© Lonely Planet Publications 244 www.lonelyplanet.com GRONINGEN •• Groningen City 245 GRONINGEN & DRENTHE 020 km Groningen & Drenthe GRONINGEN & DRENTHE 0 12 miles N O R T H Schiermonnikoog S E A National Park Schiermonnikoog GRONINGEN & DRENTHE GRONINGEN & DRENTHE Ὀ Ameland Roodeschool Bierum Uithuizen Pieterburen G E R M A N Y The provinces of Groningen and Drenthe are far from the tourist trails. Few visitors venture Holwerd Ferwerd Delfzijl Hogebeintum N46 this far north, and if they happen to, choose the islands of Friesland for entertainment instead. Dokkum To Oldenburg Ee Bedum N360 (66km) er Ten m This is all well and good, but it’s also a shame, for they’re missing out on the Netherlands’ u Boer k k o Garmerwolde rural heart, a place where traditions are kept alive, and remnants of prehistoric residents D E22 Eemskanaal GRONINGEN dot the landscape. N355 Margrietkanaal Groningen Leeuwarden Groningen may be the smaller of the two provinces, but it has the most going for it. Its capital, A7 Eelde Winschoterdiep E22 from which the region gained its name, is a delightful city with a cosmopolitan buzz and plenty FRIESLAND Winschoten Midlaren of youthful energy (mainly due to its substantial student population). Museums, res taurants, Drachten Vlagtwedde bars, theatre, canals, festivals – you name it, the city has it. It’s the centre of culture and enter- A7 Annen To Oldenburg N381 N366 (67km) tainment in the north and aptly represented by the tourist office’s bright orange G-spot logo. Bourtange To Sneek Assen (6km) Stadskanaal The rest of Groningen province – a rural landscape blessed with a handful of intriguing Heerenveen Smilde A32 N34 attractions – is in sleepy contrast. In Pieterburen, even the hardest of hearts will empty their N351 E232 Kamp Westerbork Borger wallets in support of the Zeehondencreche, a refuge for sick seals. The town is also the Wolvega A28 base for the bizarre pastime of wadlopen (mud-walking). Bourtange, on the eastern border Westerbork Odoorn Orvelte Klijndijk to Germany, makes the shortlist for ‘Best Fortified Town in the Land’; its hefty defences are N371 N381 just as forbidding now as they were in the 16th century. Weerribben Emmen National Park DRENTHE Drenthe is an agricultural province, no question. Paddocks of farmland are separated by E233 A6ὈGiethoorn A37 pockets of woodlands, creating a peaceful environment meant for slow exploration; the only A28 E232 Coevorden disturbance is the occasional whiff of ‘farm’ smells. Drenthe’s biggest draw is its hunebedden, To Amersfoort (84km) prehistoric rock masses purportedly used as burial chambers, but the likes of Orvelte, a village A28 G E R M A N Y with one foot firmly planted in the 19th century, will also interest many travellers. To Zwolle To Zwolle (6km) (30km) talking Dutch distances here, not Texan), but HIGHLIGHTS GRONINGEN looks can be deceiving. Wadden Pieterburen This vibrant, youthful city of the north is Experience northern culture at its best in the Mud Flats museums, cafés, bars and clubs of vibrant Like Utrecht, Groningen is a small province very much part of the comings and goings of Groningen ( opposite ) named after its primary city. Beyond the buzzing the country, and has everything you’d expect of town itself, farmland dominates the landscape a progressive metropolis. Its student population Join a wadlopen ( p251 ) excursion and Groningen stomp out a muddy trail on the Wadden in every direction, but among the polders, cows (which has been around since 1614 when the mud flats and sheep are a few attributes worth seeking university opened) of 20,000 ensures a healthy out. If mud, mud and more mud is your thing, and hedonistic nightlife exists alongside the art Support the seal-rescuing efforts of Bourtange then the northern coast will appeal, though the museums, theatre and classical concerts its more Pieterburen’s Zeehondencreche ( p250 ) scenery is best near the German border around mature, established residents demand. And like Walk the fortified ramparts of 16th-century Hunebedden the fortified town of Bourtange. everywhere in this waterlogged country, you’ll Bourtange ( p251 ) find gabled houses reflected in still canals. Wonder at the hunebedden ( p253 ), mighty GRONINGEN CITY stone constructions left behind by our long- %050 / pop 177,300 Orientation dead ancestors Looking at a map of the Netherlands, Gron- The old centre, which can be crossed on ingen seems a long way from anywhere (we’re foot in 15 minutes, is nicely compact and GRONINGEN & DRENTHE .nl; GroteMarkt 25; Tue-Sun year-round, noon-5pmMon Jul&Aug) Tue-Sun -museum.nl; Museumeiland 1;adult/child €8/4; GroningerMuseum the Arriving bytrain it’simpossibletomiss GRONINGER MUSEUM Sights &Activities Tourist office TOURIST INFORMATION Post office POST GWK canbefoundthroughout town. ATMs MONEY UMCG MEDICAL SERVICES train station. canbefoundonplatform2batthe Lockers LEFT LUGGAGE Handy Wash LAUNDRY Library INTERNET ACCESS Scholtens Wristers BOOKSHOPS Information traffic. of ispleasantly free centre policies datingfromthe1970smeanthat Virulentanticar themaintownsquare. Markt, walkfromGrote and arounda10-minute Museum,is justacrossfromtheGroninger bycanals.Thetrainstation ringed entirely 246 station. with theaddedbonusofananatomymuseum. (€2) and more. (€2) andmore. wide rangeoftopicsandsellstickets, tours,ahandymap Offersyear-round, 11am-3pmSunJul&Aug) adviceona travel titlesonthegroundfloor. 