One Day Groningen Itinerary
Groningen is a city in the Netherlands 🇳🇱, located in the province which shares the same name, Groningen. This city has over a thousand years of history but around the 13th century it became a well known trade route and villagers began to wall the city. Today, Groningen is a renown university city full of culture and history. Groningen is a foodie’s paradise and has an excellent beer scene. We spent a day exploring Groningen, checking out some of the popular attractions and landmarks and of course eating our way through the city. Here is our one day Groningen Itinerary.
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The city of Groningen is located in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands. Groningen is about a two hour drive from Amsterdam and about 30-minutes north of the city of Assen.
Groningen Airport Eelde is about 15 Km from the city center. There are a few flights daily from this airport that fly to and from Groningen from other European destinations.
There are three train stations around Groningen, Groningen Station being the main and most traveled station in the city.
Getting to Groningen is easily accessible by car as many highways lead to and from the city. Once in Groningen, it is best to explore the historical center by bicycle or on foot.
Our One Day Groningen Itinerary
Groningen is a large city in the Netherlands 🇳🇱 and deserves to be fully explored. There are magnificent cathedrals, miles of canals, and an abundance of bars and restaurants here that I’m sure are all fantastic. But let’s be realistic, unless you live here, there is no way to eat and see everything in one visit.
We did our research on Groningen before even departing on our trip to Europe. We had in mind a few of the attractions and sites around the city we wanted to see but left plenty of room for exploring. Food wise, we didn’t know what to expect. I mean, I’ve been to Amsterdam before with a few buddies, but we were broke college kids happy eating anything within our budget.
Here is our one day Groningen itinerary, to include all the sites we saw, food we ate, and beer (mostly me) we drank.
Morning: Always Starts with a Coffee and Pastry
When we travel, our days always begin with a coffee and nice breakfast. When in Europe, Jill and I love trying bakeries and are usually ever disappointed.
We wandered around looking for a bakery and there were a few options. Since we were near the Grote Markt area, we found a bakery called Bakker Bart. Bakker Bart had a few pastries we’ve never tried but also had some traditional items like danishes and donuts. I ordered a long bread filled with cheese and Jill had a sweet treat with an apple filling. We grabbed our coffee and teas and sat at their upstairs area to relax and better plan our one day Groningen Itinerary.
Walk Around Martinikerkhof
After a nice hot coffee and pastry, what better way to enjoy a new city then relax at a historical park. We found ourselves wanting to visit Martinikerk but it was closed. So we walked around the park next to Martinikerk hoping to kill some time until the church opened.
Walking around Martinikerkhof was one of the highlights for me in Groningen. It’s a typical European city park, but I loved the traditional Dutch architecture and buildings surrounding the park.
One of the buildings at the park was so crooked, it was amazing that it still stood. Crooked buildings are quite common to see around older European cities, but this one really stood out to me.
Martinikerk (Martin's Church)
Martinikerk (Martin’s Church) is Groningen’s oldest church. There has been a church at the current site since the year 800. Over time, the church has expanded and grown. The large tower seen today was erected between the years of 1470 and 1550. Like many buildings in Europe, the original tower did not survive as it burnt down but was rebuilt in the early 1600’s.
The tower is known to locals as Olle Grieze (the Old Grey One in Dutch) and is 97 meters tall.
Visitors can access the church and tour the tower during specific times. Jill and I had no luck entering the church. We came back throughout the day at different times but were unable to enter. I recommend visiting the Martinikerk website for updated times and admission fees.
Afternoon: Frites and Hot Chocolate
There is no argument that Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands have the best Frites or French Fries 🍟. I absolutely love going to a fest or food stall in these countries and being able to get a cone full of fries with a dollop of mayonnaise.
While in Groningen, we found a place called frietwinkel that sold mainly fries and small snacks. We originally walked by and saw all the fresh potatoes waiting to be cut into fries and had to stop in. We ordered a cone of fries with mayo and happily walked around town. The fries from frietwinkel were outstanding and made for a perfect afternoon lunch.
After snacking on fries, we ended up at a café called Chocolate Company ☕️. Jill mentioned something about Dutch Hot Chocolate. We typed hot chocolate in our phones and Chocolate Company showed up, so we darted here quickly after downing our fries.
Chocolate Company was a popular place during the afternoon especially with young students eager to get work done in a relaxing café. We both ordered hot chocolate unaware that there were like 60 flavors to choose from. Chocolate Company had a display of chocolate squares at the end of a spoon. Each chocolate cube was a different flavor. The baristas would make the hot chocolate with the chocolate square and the end result was a deliciously rich hot chocolate. I believe I ordered hazelnut and caramel and Jill had dark chocolate. The concept here of hot chocolate was next level, we loved Chocolate Company.
