Groningen

Understand

Archaeologists have found traces of habitation from the Neolithic and the later Iron Age. The city appeared in writing in the year 1040 as "Villa Cruoninga", apparently already a place of some significance. The city has a rich history, which can be seen clearly from the Medieval buildings in the downtown area. In the 13th century, when the city was an important trade centre, its inhabitants built a city wall to underline its authority. The city had a strong influence on the surrounding lands and made its dialect a common tongue. The most influential period of the city was the end of the 15th century, when the nearby province of Friesland was administered from Groningen. During those years, the Martini Tower was built, which loomed over the city at (then) 127 m tall, making it the highest building in Europe at the time. The city's independence came to an end when it chose to join forces with the Spanish during the Eighty Years' War in 1594. It was later reconquered, and joined the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. In 1614, the University of Groningen was founded for religious education. In the same period the city expanded rapidly and a new city wall was built. That city wall was tested during the Third Anglo-Dutch War in 1672, when the city was attacked fiercely by the Bishop of Münster, Bernhard von Galen. The city walls resisted, an event which is celebrated with music and fireworks on 28 August (as "Groningens Ontzet" or "Bommen Berend"). The city did not escape the devastation of World War II. In particular, the main square, Grote Markt, was largely destroyed in April 1945, during the Battle of Groningen, which lasted several days. However, the Martinitoren, its church, the Goudkantoor, and the city hall were not substantially damaged. Nowadays the city of Groningen is nationally renowned for the university, the museum and its vibrant atmosphere. 50% of the citizens are below the age of 30, making this the youngest city in the country. For decades, the bicycle has played a central role in the lives of people in the city, and today accounts for no less than 60% of all traffic movement with more bikes than citizens.

Climate

The temperate climate is pleasant in Groningen, without extremes due to its coastal climate. Due to its location in the north of the Netherlands, during winter the average temperatures of this city are slightly lower than the average of the rest of the Netherlands. Snow and freezing temperatures are common in the winter but rarely last more than a few days. 30°C in the summer is not exceptional. Most average daytime high

Getting there

By plane Groningen is served by 1 Groningen Airport Eelde, (GRQ IATA), Machlaan 14a Eelde, ☏ +31 50 3097070. The airport of Groningen offers two flights per week from Gdansk (Wizz Air), and various other scheduled flights from selected cities and holiday destinations in Greece, Portugal, Spain, Canary Islands and Turkey. The Brussels, Munich and Copenhagen flights are operated by Nordica, in cooperation with Star Alliance members such as SAS, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines. Therefore, many destinations are reachable from Groningen with a transfer at Copenhagen Airport, Munich Airport or Brussels Airport. Groningen is also easily reached by direct train (2.5 hr) from Schiphol Airport, which has far more direct connections than Groningen Airport. To travel between the airport and the city:

Bus 9 runs twice per hour between the airport and city. The journey to the centre takes approximately 40 minutes. €5 one way, tickets can be purchased from the driver, or use the OV-chipkaart. Not all line 9 buses go to the airport, but this is clearly stated on the digital rollsigns. You can no longer buy bus tickets with cash. Make sure you have a card valid in the Netherlands (Maestro is best) or be ready to negotiate with the driver. Bus 100 is a special shuttle bus to and from the airport starting at the Central Station, but only around the Copenhagen, Brussels, Munich, London and Gdansk flights. Besides Central Station, bus 100 also stops at the main down town places and hotels (including Hampshire Plaza Hotel in the southern part of the city), and the academic UMCG Hospital. This bus trip takes about 20 minutes from the Central Station and costs €5 one way, tickets at the driver. Taxis are not always available at the airport. If you wish to travel by taxi, book in advance. A taxi to the city will cost you €25-30.

By train

By Dutch standards, it's a fairly long way from the major destinations in the western Netherlands. Getting here, however, is not hard. Groningen has three train stations, the main station (2 Station Groningen, often called 'Hoofdstation'), 3 Groningen Europapark and 4 Groningen Noord. All trains eventually arrive at the central station; only a few trains stop at the smaller stations. Tickets for all train journeys can be purchased at the train station or online at NS.nl. There are two trains departing from Groningen Station to southern destinations like Amsterdam and Rotterdam every hour. One train terminates in The Hague and the other train terminates in Rotterdam. The train towards The Hague also calls at Amsterdam South Station and

Getting around

Like most cities in the Netherlands, Groningen's historic city center is surrounded by a canal, the diepenring. Most of the sights are within this area, and the Central Station is 50 m outside it, and the museum built in it. Within the diepenring, traffic is very restricted; Groningen's centre is designed to be as traffic-free as possible, and it is very difficult to drive and park within this area. Even resident parking permits are strictly rationed. However, the central area is compact and can be easily crossed on foot or with a bicycle. Further out, Groningen has a loosely connected ring road, consisting of several N-roads forming a rather square ring shape around the centre. The city sprawls somewhat and crosses this ring in places, but most of the population live within this area.

