Groningen Walking Guide

There is something wonderfully romantic about reaching a city slowly. Not by plane — but by train, by ferry, by the rhythm of wheels on track and salt air on deck.

I travelled from London to Harwich, crossed the North Sea, and then went by Dutch rail northwards into the province of Groningen — that long, flat, big-skied stretch of the Netherlands where bicycles outnumber cars and history hides in plain sight.

First Arriving as a 17-year-old, and staying with English expats who knew the city well, I originally experienced Groningen not as a tourist — but as a curious and energetic young person, gently being shown the corners of this place that the locals love: canals, market squares, brown cafés, whilst sampling cones of hot chips dripping in mayonnaise.

Let’s walk it again properly now — with depth, history and context — in true Walks With Grandma style.

📍 Arrival in the North of Holland

Groningen sits near the German border in the northernmost region of the Netherlands. It’s often overlooked by visitors heading only to Amsterdam — but that’s precisely its charm.

It is:

A medieval trading city
A university powerhouse
One of the youngest cities in Europe demographically
Entirely comfortable on two wheels

Beneath the youthful student energy lies a thousand years of layered history.

🌿 WALK ONE: The Grote Markt & The Heart of Old Groningen

Every good Groningen walk begins in the Grote Markt — the city’s main square since the Middle Ages. Here stands the proud Martinitoren. locally called “d’Olle Grieze” — The Old Grey One.

A Little History

It was built in the 15th century
It is 97 metres tall
it has survived fires, lightning strikes and war
It is a symbol of the city’s independence
Climbing the 260+ steps rewards you with sweeping views across flat Dutch countryside

The square itself once hosted:

Medieval cattle markets
Public announcements
Executions
WWII occupation activity

Today it’s filled with cafés, cyclists, buskers and market stalls. This is where you can:

Eat traditional Dutch chips with mayonnaise
Sit with a cool Dutch beer in hand and chill out
Began to feel the quiet thrill of being in historic old Dutch town.

🍟 Chips, Mayo & Brown Cafés

The Dutch relationship with Chips and mayonnaise is serious business. You can buy them from a traditional snackbar such as:

De Belg Waterloo (famous for Belgian-style fries)
Or one of the many Vismarkt kiosks

Chips are:

Double fried
Served in a paper cone
Drenched in creamy mayo (never ketchup first!)

Need a Beer to go with your chips? In Groningen it’s often locally brewed.

Look out for:

Brouwerij Martinus — a local craft brewery producing traditional Dutch styles
Drink beer in “real” places such as the brown cafés — with their dark wood interiors, low ceilings, candlelight, and locals talking politics and football.

🌊 WALK TWO: Along the Canals & A-Kwartier

Groningen is laced with canals — all remnants of medieval trade routes. The A-Kwartier district feels older and quieter.

Walk along:

Hoge der A
Lage der A
Noorderhaven

Here you’ll find:

17th-century warehouses
Houseboats moored gently along water
Gabled merchant houses

This is the Groningen of:

Salt traders
Grain merchants
Hanseatic League connections

In the 13th–15th centuries, Groningen was part of the powerful North European trade network. Ships carried goods to Germany, Scandinavia and beyond. When I first walked here at the age of seventeen, feeling slightly windswept from North Sea air, I believed the world had just opened up a little further for me.

🏛 WALK THREE: Culture & Quiet Grandeur

🎓 University of Groningen

University of Groningen was founded in 1614.

This explains the youthful energy of the city today:

60,000+ students
International population
Café culture everywhere

🌸 Prinsentuin (The Prince’s Garden)

A Renaissance-style garden tucked behind old walls with formal hedges, roses, and quiet benches. This place is perfect for reflective walking in nature.

🎨 Groninger Museum

Groninger Museum is bold. With it's modern architecture sitting in the canal like a colourful ship, it contrasts beautifully with the medieval brick buildings surrounding it.

🌍 A City Shaped by Conflict

Groningen has endured:

The Siege of 1672 (against the Bishop of Münster)
WWII occupation
Post-war rebuilding
Gas extraction earthquakes in the region

Yet it remains resilient, confident, quietly proud.

The Martinitoren survived WWII damage and is a local symbol of endurance.

🛏 Where to Stay

✨ Luxury

Hotel Prinsenhof - 15th-century monastery setting beside Prinsentuin.

🌿 Boutique / Mid-Range

The Market Hotel - Modern comfort right on Grote Markt.

💛 Budget / Character

Stee in Stad - Affordable and central.

🍽 Where to Eat

🚶 Suggested Walking Route Outline

Older-walker friendly & gentle pacing

Start: Grote Markt
→ Martinitoren (optional climb)
→ Vismarkt
→ Hoge der A canal walk
→ Noorderhaven
→ Prinsentuin
→ University Academy Building
→ Coffee stop
→ Groninger Museum
→ Return via canal ring

Total walking distance: approx. 4–5 km
Flat terrain
Excellent benches & cafés throughout