kasteel de Haar), Museum Speelklok.
Special offers in Utrecht
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
