Are you headed to the Netherlands and wondering if the northern city of Groningen is worth visiting? If so, you’ve come to the right place. This article will go over all the things to do in Groningen and discuss if visiting the city is worth it or not.
Groningen is the capital of the Groningen province at the northern tip of the Netherlands. It’s only a 2-hour train ride from Amsterdam but it hardly receives any tourists. Most people skip Groningen in favor of places like The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and, of course, Amsterdam. So here we will take a closer look at why that is.
I lived in Groningen for about a year after first moving to the Netherlands and prior to relocating to Amsterdam. I have seen the good and bad of the city and the info on this page comes from an objective look at Groningen from the view of an expat. So read on to see if a trip to Groningen is in your future!
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An Introduction to Groningen
Groningen is a small city in the northern Netherlands that most people around the world have never heard of. Well that is, unless you’ve seen my House Hunters International episode from 2017.
Yup, that’s right. The wife and I were featured on a 2017 episode of House Hunters International on HGTV. The show followed us as we looked for an apartment after moving to Groningen from New Zealand. It was super fun to be on the show and we introduced many Americans to Groningen and the northern Netherlands!
Groningen is the capital of the Groningen province of the Netherlands and home to about 235,000 people (making it the sixth largest city in the country). It’s culturally similar to the rest of the country, but most Dutch folks rarely, if ever, venture up to Groningen, unless they have business there.
While in Groningen I worked assessing local buildings for earthquakes caused by gas extraction in the Groningen Gas Field. We won’t go into that here, but the problem was considered serious enough for the government to spend billions of euros assessing and upgrading old homes. Gas production is scheduled to be completely stopped in 2030. You can read more about gas extraction in Groningen here.
How to get to Groningen
Getting anywhere in the Netherlands is pretty simple, thanks to the solid train service, NS. From Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, it’s a 2-hour direct train to Groningen Central Station, just outside the city center.
Groningen also has a small airport, but it’s really just for the locals to get away. It only flies to places like the Canary Islands, Mallorca, and Kos. Warm Mediterranean destinations.
Basically, you’ll be flying into Amsterdam and taking the train, or you’ll be driving to Groningen as part of a longer road trip. If you’re on a road trip, there are plenty of other awesome places to stop in the Netherlands and northern Germany.
Click here to find a great deal on a rental car in the Netherlands!
Things Groningen is known for
Groningen is known for a few things, but nothing really of too much international significance (not like the Netherlands in general, which is known for a ton of things. Some things Groningen is known for:
- Cycling: 57% of all journeys are made by bike, more than anywhere else in the world. earning it the title of “World Cycling City”
- Students: 25% of all residents are students at one of the two universities
- Losing my religion: Approximately 70% of Groningen residents have no religious affiliation
- Arjen Robben: The Dutch football superstar is from the Groningen province and started and ended his career at FC Groningen, with stints at Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich between.
In addition, the Groningen province is known for sitting on one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world. The gas extraction-induced earthquakes was the whole reason I was able to get a job in the Netherlands!
Where to stay in Groningen
As a small city that does not receive much in the way of tourism, there are not a ton of hotels in Groningen. You won’t find any big American chain hotels here. But there are more than enough options for you to stay somewhere nice.
After moving to Amsterdam from Groningen I traveled weekly back to Groningen for work and stayed at the Mercure Martiniplaza. It’s by far my favorite hotel in Groningen. The issue for a tourist, however, is that it is not in the city center. So below I’ve listed a few other great options in the city center to consider.
Where to stay in Groningen
Prinsenhof (nicest and most luxurious hotel in the city)
Weather and when to visit
Let’s not sugarcoat it: the weather in the northern Netherlands is flat out rubbish. No one comes here for warm, sunny days. Rain falls consistently throughout the year on average about 10-15 days per month. Even when it’s not raining, skies are often cloudy. The sunniest month is May, but even then rain is likely to fall about 10 days in the month.
Summer temperatures are mild, with the average high being around 73 degrees (22.5 C). Summer days are long and there is light in the sky until around 11 PM. Winters are not too cold, usually with daily highs around 42 degrees (5.5 C) and overnight lows just around freezing. Winters are pretty gloomy though, and sunshine is rare.
The best month to visit Groningen is May and that is solely based on the weather. May also features long days and comfortable temperatures. Groningen never gets crowded with tourists so avoiding crowds is not something you will have to consider. After May, June – August is the next best timeframe for a visit to Groningen.
If you want to read more about the best time of year to visit the Netherlands in general, I have an entire article dedicated to it that goes into more detail. You can read that here!
