WinterWelVaart Groningen

Even though there has been no snow around Christmas 2016 in the Netherlands, the “WinterWelVaart”, a Christmas market in the Dutch cities Appingedam, Groningen and Winschoten did its best to provide a real Christmas feeling to its visitors. In Groningen, the event took place from the 16-18 December, providing beverages, handmade crafts or a huge variety of fresh food from all over the world.

Already the entry of the market looked promising, with its location at one of Groningen’s canals, the “Hoge and Lage der A”, close to the eponymous church and the “Vismarkt”. All the ships and boats were decorated with light chains or huge screens where photos and videos were shown. Also, the enormous stand that served Glühwein was well attended, as well as various other ones, from Danish fur, Dutch specialities or Swedish meatballs – something was offered for every taste. This was also shown by the huge amount of visitors strolling around the area. A Finnish owner of a stand where wooden decorations, such as frames, plates or bowls were sold, said in an interview that “Groningen has been the best stop of the WinterWelVaart so far. The people seem to enjoy the spirit of a Christmas market and the whole city is just lovely!”. He also added that the amount of visitors seems to increase from year to year, which is caused by the prosperous tourism of the city, especially during weekends.

The “WinterWelVaart” is a great event to experience the real Christmas feeling – even without snow. It is definitely worth a visit, since all the stand owners give their best to provide goods, food or crafts made with passion. The vibe of the city Gronigen also contributes to that feeling and the event should be added to every schedule around Christmas.

Do’s and Don’ts in Groningen

Are you a first time visitor in the Dutch city Groningen and want to explore the place and people? Or have you already been there but still want to learn more about the mentality of the Dutch citizens and get some inside tips into daily life there? Then you should keep on reading the following article about do’s and don’ts in Groningen.

1. Don’t ever leave your bike unlocked. About 60% of all traffic movements happens by bike, which results in a high demand on bikes for the citizens. Thieves make it their job to steal bikes within only a couple of minutes when they are unlocked or only locked with a simple one. Afterwards, they are sold for a cheap price to especially students. Therefore always make sure that you have a good lock for your bike, even though they might cost a bit more- it’s worth it.

2. Do visit the market. Every Tuesday to Sunday from 8AM-5PM, there is a large market on the “Vismarkt”, where you can buy fresh and regional groceries, fish, meat or other Dutch specialities to much lower prices in comparison to supermarkets. Also, the typical Dutch dish “Kibbeling”, which are battered chunks of fried fish or various kinds of cheese are offered. Use the opportunity of trying these when visiting Groningen.

3. Don’t walk on the streets. Even though, Groningen is a rather small city with its approximately 200.000 inhabitants, the traffic is a class for its own. Bikes tear along the streets in huge speed, for cars there are many one-way streets and don’t forget about pedestrians. When strolling around the city or changing roadside, always have an eye on the cyclists behind you and always use the pavements to avoid accidents that can occur as fast as the bike’s speeds.

4. Do use your debit or credit card. In many countries, such as Germany cash is almost the only way to pay for goods with. A morning coffee at a bakery paid by card? No way. Most of the smaller shops don’t even possess a card reader. Therefore, they always have to carry these annoying coins with them. The total opposite happens in the Netherlands where you can pay for everything by card, from street food to new jeans. If you come to Groningen, feel free to leave your cash at home and bring your card instead!

5. Don’t Mix up the Netherlands and Holland. “I’m going to Holland next week!”. Are you sure? Holland and the Netherlands are not the same. Whereas Holland refers to provinces within the country, which are South-Holland and North-Holland to be specific, the Netherlands include the whole country. This would be the same as saying that all Germans are Bavarians, which would result in many angry faces. Pay attention to that distinction for your next trip.

6. Do give tips in bars or restaurants and pay the group’s bill together. At a bar with ten people and everybody wants to pay separately? Not very common in the Netheralands. Instead, decide on one person to pay the bill for each round at once. Dutch people normally do it that way to avoid calculating every beverage. Also, it is always welcomed to give small tips, approximately ten percent of the bill. The waiters are happy about that.

7. Don’t talk in your mother tongue to Dutch people- also not in German. Especially many Germans think that since Dutch and German are so similar, it is normal to simply talk German when in the Netherlands. They often also assume that everybody there speaks German. What they don’t know is that the Dutch citizens consider such behavior as rude or even arrogant which may lead to rejection. Therefore, try to learn the basics in Dutch, such as “Hello” (Dutch: “Hoi”) or “Thank you” (Dutch: “Dank je wel.”) and then try to hold the conversation in English.

