Utrecht and the surrounding area :- Part 11

Around the city and nearby:-

Amersfoort

Beer, wool and tobacco made Amersfoort an exceedingly rich town from the 16th century onwards. It was seen as a wealthy town with still a touch of the provincial. It has many striking merchants' homes that have been lovingly restored, and the egg-shaped old town offers quiet and peaceful strolls along the canals and narrow alleys that retain their medieval mystery.

A lot of Amersfoort' s appeal comes from wandering the old town, which has attractive little canals and more than 300 pre-18th-century buildings. Zuidsingel is a good place to start exploring. This is the inner ring on the north side of town along Muurhuizen, it is quaint and good for walks. Langestraat is the mainstream shopping strip while Krommestraat has more offbeat places. The old town has three surviving gateways, either to the city roads or over the canals. Koppelpoort to the north is 15th century, Kamperbinnenpoort to the east is 13th century and picturesque Monnikendam to the southeast was built in 1430.

The Kade Museum is a part of the Eemhuis cultural centre west of the old town, this museum hosts large temporary exhibitions devoted to contemporary visual artists or themes.

Mondriaanhuis is a small but good museum that shows the life and work of the famous De Stijl artist Piet Mondrian. It has a detailed retrospective that illustrates his development. It' s set in the house where the artist was born. As you would expect Mondrian' s primary colours dominate the complex.

Onze Lieve Vrouwe Toren is a 15th-century Gothic tower and is the only surviving component of a church that used to stand on this spot. It was complete until an unfortunate gunpowder blast in 1787 destroyed everything but the tower. Tickets to ascend the towers 346 steps are sold at the nearby tourist office. The tower previously marked the exact centre of the Netherlands and is still used as a reference point in the Dutch geographical coordinate system. The square in front which is called Lieve Vrouwekerkhof is one of Amersfoort' s most charming spot.

If the tower of the Sint Joriskerk church appears to be popping out of the roof, that' s because it' s all that remains of the original 13th-century church. The current structure which dates from 1534 was built around it. Inside look out for the lavishly carved stone chancel screen which is a typical medieval feature.

If you want to take a trip with a difference why not try the ' bike boat' tour. You embarking from the north bank of the Eem River, about 200m outside the Koppelpoort. The boat then travels through the Gelderse valley to the Eemmeer. You can get off at the villages of Soest or Baarn and cycle back through the woods.

If you want to stop in town for a coffee then I would recommend Corazon Coffee. It has a good range of options for the coffees, teas and fresh juices. However be sure to try the apple cobbler which is baked just up the street.

Drie Ringen Bierbrouwerij can be found just below the Koppelpoort is this a microbrewery which takes its name from a 17th-century predecessor. You should defiantly sample the various craft beers on tap, which include the crisp, golden Stadsbier and the velvety Vuurvogel which is based on a hallowed Amersfoort recipe.

Continued in part 12