Good college towns are a dime a dozen, but great college towns are hard to come by. Fortunately, the Dutch city of Groningen is great!

As far as being a college town, Groningen easily meets the bare minimum: a full quarter of the 200,000 people living in the area are students. But it goes well beyond the basics in its delightful combination of charm, creativity, intellectualism, and vibrancy. It’s small enough to be walkable and bikeable, but large enough to have lots to do. And it’s not just for students! Groningen is well worth a day’s visit (or more).

How To Spend a Great Day in Groningen

How should you spend your time? I’ve laid out an itinerary below, but it’s a lot, especially in a town that has so many nooks and crannies to explore. Feel free to pick and choose. Just one quick note before you strike out for the day: make sure to check opening dates and times, especially for the Martinitoren and the Groninger Museum.

Visit Forum Groningen

Start your morning with a visit to Forum Groningen, a single building in the heart of town that houses a visitor center, a cinema, exhibition spaces, the Storyworld museum, food and beverage outlets, and a multi-floor library (where you can play pool!).

Forum also has killer views, so take the elevator up as high as you can if you want to look out on the nearby sights.

On your way out, make sure to check out the city model on the ground floor for an overview of what you’re about to see.

Peek Into a Hofje

When you’ve exhausted Forum (which could take a while), head over to one of the city’s historic almshouses, or hofjes. There are at least eight to choose from, but the closest one to Forum is the Pepergasthuis, also known as the Sint Geertruidsgasthuis. Founded in 1405 to house the pilgrims that came to see a relic of St. John the Baptist in the nearby Martinikerk, the Pepergasthuis was later turned into small apartments for the elderly. Hofjes are usually small, sweet spaces, and this one is no exception.

Stroll Through the Prinsentuin

It’s a ten-minute walk from here to the charming Prinsentuin. This tiny Renaissance-style garden was created in 1626 by two nobles with very big names: Ernst Casimir of Nassau-Dietz and Sophia Hedwig of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

After walking through the hedges and admiring this impressive 1731 sundial …

… stroll back toward the center of town for a visit to the must-see Martinitoren.

Climb Up the Martinitoren

This grand structure is the fifteenth-century tower of the Martinikerk, and at 97 meters, it’s the tallest church steeple in the city. The best thing is that for a small fee, you can climb up all 260 stairs to see the 52-bell carillon and a great view down over the whole city.

Snack in the Grote Markt

Once you’ve looped your way back down, down, down the stairs, wander through the Grote Markt, Groningen’s central square.

If you need lunch, there’s plenty to eat around here. And if you’re lucky — no promises — the Stropiewafel truck will be in town. Lekker!

Explore the University

From the Grote Markt, it’s just a five-minute walk to the heart of the University of Groningen. Founded in 1614, this is the second-oldest university in the Netherlands (Leiden was the first), and it’s fun to see the area around this hub of student life.

Explore the Aa-Kerk and the Canals

If you drop just a couple of blocks south, you’ll pass by the Aa-Kerk, or Aa Church, a major city landmark from the fifteenth century (fun fact: the Aa-Kerk was named after the nearby Aa River). The Aa-Kerk is no longer a functioning church, so you probably won’t be able to get inside, but it’s great to see the building and the nearby shops.

If it’s a nice day, you can cross a canal …

… and enjoy a stroll through the Noorderplantsoen, a public park created in the late nineteenth century.

Relax in the Noorderplansoen

This is a great place to hang out and read a book, have a picnic, or just look at the flowers.

Visit the Groninger Museum

Make sure to leave enough time (at least an hour and a half) at the end of the day to visit the Groninger Museum, an institution that’s been around since 1874.

As you can probably guess from its post-modernist architecture, the Groninger Museum now focuses on modern and contemporary art — but it still displays a few works from its older collections.

Even if you’re not a contemporary art fan, it’s exciting to see the building itself, both inside …

… and out.

It’s irreverent, I know — but isn’t that part of what a college town is all about?

Sit Down for a Bakkie

End your afternoon with a cup of coffee — known here as a bakkie — or a truly delicious cup of hot chocolate (and a duck!) at Toet.

Enjoy The Evening

After a much-deserved rest, head out to dinner (you’ll be spoiled for choice, but I would suggest making a reservation at the Restaurant & Brasserie Groen). And if you’re up for going out later, you could not do better than paying a visit to Literati Café De Graanrepubliek. I’m not just saying this because my cousin owns the place (though if you do go there, say hi to Max)! It’s a fantastic spot for good conversation alongside great cocktails, games, and books.

More Things To Do in Groningen

It’s wonderful just to walk around Groningen — you don’t need a plan! Keep an eye out for the many fascinating houseboats …

… and the always-wonderful traditional Dutch architecture.

Want to check out the local shops? Try De Jurkenwinkel and De Heksenketel for women’s clothing, Leuk & Lekker for kitchenwares and fun food items, Stara Nova for art and design from the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, and Droppie for traditional Dutch candy.

It has very limited opening hours, but if you can, stop in for a tour of the neo-Moorish Synagogue Groningen. Built in 1906, it was shut down during the Nazi occupation in 1942. Only 200 of Groningen’s 2,800 Jews survived World War II, so the synagogue was closed until 1981 — but fortunately, it has been reopened for worship since 1981.

Excited about Dutch towns? Don’t miss these great spots:

• Leiden: Learn 10 fun facts about the city and why you should visit.
• Alkmaar: Discover why it’s more than just a cheese market.