The culture of the Netherlands is characterized as very relaxed, friendly and open-minded. The people enjoy meeting other cultures or nationalities and if you simply stick to the seven do’s and don’ts, your stay in the country that is famous for its cheese and windmills will be as amazing as you can imagine.

Restaurant Guide Groningen

With almost 50.000 students, Groningen is a vibrant and young city in the North of the Netherlands. Besides the many bikes, it has a mass of restaurants to offer. You will find something for every taste, but this doesn’t necessarily make things easier. Especially if you visit the city for the first time, the feeling is evoked that the number of restaurants is almost as high as the number of students. Therefore, I will provide you with a guide for the top three best restaurants in Groningen, including my experience and tips from students in Groningen who shared their favorites in a survey.

1. T’Pannekoekschip: Sun-Sat 12-9PM

The so-called “grachten” (eng. canals) are a typical feature for Groningen. They flow through the whole city, carrying many boats and ships. One of them is the sailing boat “t’Pannekoekschip” that functions as a restaurants where a huge variety of pancakes is served.

When entering the boat, it is almost like a flashback to former times when sailors in their striped shirts and heavy boots set sail to explore the world seas. Everything is designed in dark wood which creates a really comfortable atmosphere. Especially the seats next to the window are special since they provide you with an impressive overview of Groningen’s canals. Also the menu is great, not only referring to the amount of dishes. Pancakes with bacon and salami, vegetarian pancakes or a legitimate Dutch version with “hagelslag” (small chocolate sprinkles that non-Dutch people will probably have seen as decoration on cakes) – everything can be put on a pancake. The prices vary from 5-13€, depending on how much topping you prefer.

T’Pannekoekschip is a real insider’s tip to explore the old Dutch culture on a real sailing boat and eat pancakes as you probably have never done before. Definitely worth a visit!

Tip: Make a reservation beforehand since the boat tends to be quite busy, especially on weekends.

2. Café Hooghout: Sun-Wed 11AM-12AM, Thu-Sat 10AM-2PM

Even though the name could suggest that only cake and coffee is available, the place is ideal to enjoy a nice dinner in a “gezellig” (unfortunately there is no English term but social or folksy probably meets is best) and cozy atmosphere.

Located directly at the Grote Markt, which means directly in the city centre of Groningen, the “Café Hooghoudt” looks like a traditional Dutch building from the outside. The pretty architecture is also visible on the inside, like on the ground floor, where you will find the bar as well as many seats at the window where you can watch people passing by or hustle and bustle on the marketplace. That does already sound good, right? But it’s even getting better since there is a huge gallery on the first floor, reminding of a balcony within the restaurant where you can enjoy a good glass of wine (or maybe more) in a friendly and cozy atmosphere. The bar offers a range of beers, wines, spirits or hot drinks, such as teas or hot chocolate. The fresh mint tea that comes with honey is highly recommended for my part. But also the food is certainly no less exciting. You can choose between different starters, like salads and soups or meat dishes, “Flammkuchen”, as well as nachos. Afterwards, various desserts, such as cakes or ice cream can be consumed to round off the evening.

Traditional Dutch flair combined with good food and drinks in the middle of Groningen. A good address with something for everyone.

Tip: order a hot drink, they are served with a small delicious piece of cinnamon cake

3. The Blokes: Sun-Wed 12PM-1AM, Thu-Sat 12PM-3AM

The restaurant and bar “The Blokes” is probably one of the coolest places in Groningen. Located in the Poelestraat between all the clubs and bars, it is great to have dinner first before heading out into a legendary party night.

Great rock music and a brick wall are probably the characteristics of “The Blokes”. Already when entering the restaurant, you can see students chatting, laughing and enjoying themselves. Groningen is a young city that seems to come together at that place, probably because of its special atmosphere that reminds of an underground bar or pub in Berlin or London. On rare occasions, when the weather is actually sunny and warm in Groningen, you can also sit outside on the terrace. “The Blokes” has a huge menu, reaching from burgers, hot dogs, tortillas and fries but also healthy meals are offered. Also every drink you can imagine is available, served in unique glasses, such as the cocktails that come in marmalade jars with wooden straws.

Small details are brought into every dish and drink that make the restaurant become so enjoyable. A great place for everyone who is in favor of rock music and a cool atmosphere.

Tip: try the chocolate cheesecake and you’ll never like any other cake again

These recommendations should provide a small overview of good and special restaurants in Groningen, even though there are plenty more in the city to visit. Best would be to explore the offers yourself – it’s worth it! Eet smakelijk – as the Dutch people say!