It's the first Wednesday in March, so hi everybody!
In case you missed my post on 50+ Local Beers Around the World, Paul and Cosette of KarsTravels recommended us Skuumkoppe in the Netherlands and this time, Cosette is also here to recommend the other thing that the country has to offer!
So, on this week's $10 we're going to the middle part of the Netherlands and go to Utrecht and see how far you could get around the city on the budget!
After covering a few cities from Haarlem to Rotterdam the other day, are you ready to see what you could get in Utrecht?
A Few Things You Can Do in Utrecht that Don't Break the Bank
Utrecht is a beautiful city in the middle of the Netherlands. It's usually overlooked by tourists for its big brother Amsterdam. But Utrecht should also be on your radar since it's just as beautiful, but less crowded with tourists.
Sadly with $10, which is about €8.34 in the local currency, you can't buy that much.
Museums in Utrecht have an entrance fee of about 14 euros (which is about 17 dollars).
Did you know?
Utrecht used to have a porn cinema until it was closed in 1991. Located at Vredenburg 29, it was started as a cinema that transformed into a porn cinema in 1913. Eventually, the cinema was closed due to the declining number of visitors. Which isn't surprising at all. I mean, we'd all rather see porn in private, right?!
But what can you do with 10 dollars in Utrecht? Well, you can have an excellent lunch!
1. Broodje Mario.
Broodje Mario is the most famous dish being sold in Utrecht. If you go to Utrecht you have to have a broodje Mario (Mario bun). A large bun layered with cheese, salami, chorizo and some raw veggies (rauwkost).
It's delicious and an iconic dish since 1977. Every new student in the city will be introduced to it and every local knows it.
A broodje Mario will cost you €3.50 and a double layered bun will set you back €4.50. A soda to go with it will cost you €2.50. So for €7 you will have a good lunch. There's also a vegetarian option of the bun.
2. Take a Free Walking Tour.
Luckily there are also free things to do in the city. You can take a Free Walking Tour, there are 2 companies that offer these and in 2 hours you can see a lot of Utrecht.
3. Walk around the street art.
You can also go on a self-guided walking tour through Utrecht. Utrecht has some beautiful street art throughout the city, go on a walk and cover some of the street art in Utrecht.
Street art in Utrecht.
Next to street art, Utrecht also has a beautiful canal area. The oldest and most visited part of the canals is the Oudegracht.
4. Visit the Oudegracht.
The Oudegracht is from before the 10th Century, the rest of the canals were also built in the Middle Ages. Since there was a chance of flooding, the banks on the canals were heightened. This in turn gave room for wharves and vaulted cellars.
Those cellars are nowadays filled with restaurants, artists and pubs. In Summer time sit down on one of the terraces and have a coffee. This will cost you between €3.50 and €4.50. So you can do this about 2 or 3 times during your self-guided tour.
Dom Tower, Utrecht.
5. Dom Square.
On the canals you can admire some beautiful historical buildings, like Oudaen (a city castle). On the Dom square, are the Dom Tower and the Dom Church. They used to be connected with a nave. But in 1674 a rare tornado made the nave collapse.
Extensive archeological research has been conducted and you can see the history of the churches built on this square lined out on the square. So walk around and imagine how it looked like all those years ago.
As you can see you can have a full day in Utrecht with just $10 in your pocket.
Contributor: Cosette from KarsTravels.
Cosette Karsmakers blogs about road trips and family travel. She's happiest when on the road, in nature, or sitting down with a good book.