By bike Cycling is the best way to travel around. Getting from any place in Groningen to the centre will take at most 20 minutes. This makes the bike a fast, cheap and easy way to travel in Groningen. Don't get scared by the overwhelming number of bicycles. The city houses tens of thousands of students, whose primary means of transportation is the bike. Bicycle theft is pretty high. Most bikes have one lock, but it is best to use a good second lock (preferably a strong chain lock for least €30).

By bus If you don't have a bike, the bus is the best option for distances you don't want to walk. All buses run through (or end on) Central station. Most buses have a stop at the Grote Markt square (central downtown). The major bus lines are listed below. Tickets are available from the driver (during off-peak periods you can buy a Eurokaartje, cost €2.50) or use the OV-chipkaart for payment. The Central Station is listed as bus stop "Hoofdstation" in and on buses and on bus stops. As mentioned earlier, buses no longer accept cash. Bring a card that works in the Netherlands (Maestro is best) or be ready for disappointment.

Q-Link Q-Link is a group of 5 bus services which are air conditioned, have a WiFi connection, and run from city destinations to places just outside the region. One exception for line 15 which is a student express line to Zernike.

Line 1 runs from the Central Station to the Zernike/Zuidhorn, via Grote Markt, Noorderplantsoen and Paddepoel. Line 3 runs from Lewenborg to Leek via Kardinge, Grote Markt, Central Station and P+R Hoogkerk. Line 4 runs from Beijum to Roden via Kardinge, Grote Markt, Central Station and P+R Hoogkerk. Line 5 runs from station Europapark to Annen via UMCG Hospital, Grote Markt, Central Station, P+R Haren and Zuidlaren. Sometime

See

Downtown Groningen is pleasant and interesting. The city centre provides plenty of cultural heritage and a laid-back atmosphere. Together with the excellent Groninger Museum, it forms the main attraction for visitors. Like many cities in the Netherlands, the centre is surrounded by a canal. Several historic canals have been "gedempt", or filled, however, and turned into streets. This is reflected in their names, and you'll likely find yourself strolling along the Gedempte Zuiderdiep. The heart of the city is formed around the two adjoining market squares, The Grote Markt (or Great Market) and the Vismarkt (or Fish Market). Standing tall on the edge of the Grote Markt is the Martini Tower, a true landmark for Groningen and one of its main attractions.

Architecture

Warfare left hundreds of buildings in ruins in 1945, but a good number of monuments remain. Strolling through the city centre you'll encounter former canal warehouses, the city hall, several churches, the former Gold Office and many other historic buildings. The city has, with success, attempted to find a balance between modern architecture and historic grandeur. The latest initiative is a major renewal of the eastern side of the Grote Markt. Typical Dutch architecture is the Amsterdamse School, a style of architecture that arose from 1910 through about 1930 in Amsterdam. The Amsterdam School movement is part of international Expressionist architecture, sometimes linked to German Brick Expressionism. While Amsterdam has the most buildings in this style, Groningen also has some wonderful edifices, and sometimes called the northern capital of Amsterdamse School. 1 Vensterschool Stadspark at Parkweg in the lovely Grunobuurt district and 2 Bureau Gemeentewerken at Gedempte Zuiderdiep 96 are worth walking along. There are a number of special architectural skyscrapers. The Kempkensberg is a 25-storey high-rise building in the south of the city and is commonly called 'The Cruiseship' by locals. The Gasunie Building is considered to be a great example of an ‘organic building’, situated on the edge of the Stadspark.

3 Dot, Vrydemalaan 2. Originally known as Infoversum, this remarkable structure was built as the only full-dome 3D theatre in the Netherlands, before it was turned in a modern restaurant and cultural center. Located near the city beach. In winter, the building is decorated with thousands of lights, turning it into the largest Christmas decoration in the world. 4 Wall House II. Open during exhibitions Sa Su 13:00-17:00. The Wall House II is a building in the south of the city located on

Do

Football: FC Groningen were promoted in 2024 so they play soccer in Eredivisie, the top tier. Their home ground Euroborg (capacity 22,500) is 2 km southeast of city centre.

