THIS IS YOUR ESSEX www.thisisyouressex.com
Groningen a Great Dutch Delight I was very privileged to be taken to Groningen by the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions. The press trip started by us meeting at London Southend Airport where I have flown from many times in the past and again, it was so easy and stress free. The flight, my first with Flybe, was only an hour long and I was extremely impressed with the service on board.
“
After our guided walk through the city, we were taken for dinner
”
O
n arrival into Groningen Airport, I was pleased to see that like Southend Airport, it was smaller than a lot of other large international airports, making our travelling time, quicker and stress free. We were greeted by Wouter and Saskia who were our very friendly tour guides for the trip. We collected our bags and were taken by minibus, to Flinders Cafe for lunch which is located in an historic pavilion in the middle
of Noorderplantsoen Park, where you get a lovely view of the park from the Pavilion. After lunch we all set off to the Prinsenhof hotel, which was going to be our home for the night. The hotel was immaculately clean and all the staff couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly. The building that dates back to the 15th century has managed to keep its historic period decor with a modern and contemporary feel. On arrival to my room, I was amazed at just how spacious the rooms were. For anyone wanting to visit Groningen, this really is a MUST stay hotel.
THIS IS YOUR ESSEX www.thisisyouressex.com
3D movie in a dome shaped cinema screen. There are only approximately 20 of these theatres in the world and Groningen being one of those, makes Holland well worth a visit. We ended the first day by having a drink in the city centre which is so clean and tidy and has a great atmosphere for people both young and old. On our final day, we again was met by our guides to be taken down to the local canal that runs through Groningen, to go on a boat trip that gave us the chance to look at Groningen from another view. After the boat trip we visited the local museum which is not only well known for its exceptional and colourful decor, but also because of its fascinating exhibitions and intriguing collection. The radically modernist structures forming the Groninger Museum stand in a canal opposite the Groningen railway station consist of three main pavilions: a silver cylindrical building designed by Philippe Starck a yellow tower by Alessandro Mendini, and a pale blue deconstructivist space by Coop Himmelb(l)
au. A bridge that connects the museum to the train station is part of a cycling and walking path to the central city, This was the final part to our trip before we headed back to the airport to enjoy a final beautiful lunch at Weelde Restaurant/Bar which overlooks the airfield and has great views from the terrace, whilst enjoying your food and drink. This was my first visit to Holland and what an experience this was, I will certainly be recommending Groningen to my family and friends for a visit, I would like to thank NBTC for the invite and all that was involved in making this press trip so worth while and memorable. For more information on Groningen visit www.holland.com or to book flights to Groningen visit www.flybe.com
“onWhilst my
visit, we were lucky to be taken to a 3D full dome theatre to watch a movie
”
Matthew Allen Publisher - Essex Print & Publications Limited
Our first adventure was a guided city walk through Groningen. Although the capital city, Groningen itself, is actually more of a student city, with two large hospitals, a university, multiple higher education facilities and a few movie theatres. There is also a market which sells most things from curtain fabrics to fish and meat, which is all locally produced. The city centre also boasts several lovely bars and restaurants to choose from. After our guided walk through the city, we were taken for dinner at ‘t Feithuis restaurant where all the food again was fresh and locally and regionally produced. The food was not only presented in a professional way but tasted even better. Whilst on my visit, we were lucky to be taken to a 3D full dome theatre to watch a movie called ‘To Space And Back’ This was quite a unique experience for me, to watch
28
TO ADVERTISE IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE TELEPHONE 01702 530411
PLEASE MENTION ‘THIS IS YOUR ESSEX’ WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTS
29