The city of Groningen is the largest city of Northern Holland with 202.567 permanent residents. It is also considered to be the ideal “student city”, a place that invites you to get lost within its alleys, dance in jazz tunes and meet youngsters from all over the world. Its international flair and its vibrant nightlife made this place known as the Metropolis of the North!
Traveling across the Netherlands is quite easy. As a small country, most of its cities are within a short distance with each other (approximately 2 hours) and through various online pages, you can easily book your ticket for any destination you want. Once more, we neglected the fact that it was raining cats and dogs (better not expect a sunny day to travel!) and with a brief trip plan on a piece of paper, we hopped on the intercity train and within two hours and two trains, we reached our destination.
We reached the most central railway station of the city (there are three in total), called “Groningen” (the others are called “Groningen Europapark”, “Groningen Noord”) and at a first glance we saw many cars, some bus stops, a big canal with floating houses and in the background, some buildings of gothic architecture. As in most Dutch cities, cars are only allowed in certain areas, so we just happened to be around the city center. The safety of both cyclers and pedestrians comes always first.
Our first stop was the oldest University of the country, Groningen Rijksuniversiteit (aka RUG), found at one of the most central spots of the city (Broerstraat 5th). The town is so small and well-organized that you don’t even need a map or GPS to reach the city center. After several minutes walking past a canal (one of the many crossing the city), the shopping street of Grote Markt that resembles Ermou Street in Athens or a smaller Kartner Strasse in Vienna, we spotted the impressive building of the RUG.
A few info
- The RUG was founded in 1614 and initially provided solely religious education.
- It was the first University to accept a woman as a student, Aletta Jacobs. As well as this, notorious figures like the nobel prize winners Heike Kamerlingh Onnes and Ben Feringa, have studied here, as well as Wim Duisenberg, the first President of the European Central Bank.
- It is ranked as one the 100 best Universities worldwide.
A jazz city
If you wander around the area, you will notice that Groningen is filled with cafeterias and bars. Most of these places organize events with live music, mainly jazz. It is worth visiting Jazzcafe de Spieghel (addr.Peperstraat).
The students of the music academy Prince Claus Conservatoire, often conduct jazz jam sessions around the city (eg. Peter Pan jazz café, Café de Smederij), offering a great spectacle to both visitors and the locals. This is why Groningen is one of the most popular destinations for music lovers, especially in January when the annual music festival Eurosonic Noordeslag is held, hosting numerous bands and artists from around Europe and always closes with local musicians.
Nightlife
Although it is a small town, it has a very lively nightlife, mainly thanks to its students. Streets like Grote Markt, Vismarkt, Poelestraat and Peperstraat, burst with life during the evenings, even on weekdays, and in contrast with most northern European cities, its bars remain open until 5 in the morning! Not by chance at all that for two years in a roll (2005-2007), Groningen was voted as the Best City of Holland!
For the Cycling Enthusiasts
To top the award of Best City in Holland, here comes the title of Worldwide Bike City, with 57% of its population using their bikes as their main means of transport. The city offers a well-organized cycling network that makes it quite easy to explore the surroundings. However, if you wish to rent a car, there is a good road network around the city center.
360ο view
The city of Groningen is known as the Metropolis of the North and as the Martinistad (the town of Martini), thanks to its historical attraction, a tower called Martinitoren (Martini Tower). From the top of the tower you have a 360ο view of the whole city. Apart from a monument, it is Groningen’s trademark and thanks to its height, you can spot it from every corner of the city. So, in case you are lost and want to return to the city center, just look up, I am sure you will spot the tower’s top!
Tip: Right next to the Martini Tower, there is a cozy café that resembles a traditional Dutch house. Ideal for cold rainy days!
For the Travelers
The most popular and affordable way to travel across the Netherlands is by train (NS Trein). With only two hours route from Amsterdam, you have no excuse not visit Groningen. From there, you can also travel to other places as well using the international bus line (go to Hamburg, Berlin, Munich by Flixbus, Postbus).
It was already late in the evening and the rooftops were soaking wet by the constant showers. We had to return back to Enschede. After a quick stop at the station’s café for a hot cup of coffee and a snack, we took the first train to Overijse. Groningen is a small town that has a lot to offer. Filled with café and bars, friendly locals and an artistic flair, this city invites you to be a Groninger yourself!
Μαρία Ελένη Βασιλειάδη 