Cycling Groningen is a cycling city par excellence. The inhabitants of Groningen possess an average of 1.4 bikes per person. The city features the highest cycling rate for anywhere on the planet; almost 60% of journeys are by bike. Groningen is arguably the world's best cycling city. 40 years ago the local government made a radical choice to ban the car from the centre of the city to increase liveability in the city. Since then, cycling has evolved into the new normal. Some cycling features:

Bikes everywhere A bunch of guarded bike stalls across the city Free way for cyclists with the many cycling lanes Priority on roundabouts Shared space with pedestrians in quieter and narrower streets Traffic lights with rain sensors to give quicker priority to cyclists on wet days Traffic lights that go green for all bikes from all directions (has to be seen at rush hour to be appreciated!) Bicycles are available for rent at a number of places around town like 1 Fietsverda, 2 TrendEwheels (only e-bikes), 3 Stuurwold and 4 Fietsje (carrier bikes!). Bikes are also available at the Central Station with the OV-Chipkaart. Many hotels offer bike rental to their guests, usually for fees of roughly €10 or less per day. Renting an electric bike is a little more expensive, but a lot of fun and very interesting for longer trips outside the city. Bike maps are available at the tourist information centre. Use the map to explore the city and the surrounding areas or follow a signposted cycle route using the Dutch cycle junction network. There is also a possibility to discover the city's highlights with a 2½-hour 5 guided bicycle tour. You have to book this tour in advance. Departure from May through October every Friday at 14:30 and Saturday at 10:30.

Relaxing

Paterswoldsemeer lake Locals love to spend their leisure time at Paterswoldsemeer south of the city, and cool down on hot days. On windy days sailors and surfers find their way to the lake. It is also popular with cyclists and joggers. There are beaches, marinas, boat rentals, restaurants, and accommodations. Rental sail boats and canoes are available at the 6 Zuidwesthoek Marina is the place to be if you want to rent a boat or canoe. 1 Beachclub Kaap Hoorn, at the north-western corner of the lake, is a lovely location for a drink with lakeview. At the adjacent water skiing club you can take introductory waterskiing lessons or have a fun ride on

Buy

Groningen is the largest place to go for shopping in the region, and offers a wide range of large and small stores, including international and national chains and a good number of small speciality shops.

Opening hours With some exceptions, shops close at 18:00 on weekdays and Saturday and Sunday at 17:00. Thursday is "buying-evening", on this day a lot of shops are open until 21:00. In downtown almost all shops are open on Sundays, but not before noon. Supermarkets are generally open from 08:00-22:00.

Downtown area All streets within the central canal ring are low traffic due to restrictions - but watch out for cyclists, who don't often pay attention to pedestrian crossings. The Herestraat, the city's longest pedestrianised shopping street, runs south off the Grote Markt and contains most of the city's everyday shopping needs and 'standard' Dutch clothing stores and chains. This is where you'll find Hema, Blokker, C&A, Zara and so on. The Westerhaven, at the western edge of the centre, houses some big stores like Media Markt and Primark. Other shopping streets extend out from the Grote Markt and the Vismarkt. These streets are often worth a look too. AKerkhof contains higher-end brand shops, for example Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss and Marc O'Polo, but also houses some great food stores. For example 'Droppie', a store selling typical Dutch liquorice. The Zwanestraat and the Grote Kromme Elleboog contain a lot of specialty shops selling beer, herbs and spices, coffee, cooking utensils, etc. Especially take a look at the Dille & Kamille shop and the gift store Truus & Bregje. The most picturesque shopping street is called the Folkingestraat; it runs south from the Korenbeurs (the former wheat exchange) at the end of the Vismarkt towards the museum bridge and the Central Station. It has a lot of little shops full of firsthand and secondhand little gifts, intercultural foods and great books. 'De Bourgondiër' is a specialty shop in the Folkingestraat selling local products like wine, typical Groninger sausages, mustard, cheese and candy. Have a look into oriental supermarket Le Souk. The lovely Oude Kijk in 't Jatstraat has different characteristic shops including plenty of art galleries, a travel bookshop, two branches of a great coffee and tea chain, an excellent independent bakery, a particularly nice cafe, shops selling toys and games, and a few second-hand furniture and clothes shops. Place for the best cake in town. Other noteworthy shopping streets in downtown are Oosterstraat, Oude Ebbingestraat and Zuiderdiep. For fair & eco fashion have a look a

