holland – Μαρία Ελένη Βασιλειάδη

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 5^th). 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!

Windmills, Gouda cheese, tulips, canals, coffee shops, Amstel brewery; these are probably the most common answers someone could give when asked to describe Holland. At a first glance yes, the aforementioned are a trademark of the Low Lands, but in reality, there is so much more than meets the eye. Apart from the most popular Dutch destinations, there are small towns near Amsterdam, ready to be explored without having to spend a fortune. At one of these towns, I had the chance to spend almost a month, with a low budget of course, so I decided to collect my notes and share them with those who believe that a true traveler is anyone who explores places that are not displayed on magazine covers. Let’s meet the city of Enschede!

A gothic student town that may not have an airport, but it is still easily accessible by train from the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. The intercity train premises are located inside the airport and the route is exactly two hours. Tip: It is recommended that you book your ticket a couple of days prior and have it printed on the train.

A relatively small town, with 100.000 residents but the lifestyle of a small village, it preserves its vibrant essence thanks to the international students that arrive on an annual basis, from all over the world. The city center features picturesque buildings, most of them built during B’ World War, since Enschede was completely destroyed during the German raid. The only buildings of gothic rhythm that survived the invasion are the churches of the town, two of them located in Oude Markt, the most central square of the area that gathers all the youngsters thanks to its numerous café-bistro and bars.

Accessible Art

Buurtkamer De Vleeschhouwerij: For museum and exhibition enthusiasts that can’t afford or don’t wish to pay an entrance fee, the Buurtkamer De Vleeschhouwerij museum is the ideal choice. A former butcher shop that reopened in 2011 and exhibits items and furniture that survived the invasion of B’ World War. In addition, someone can also admire pieces of local artists that regularly change.

Creatief Atelier Twente: Α unique gallery that exhibits art by disabled students, located in the University of Twente. The entrance to the gallery is free of charge and someone has the chance to observe the artists on act, especially during morning hours.

Having a good lunch or enjoy a drink is a must even for low budget travelers. Life in smaller towns around Amsterdam, offer a cheaper lifestyle and maybe this is why so many students choose to study in cities like Enschede. The following suggestions are indicative and are based on the good quality combined with affordable prices (value for money).

Happy Italy: Authentic, Italian cuisine in a pleasant, youthful environment, right in the city center. A grande pizza only costs 4 – 6,5 euros!

Soestdijk Grand Café: The ideal spot for afternoon coffee or drink. Vintage atmosphere, excellent service and of course, low prices! Two double cappuccino with a Baileys shot as a special treat, only for 4 euros and a cold glass of beer for only 2 euros.

Flea Market Langestraat: At the most central place of the town, where all locals meet for their daily shopping, a big flea market is set every weekend and on holidays, where you can literally find everything: local cheese, warm donuts, alcoholic drinks and beverages, freshly squeezed juice and so on. If you happen to wander around the market, you will find second hand clothes and accessories. If you wish to feel like a local and enjoy local delicacies, you should definitely pay a visit!

For Nature Lovers…

Netherlands, the country of cyclists- not by chance- with well – organized trails, streets and wonderful nature that offers extraordinary views during the year. If you are a cycling or trekking enthusiast then Enschede is the perfect place for you! Someone can choose between the three biggest parks: Abraham Ledeboerpark, Volkspark and Wesselerbrinkpark, open 24 hours a day and suitable for various activities for all seasons. A quite popular choice is the campus of the University of Twente. Full of small rivers, lakes, deciduous and evergreen trees, chickens, flamingos and other animals, it is the ideal place for jogging, cycling or trekking. The campus also has a cafeteria for some relaxing moments after a long walk in nature.

Enschede is a town that someone can easily feel familiar with. The picturesque streets, the nature itself creating a fairytale landscape and friendly and polite locals, are going to make you love this place from the first moment. So close to Amsterdam and with affordable transportation, you have no excuse!

Also published at Parallaxi Magazine