Groningen: Culture, History and City Gardens

Cultural Venues and Notable Buildings

The Forum Groningen offers another architectural landmark. The 45-metre-high building has ten floors and consists of two towers connected by escalators. On a fine day, and with a little luck, you can see Schiermonnikoog from the rooftop terrace. Admission is charged for Forum programmes; the open spaces adjoining the atrium are freely accessible. The arrangements therefore differ depending on whether you are attending a programme or are interested in the spaces by the atrium.

Another way to view the city from above is to climb the Martinitoren. It can be climbed independently every day during opening hours and offers views over Groningen. Opening hours may vary depending on the time of year. In the station hall, meanwhile, an elaborately decorated papier-mâché ceiling, stained-glass windows and a tall wrought-iron lantern define the space. There are also tile panels with symbolic depictions by Groningen artist F. H. Bach. A museum visit, a viewpoint and architecture each add their own distinct touch to a stay.

Harbour Past and City History

Hoge der A and Lage der A make up Groningen’s oldest harbour district. For a long time, it was directly connected to the sea. Hoge der A was used for loading and unloading at high tide, while Lage der A served as a quay at low tide. A walk along the quays passes 28 listed national monuments and 11 municipal monuments. The two waterfront stretches tell of the harbour’s different functions and can be explored as part of a walk focused on the city’s history.

Groningen’s hofjes—courtyard almshouses—are also part of the city’s residential history. In the past, they provided free accommodation for the poor, widows and the sick; today, private residents live there in peaceful inner-city oases. The Pelstergasthuis is another part of the city’s history: it is Groningen’s oldest guesthouse.

City Gardens, Parks and the Seasons

The Prinsentuin is a green, flower-filled city garden commissioned in the 17th century by Stadtholder Willem Frederik and his wife, Albertine Agnes. You can stroll among the plants and read on a bench. During the summer months, the tea house serves drinks. Noorderplantsoen, meanwhile, was created on the former city ramparts and on the site of the city moats laid out in the 17th century; these were turned into ponds. The Noorderzon Performing Arts Festival Groningen takes place there every year, with a programme that varies from one edition to the next. Stadspark is in the southwest of Groningen. Together, these spaces showcase different aspects of urban greenery: a garden, a former fortified landscape and a park.

Cycling and Planning Your Stay

If you would like to explore Groningen by bike, you can choose guided trips to well-known sights such as the Forum, the Martinitoren and the Peerd van Ome Loeks. Booking details may change. Another named route is the historic Groene Parels: it is 42 kilometres long and runs through Groningen and the surrounding area of Haren; its route details may also be revised. Guided trips and the longer route offer different ways to discover the city and its surroundings by bike.

When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to first decide what you would like to focus on during your stay: art and buildings, harbour and city history, time in gardens and parks, or cycling trips. This lets you match accommodation options to your travel plans and take the specific location of each property into account when choosing. Groningen offers a range of themes, so you do not have to limit your choice to just one impression of the city.

For the main travel overview: Groningen.