Eat

Local specialties

A typical 'Groninger' specialty is Groninger worst, a sausage made from raw minced pork which is then air dried. You can buy this sausage in every supermarket and butchery. When visiting a snackbar, you should try a eierbal. The eierbal is a ball-shaped croquette, filled with veal and a whole egg. The eierbal is seen as the Groninger variant of the Dutch croquette. The Netherlands is known for its cheese. Groningen has some typical Dutch cheese stores:

5 Kaashandel van der Ley, Oosterstraat 61. Tu-F 09:00-18:00, Sa 09:00-17:00. Van der Ley is one of the best cheese stores in the world. Look for local organic varieties, such as green pesto cheese or farmers crumblecheese (boerenbrokkelkaas). (updated Oct 2022) 6 Groninger Kaasboetiek, Astraat 5. M 13:00-18:00, Tu-Sa 09:30-18:00. (updated Jan 2023)

Groningen continues the 'simple and straightforward' cuisine that the Netherlands is known for. Nevertheless the centre of Groningen has many nice little cafes or restaurants where you can eat. As befits a real university city, there are plenty of cafe-restaurants where you can eat for about €15.

Budget 7 Eeterie De Globe, Akerkhof 22, ☏ +31 50 3182226. Three different main courses each day (one meat, one fish, one veg.). Many customers eat here several times per week. (updated Feb 2023) 8 Land van Kokanje, Oude Boteringestraat 9, ☏ +31 50 3180622. 11:00–01:00. For big and great lunch-salads and nice hamburgers. (updated Feb 2023) 9 FEBO, Vismarkt 1 (On the corner of the Vismarkt), ☏ +31 50 3133102. Opening hours vary; min. 13:00-00:00, 11:30- 07:00. In case of emergency! If you've left it too late before heading out for food and the restaurants have closed their kitchens, you can get all your deep-fried nutritional needs met at the FEBO automat. (updated Feb 2023) 10 Het Concerthuis, Poelestraat 30. Indie-styled restaurant and bar. Food-sharing is the credo here and lovely place for alternative drinks. (updated Feb 2023) 11 El Maïda, Folkingestraat 19. (updated Feb 2023) 12 Café de Sleutel, Noorderhaven Z.z. 72. (updated Feb 2023) 13 Westersingel Bar, Westersingel 1. (updated Feb 2023)

Mid-range 14 't Pannekoekschip, Schuitendiep 1017 (It's a masted sailing ship moored on the inner side of the Schuitendiep canal - you can't miss it), ☏ +31 50 3120045. Daily 12:00-21:00. Unashamedly touristy, the Pannekoekschip ("pancake ship") is an old sailing ship that's been turned into a pancake restaurant, serving huge and delicious Dutch pancakes. €12-25. (updated Feb 2023) 15 De Uurwerker, Uurwerkersplein 1. Vibrant restaurant and bar, ni

Drink & nightlife

Groningen's reputation as a university town is borne out in its nightlife, which is comprehensive, with numerous options for drinking and clubbing. There are also several places to play pool/billiards. Most bars have the standard Dutch beers, but more and more international, especially Belgian, beers are beginning to have a presence. Bars in the down town area do not have fixed closing hours. Theoretically they can stay open for 24 hours a day, which a few bars do. The largest nightlife area in Groningen is the Poelestraat area, located southeast of the Grote Markt. Here you'll find a lot of clubs and bars. The busiest nights are Thursday to Friday (student night) and Saturday to Sunday. Some of the biggest electronic music parties in the Netherlands can be found here and are listed on Partyflock (in Dutch).

For a drink This is a list of bars which are excellent for a drink during the day and during the evening. You'll find most bars and cafes around Grote Markt square, Gedempte Zuiderdiep and Poelestraat. Don't forget however to have a look for bars in the other streets.

