GOING DUTCH
Tamara Hinson saddles up to explore the Dutch city of Utrecht, starting point for this year’s Tour de France
M
y last visit to Holland was a bit of a blur. It involved copious rounds of Jägermeister shots, smoky Amsterdam bars and two nights in a hostel crawling with cockroaches. Ten years later, I’ve returned to the land of tulips but this time to Utrecht, Amsterdam’s more sophisticated sibling. With just 330,000 residents, Utrecht feels smaller and friendlier than Amsterdam, although this is partly down to the use of space. In Utrecht, the street level is much higher above the water than in Amsterdam. Beneath the cobbled roads are rows of cellars originally used to store the goods floated into the city along its waterways. This means it’s possible to wander for miles alongside the canals while the crowds meander past metres above your head. Many of the cellars have been converted into bars and office space. On my first day I stopped for a caffeine fix at In De Ruimte, a former cellar converted into a working space for freelancers. Those who make use of it are encouraged to share ideas and advice, and there are regular workshops by poets, cartoonists and designers. Below street level is also where you’ll find some of Utrecht’s best restaurants, including Mahanakorn at Oudegracht aan de Werf. At this subterranean Thai restaurant, our four-course meal (it was actually closer to seven) set us back just €42.50 per person. Another favourite was Oudaen, a restaurant and bar housed in the canal-side Town Castle Oudaen, built in 1296. The restaurant
has its own brewery and on a guided tour we were shown the shiny copper brewing vessels. Oudaen is just one of the bars which has put Utrecht on the map as a centre of brewing excellence. Away from the canals, we found plenty of beautiful squares in which to sample Utrecht’s beer. One of our favourites was
HOW BRADLEY WIGGINS AND HIS FELLOW CYCLISTS WILL TACKLE THE CITY’S INFAMOUS COBBLES IS ANYONE’S GUESS, BUT IT WOULD BE HARD TO PICK A MORE SCENIC STARTING POINT