Amsterdam is beloved by Brits looking to getaway for a weekend break - walking down the canals, visiting coffee shops and musing through the chronicles of it's history seems to really appeal to us lot.
However, the locals don't exactly roll out the welcome wagon when they hear our accents and realise we're from the UK.
In fact, the council in the the Dutch city have actively tried to deter Brit tourists - specifically men aged between 18 and 35, who intend to partake in sex and drugs - from visiting Amsterdam as they crack down on nuisance tourists.
On top of that, the capital of the Netherlands is well known for being a holiday hotspot, which is usually hammered as well as quite pricey, so a lot of people have been looking for alternative destinations to travel to instead.
Advert
And apparently, there is a place just down the road from it which is a lot cheaper and a lot less congested.
The city of Utrecht might be less well known than it's infamous counterpart, but that wasn't always the case.
It was the most important place in the entirety of the Netherlands before the Dutch Golden Age came around and made Amsterdam the country's 'cultural centre', while welcoming a much larger population.
Must-see landmarks in Utrecht include the University of Utrecht - which is the largest in the nation - the wharf system in its inner canals, the Gothic Cathedral of Saint Martin and Dom Tower, a 112 metre tall church tower.
Advert
Much like Amsterdam, there is plenty of cobbled streets to stroll down, colourful buildings to gaze at, windmills to watch whirl by and incredible architecture to admire, as well as the opportunity to get to know the origin story of the city's interesting mascot.
The adorable children's book character, Miffy, was created by the late Dutch artist Dick Bruna, who was born and raised in Utrecht and the locals have embraced the world-famous fictional rabbit as an icon.
So, if you're a fan of the bunny, you can check out the Miffy Museum or visit Miffy Square to have a look at the statue of the character crafted by Bruna's son, Marc, or try and find the Miffy traffic light that tourists swoon over.
Advert
Aside from that, there's extraordinary restaurants, hotels and attractions to explore - which are all a whole lot cheaper than what you would find in Amsterdam.
Much like how the flight to the Dutch capital seems like it's over in the blink of an eye, travelling to Utrecht is just as easy - as after arriving at Schiphol Airport, you can simply climb on a 30 minute train to the city.
If you prefer taking the tracks the whole way, you can also take the Eurostar from London St Pancras International to get there in a matter of hours.
Advert
Tickets for the route from the UK capital to Utrecht Centraal via Rotterdam Centraal start from just £74.85 and the journey takes 4 hours and 41 minutes - which is probably about the same as flying there, if you take the time it takes getting through the airport into consideration.
Who's up for a trip to Utrecht then?
Topics: Money, News, Travel, World News, UK News
Olivia Burke