1 De Pintelier, Kleine Kromme Elleboog 9. Open daily from 15:00, closing Su-Th at 02:00 and F and Sa at 03:00. Traditional Belgian pub serving more than 80 kinds of beer and whiskey. 2 Cafe de Koffer, Nieuwe Blekerstraat 1. Daily 16:00-03:00. Another "speciaalbier" pub. Lots of bottled beers, and a few on tap. Most are Belgian or Dutch, but there are also a few American and British beers on the menu - a real rarity around here. 3 Der Witz, Grote Markt 47. A 'Brown Café' on the Grote Markt in a very small building. Serving many kinds of beer. 4 Het Kasteel, Peperstraat 25. A compact international student hangout on Peperstraat. Sells Jäger and other shots for €1 and 13-beer 'zwaards' ('a sword') for €10. 5 Huis de Beurs, A-Kerkhof Zuid Zijde 4. On the southwestern corner of Vismarkt. Has made a come-back and is very trendy now. Live piano music in the evening. The first Dutch socialist party was founded here. 6 De Drie Gezusters (Three Sisters), Grote Markt 39. Possibly the largest bar in the Netherlands, as well as in Europe. Many bars connected in a mazelike fashion; has several façades on the Grote Markt that look like separate bars, but don't let that deceive you. 7 De Kostery, Martinikerkhof 2 (corner of the Grote Markt, next to the Martinitoren). Family style. Nice terrace in summertime. 8 O'Cealleighs, Gedempte Kattendiep 13. A small Irish pub with good atmosphere; the place people go to play a bit of Irish folk in the evening. 9 The Pacific, Oosterstraat 65. Aussie pu

Sleep

As it is a fairly popular city trip destination among the Dutch, Groningen has plenty of choices for places to stay. There are no real top-end hotels however, so if you're out for luxury, you'll have to resort to some of the better mid-range places. Still, there are several very nice, historic hotels as well as a range of semi-modern and modern mid-range options. Travellers minding their budgets will find that accommodation here is relatively cheap.

Budget 1 Camping Stadspark, Campinglaan 6, 9727 KH Groningen (2 miles SW of city centre), ☏ +31 50 5251624, [email protected]. Open from March to October, this camping ground is in the Stadspark, a large, wooded park just outside the ring road. If you're carrying a tent, this can be a nice budget alternative. Reception closes for lunch. Bring your own toilet paper. Free Wi-Fi around reception area only. On-site restaurant/cafe. €18 for a spot, 2 people and showers. (updated Aug 2018) 2 Simplon Youth Hotel (Simplon Jongerenhotel), Boterdiep 73, ☏ +31 50 3135221. This youth hostel has been around for a long time and remains a popular budget pick. Bunk-beds starting at €18.50. Rooms for up to 6 people are available, too. 3 RebelRebel Hostel, Energieweg 10, ☏ +31 683695965, [email protected]. The only container hostel in the country. Environmentally responsible, offering breakfast and bike rentals. €17. 4 Scandinavisch Dorp (Scandinavian Village Cabins), Oude Badweg 1 Eelderwolde, ☏ +31 50 5256867, [email protected]. The 'Scandinavian Village' by the Paterswoldsemeer lake offers nice cabins in Scandinavian style. The cabins will provide you with a terrace, kitchen with a refrigerator, kitchenware and bathroom. €49 for two persons.

Mid-range

5 Apollo Hotel, Laan van de Vrijheid 91, ☏ +31 50 7630070. In the La Liberté high-rise building, nice views. From €80 for a double. 6 Bud Gett Hostel, Rademarkt 3-3a (half way between the railway station and the city centre), ☏ +31 50 5886558. Its decoration is inspired by Dutch painter Piet Mondrian and beds are made when you arrive. Dorm beds from €25, private doubles from €55. 7 City Hotel Groningen, Gedempte Kattendiep 25, ☏ +31 50 588 6565, [email protected]. This large hotel has simple but modern rooms and a nice rooftop terrace. It can be a little bit noisy at times, but overall this place gives good value for money. Rooms come in different types, with the more expensive ones being quite a bit more spacious. The staff is helpful and there are facilities like a sauna and Turkish steam bath. The hotel rents out bikes for €5

Go next

The small town of Appingedam with its medieval town centre is well worth exploring, and it is famous for the "hanging kitchens". The star fort of Bourtange is another good choice and is less than an hour away by car. Explore the historical region of Middag-Humsterland by car or bicycle. The region is one of the oldest cultural landscapes of Western Europe and known for the villages built on wierdes (artificial hills) to shelter themselves and their stock from the high tide. Visit the seal rescue centre in Pieterburen. Catch a bus to Lauwersoog, only to hop on a ferry to the island Schiermonnikoog. This small island is a popular day- or weekendtrip destination. Take the train to Uithuizen and visit the Menkemaborg, a particular kind of castle and one of the oldest and best kept examples of its kind in the region. Visit the Drentsche Aa National Park and take a walk in the valley of the small river the Drentsche Aa, through the wide heathlands or the diverse forests. The famous dolmen sites are also here.