9.30am-9pm Thu)Largeselection ofEnglishnovelsand h bing a coffee nextbing acoffee door. and bars;perfect fordroppingoffthewashingandgrab- dry €7; lines ofcomputersoffering internetaccess. Thu, 11am-4pmSat,1-4pmSun)Main citylibrarywith €2; h 11am-6pm Mon, 9.30am-6pm Tue, Wed,Fri &Sat, 11am-6pm Mon,9.30am-6pmTue, ( ( h h GRONINGEN ••GroningenCity 1-8pm Mon,10am-6pmWed&Fri, 10am-8pm % ( % 8am-7pm) Currency exchange;inthetrain 8am-7pm) Currency 7.30am-8pm) Smalllaundryinarowofcafés ( 361 61 61; Hanzeplein 1) Teaching hospital 361 6161;Hanzeplein1)Teaching % 368 3683;OudeBoteringestraat 18;perhr ( % ( % 313 6375;Munnekeholm 1) h 318 7587;Schuitendiep58;wash& 09002023050; www.vvvgroningen ( % 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pmSat ( % 317 2500;Guldenstraat20; 366 6555;www.groninger h . Occupy- 10am-5pm draw an opinion from any viewer. However, draw anopinionfromanyviewer. thatwill structure least,aschizophrenic very thestation, themuseumin frontof is,atthe thecanal islandsinthemiddleof ing three NOORDELIJK SCHEEPVAARTMUSEUM NOORDELIJK SCHEEPVAARTMUSEUM 10m-high photographicportraits. paintingstofuturisticinstallationsDutch and you’ll see anythingfromclassicGoldenAge awonderfully eclectic mix; are rial direction, thecurato- like exhibitions, which, temporary themuseum isdevoted of to Therest tower. level inthebronze thewater pear wellabove andnowap- saved workswere theprecious of some lowerfloorflooded.Fortunately, entire museum hitarough in1998whenits patch artworks,the applied artsandotherregional bition house forhistoricalpieces,modern and naturallight seeps infromallangles. exhibitionrooms, square tothelarge, add life though; bright,colours different pastel quite atawhim.Inside,thingsare thrown together the museum andappears haslittleconsistency tackle asection. Thisexplainswhy,tomost, toeach ‘guestarchitects’ three who invited Alessandro Mendini, architect of the brainchild ‘Why?’ along thelinesof informanddesign,tostatements venture opinions varywildly,fromabreathtaking dummies aren’t justtoking ontobacco. dummies aren’t the Unsurprisingly, itlooksasthough someof through theDutch theages. ing habitsof to thesmok- Museum), is dedicated which NiemeyerTabaksmuseum roomsdevoted tothe three are Room 8,there throughout thecenturies(Room8).After operated just howthemanylocalshipyards anddetailed models demonstrating voyages, hadtokillonlong timesailors how much just Surinam –inabottle(Room3),showing colony formerDutch maribo –thecapital of atPara- the church carvedtricately of replica excellent workout. initself an andguarantees is anadventure 18rooms through thelabyrinthof getting once comprised a16th-centurydistillery.Just buildingsthat several of floors is laidoutover Themuseumwell fundedandorganised. 26; adult/child€3/1.60; 22 02;www.noordelijkscheepvaartmuseum.nl; Brugstraat24- Scheepvaartmuseum Well worthanhourortwo,the Originally intended asapermanentexhi- Originally intended museum wasThis colourful,oddlyshaped Highlights themuseum includeanin- of h (Northern ShippingMuseum; 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, 1-5pmSun) 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, (Niemeyer Tobacco (NiemeyerTobacco www.lonelyplanet.com Noordelijk Noordelijk % 312 is www.lonelyplanet.com ὈὈ 0 300 m GRONINGEN CITY 0 0.2 miles To De 7e A B Hemel C D E F Noorberbin (100m) Ebbingebrug Maagdenbrug Noorder Turfsingel plantsoen Turfsingel Spilsluizen NZ 30 ensingel 11 INFORMATION Spilsluizen ZZ Hofstr 1 Kleine Kattenhage Handy Wash...................................1 E2 Kijk in 't Jatbrug Boteringebrug Butjesstr Library............................................ὈὈ2 C2 Lopendediep NZ 6 Hardewikerstr Oude Ebbin Singelstr Post Office.....................................3 C3 14 Oude Boteringestr GRONINGEN ••GroningenCity Lopendediep ZZ St Walburgstr Scholtens Wristers..........................4 D2 Werfstr Jacobijner-Kreupel Hanzeplein Muurstr str Tourist Office................................5 D2 Oude Kijk in 't Butjesstr Martinikerkhof St Jansbrug Nieuwe Sint Jansstr UMCG............................................6 F1 Noorderhaven NZZZ gestr str Schuitendiep Oo Sch Noorderhaven stersingel SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Hoekstr Sint Jansstr Tuinstr Noorderhaven