The city of Groningen, with more than 200.000 inhabitants is one of the larger cities in The Netherlands. With regard to trade, industry and culture, Groningen is the most prominent city in the northern part of our country. The many traditional and cultural aspects of the 950 year old city find their origin in the fact that Groningen has been a university town for over 400 years. Beautiful beaches, historic towns and villages, exciting museums and cozy restaurants. Just a few of the amenities the Northern Province of Groningen has to offer you. There are canals and lakes throughout the province, as well as miles of walking and cycling paths, flowering bulb fields in the spring and traditional windmills that decorate the picturesque countryside. Suggestions for social activities / exhibitions / restaurants in the City of Groningen Boat tour through the channels A tour through the old channels of Groningen is one of the most popular excursions. You are given a unique opportunity to admire the many magnificent patrician houses and the towers of the town with their centuries of history. City cruises take place on almost every day of the year except on those days when extreme weather conditions force cancellation. Duration is one hour. http://www.rondvaartbedrijfkool.nl/ Groninger Museum The showpiece of Groningen museums is undoubtedly the Groninger Museum; its striking pavilions designed by architects such as Alessandro Mendini and Philippe Starck are opposite to the central railway and bus station. This museum has a sensational brightly coloured interior and wonderful exhibitions, including a permanent collection. Hours of opening: Tuesday through Sunday and holidays from 10 AM – 5 PM, Friday evenings until 10 PM. http://www.groningermuseum.nl
Restaurants (and Nightlife) Groningen is a university city which becomes evident in the evenings. The city centre is great fun and crowded each night of the week, providing an excellent and varied choice of restaurants, cafes, theatres, and cinemas. Time flies in Groningen as there are no fixed closing hours. In particular the Ellebogenbuurt has a high density of attractive restaurants and cafes, where quiet pubs alternate with bustling student pubs. The south side of the Grote Markt houses an enormous complex of linked pubs and discotheques, and there is live music in the centre every evening.
Tourist Information Office More touristic information is available at the Tourist Information Office, which is located at the ‘Grote Markt’, nearby the Martini Church / Martini Tower. http://toerisme.groningen.nl/english