Walk the Canals and View the Boats
While walking around downtown Groningen, I couldn’t help but notice that there were no canals. I am used to places like Amsterdam where there are canals and bridges throughout the city. It wasn’t until we walked further from the city center where we started to notice the canals and then we looked at our maps to find out that a giant canal circles the downtown area of Groningen.
It was here, walking the canals where we really felt like we were in the Netherlands. The canals were lined with Dutch homes and businesses and the traditional ships were anchored at the side of the canals 🛶. We spent a solid hour walking footpaths along the canals. It seemed as if the canals continued in various directions accessing larger bodies of water.
Groninger Museum
If visiting Groningen, the Groninger Museum is a must. Jill and I had fun walking the outside of the museum viewing the interesting architecture of the museum and seeing the Scuba Kitty and Fish floating in the canal.
The Groninger Museum is an art museum with displays of modern art from both local and international artists. Honestly, I’m not that into art museums, especially modern art. The highlights for me was of the outside architecture of the museum and some of the artistic features nearby.
Sample Food Around Vismarkt
Vismarkt is a large square in the center of Groningen. We walked by here several times and there was always something going on. There appeared to be a weekend market going on when we visited and there was everything from fresh seafood stands to people selling flowers. When walking by at different times of the day, there was always some type of food truck here whether it be for stroopwafel’s or Döner Kebabs.
We walked by Vismarkt at one point and there was nothing going on. There are many shops and restaurants surrounding Vismarkt. You also get great views of Martinikerk and Akerk from the Vismarkt.
Evening: Ribs and Belgium Beers
One of the highlights of visiting Groningen was the food and beer especially the Belgian Beers 🍺. If like me, you are really into craft beer and Belgian Beer, then I recommend visiting a grocery store in Groningen and pick out a few Belgian Beers. We visited a grocery store called AH Gedempte Zuiderdiep and I was amazed by the beer selection and how cheap the beers were. I’m talking wonderful Belgian Beers for under €2. I picked up at least six different beers and sampled them over the course of a few days. My favorite Belgian Beers out of the bunch was the Affligem Tripel from Affligem Brouwerij and Paix Dieu from Brasserie Caulier 🍻.
To wrap up our one day in Groningen itinerary, we wanted to find a restaurant that served up traditional Dutch meals.
We found a restaurant called WEEVA near the Martini Hotel. Ribs weren’t on my mind until I saw them on the menu. Apparently, ribs aren’t just popular in the United States, they are also very popular in the Netherlands. When I was in Amsterdam with a couple friends, we found an all-you-can-eat rib joint and we demolished those ribs so I wanted to see if the ribs at WEEVA were comparable.
Surprisingly, the ribs I ordered at WEEVA were some of the best, I’ve ever had. The plate came out and consisted of three half rack of ribs along with fries, salad, and a variety of dipping sauces. They were fall off the bone and so flavorful. Trust me, there was no need for all-you-can-eat here, I was beyond full.
Jill ordered Stamppot Endive. Stamppot Endive is a Dutch dish that consists of mashed potatoes and a combination of other delicious foods like walnuts, cheese, and bacon. This is a Dutch comfort food and every household and restaurant has their own unique recipe.
After being in Japan for over 3 years, I wasn’t used to the huge food portions in the Netherlands. I asked the waiter about the food portions and apparently huge portions are typical in the Netherlands. If visiting Groningen, come hungry!
Common Questions When Planning a Trip to Groningen
What is Groningen Best Known for?
– Groningen is known for a lot and often gets overlooked since most people visiting the Netherlands travel to places like Amsterdam or Rotterdam. Groningen is most known as being a lively university city with a diverse culture. Famous landmarks in Groningen include the Martinikerk, Groninger Museum, and the Vismarkt.
Where is Groningen, Netherlands?
– Groningen is in the province of Groningen. About a tour hour drive from Amsterdam.
What Time Zone is Groningen, Netherlands in?
– Groningen is in the Central European Standard Time (CET).
Is Groningen a Good City to Live in?
– Personally, I have never lived in Groningen or the Netherlands. But from locals I talked to, everyone was very happy with living in Groningen. Locals like the culture brought by the university, the relaxed lifestyle, and easy access to things to do in Groningen.
Conclusion
Spending one day in Groningen offers visitors a chance to scratch the surface of visiting this lively city. Whether exploring the picturesque canals, visiting the museums, or sampling food at the local markets, Groningen will leave a lasting impression and make you want to come back to explore more. If you find yourself traveling around the Netherlands, do yourself a favor and stop and enjoy a day in Groningen or longer if time permits.
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Plan Your Trip: 🗺 ✈️ 🇳🇱
Booking Accommodations ⛺️ 🛖
For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com
Activities and Tours 🏖 🚁
Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.
In need of a car rental? 🚗 🚘
I recommend checking with Rental Cars.
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