Netherlands off the beaten path

I'll plump for Utrecht, a very underrated city in my opinion. Lovely canals,much different and much more accessible than Amsterdam, great little restaurants along the canal banks, interesting history and sites, and massive market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

the open air museum in Arnhem is not to be missed my favorite afternoon in all of europe

Maastricht is enjoyable enough for a stroll, although I can't think of anything unique here, other than all the usual features of a typical Dutch city (stadhuis, grote markt, cathedral, pedestrian shopping streets, etc.) minus the canals.

There's a nice open-air folk museum across the border in Belgium, just outside the city of Genk:

http://www1.limburg.be/bokrijk/index.html

Liege left me less than impressed.

Back in the '70's...

This is before I was born, of course.

My mom took me to Gouda (you know, where the cheese we mispronounce comes from) to meet my Great Aunt.

It was there, at the open market, that I had the BEST Stroopwaffle I ever tasted.
Just watching them assemble them, fresh off the old-school, fire-heated griddles, would be worth the trip in my mind.

I also would recommend Utrecht. The train is right in the center and a quick walk through the mall/station "Hoog Catherine" will get you within a block to the Oude Gracht canal which is bi-level; lower level wharf side has restaurants, small boats, rowing clubs, and paddle boat rentals ; the upper level has shops, cafes, more restaurants ( I believe San Antonio came here for ideas before restoring their river walk). They have good museums, my favorite is the Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Flower market on Saturdays on the upper level of the canal, regular market coming out of the mall with the same stroopwaffel maker as in Gouda, actually they have two vendors so you can choose your favorite, a street organ if you are lucky and he is around town that day. Was there May 15-18th and missing it already.

I visited Utrecht earlier this month, mostly because Norm has been bragging about the place for a couple of years now:) To be honest, I was underwhelmed by the city:( Perhaps my expectations were too high, but being forced to walk through that long shopping mall to get to the centrum was a real turn off. I didn't find the city to be that scenic, IMO Amsterdam is prettier. The outdoor markets in Delft and Alkmaar are better. On a positive note, the recessed canals are unique, and I'm sure they are a very pleasant way to spend an evening (I visited midday). Of all the smaller cities I visited in Holland so far, Utrecht goes on the bottom of my list.

If you like to bike there are many lovely rides in the areas you mentioned.

1. Maastricht - you can do a three country ride through the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. On the way you pass the Netherlands-American WW2 cemetery and go through countryside that is different from the rest of the Netherlands. The Take One Beer cafe is nice in Maastricht is nice and there is a botel to stay in for a different accomodation experience

2. Gouda - there is a loop ride from Gouda that goes through Kinderdijk and beautiful farmland. I would definitely visit Kinderdijk, whether by bike or bus - it is an amazing site.

I think Domburg in Zeeland is a wonderful place to spend a weekend. The beaches and dunes are beautiful. You can stay at the Stay Okay hostel in Domburg that is a castle. There are lots of interesting villages that are bikable from Domburg ~oyster and mussels beds, WW2 sites, and natural areas.

Utrecht is a lovely city - you just have to ignore the shopping mall. The Reitveld-Schroeder House and Dick Bruna museum are great sites. There are also a handful of other smaller museums that are worth a visit (Aboriginal Art Museum, Musical Instruments Museum, and Central Museum). There is also a castle that you can tour right outside of town. The flower market on Saturdays is one of the best I have seen.

I also throw in a vote for Arnheim. Love the Huge Veluwe National Park (do some biking through there) and the Kröller-Müller Museum.

http://www.kmm.nl/?lang=en

I agree with the positive comments about Utrecht. It's a great town!

s'Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch to the locals) is a very cute town with nice restaurants and a good vibe. It's worth an afternoon I would say.

I have been told Maastricht is definitely worth it - I have family throughout Holland and they always recommend it. So, this year when I go to Holland I plan to hit Maastricht.

Also, if you have time, the cheese museum is kind of fun to see -- it's in Alkmaar.

Have a great time! There's a lot to see in the Netherlands, that's just a start!

I thought Maastricht was a lovely city and very much enjoyed the tour through the tunnels.

I'm an American living in the Netherlands (married a Dutchman), in any case, I've lived in Utrecht for 5 years now and must say it is quite a charming city. Be aware that it is not comparable to Amserdam as it is a University town and much more quaint and cozy in contrast with Amsterdam which is much bigger and much more touristy. It all depends on what you want, and don't get me wrong, you can find the quaintness in Amsterdam, you just have to know where to look. I would suggest if you do go to Utrecht, follow the path of the old canal (Oudegracht) and that will take you along many of the cute restaurants and shops. Additionally, Utrecht is known for it's Dom Tower, which was originally part of a church but now stands free. You can climb up the stairs for outstanding views of the city. http://www.domtoren.nl/en Additionally, within the square of the Dom tower is the tourist office, VVV, which can give you helpful hints for things to see and do. VVV offices are located throughout the Netherlands and are a good contact within any city. Happy traveling!

I'm not sure, James, but it not going to be far off. Meredith from Utrecht, Netherlands, Its nice to hear about Utrecht, a place I enjoy visiting. But there's just the off chance that since 2009 mark from Los Angeles has had his answer. It might be nice to start a new thread, under Trip Reports, with the information, so as not to disturb the OP. Welcome to the Helpline, and thanks for the contribution...