Language and money
Dutch is the language in Groningen and the rest of the country. But the Dutch are some of the best English speakers in the world, so just about every resident of Groningen speaks English fluently or at least well enough to have a simple conversation. You will be able to get by just speaking English.
The currency in the Netherlands is the euro and you really won’t need to carry any cash unless you think you might go to a supermarket. For whatever reason, Dutch supermarkets don’t take credit cards and only take cash or local debit cards. Everywhere else will accept your credit card.
Food in Groningen
Groningen – and the Netherlands in general – is not really internationally known for any particular food. You’ll find all the typical Dutch staples in Groningen – raw herring, kibbeling, bitterballen, stroopwafels, etc – but the only really unique local thing you’ll find are eierballen. These are boiled eggs wrapped in stuffing and lightly fried.
Groningen has decent restaurants but nothing that is really going to stand out. The contemporary western restaurants are okay, but the Asian restaurants are better.
My favorite restaurant in Groningen is Jasmine Thai on Gedempte Zuiderdiep. So if you like Thai food, check it out. I also really liked Ni Hao, which is an all-you-can-eat Chinese restaurant in Stadspark Groningen. Come hungry but just be prepared to be thirsty all night long. As delicious as the food is, it sure is salty.
For a full discussion of Dutch food be sure to read my guide to eating in the Netherlands.
Groningen tours
One easy way to see all of the highlights in Groningen is to go on a walking tour or a canal cruise with a local tour guide. You can check out some of the options with GetYourGuide below.
Travel insurance
When traveling around the Netherlands, it’s advised to have travel insurance so that you’re protected in case of unexpected circumstances or illness. We use World Nomads when we travel internationally. Word Nomads provides coverage to travelers in over 100 countries. You can search for a coverage plan using the link below.
Things to do in Groningen
While Groningen flies under the standard tourist’s radar, there are actually quite a few things to do in the city if you make the trip up there. Let’s go through those now, in no particular order.
Vismarkt (The Fish Market)
The Vismarkt is hands down the top thing to do in Groningen. The market operates Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and is the most extensive outdoor market in the Netherlands and one of the best markets in all of Europe. It fills a massive paved area in the middle of the city that is specifically made for it.
While the Vismarkt has amazing fish options, it’s much more than just fish. At the market you can find all sorts of fruits and vegetables, butchers, cheese sellers, cured meats, handmade clothing, and more. Pretty much anything you can think of is for sale at the Vismarkt. We used to do the majority of our grocery shopping at the market.
The market opens at 9 AM and runs till about 5 or until all the food runs out. If you go around midday I recommend having lunch at the market. You can get some fresh kibbeling, which is lightly fried fish pieces with dipping sauce, one of the most quintessentially Dutch foods. It’s delicious and of all the markets in the country, Groningen does the best kibbeling.
In summary, if you’re going to be in Groningen, try to plan it for a Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday so you can experience the famous Vismarkt.
Pro tip: if you go to the market late in the day, around 3 or 4, the produce sellers reduce their prices to try to get rid of everything. We used to be able to get an entire shopping bag full of random fruits for 1 euro just before closing.
Martinitoren
Martinitoren (Martini Tower) is Groningen’s main landmark and the most recognizable building in the city. It’s right in the heart of the city at the main square and can be seen from just about everywhere, as Groningen is ridiculously flat.
The tower was built between 1469 and 1482 and reaches a height of 96.8 m (318 ft). It’s the bell tower of the Martinikerk (Martini Church) and from the top you get a 360 degree view of Groningen and the surrounding countryside. A ticket to walk to the top is 6 euros.
Groninger Museum
The Groninger Museum is a modern and contemporary art museum built on a canal in the city center. It features all sorts of unique and futuristic exhibits and works of art and has rotating feature displays. In 2023 the rotating exhibit was an extensive display about The Rolling Stones.
The museum is unique and probably most notable due to its funky modern exterior architecture. It looks like something out of the mind of Frank Ghery (it is not one of his buildings though). Even if you don’t want to pay the 25 euro entrance fee for the museum, it’s still worth walking by to see it from the outside.
Forum Groningen
Forum Groningen is another unique building with interesting modern architecture in the heart of the city. Opened in 2019, it’s considered a cultural center and it features a cinema, a library, and some exhibits from the Groninger Museum.
The Forum also has its own displays on various things including interactive exhibits for children. Check their website for the current schedule of what’s on at the Forum, as it’s regularly changing. Activities are priced individually and there is no overall fee to enter the building. You can also go to the top of the building for a lovely 360 degree view of the city.
Bike around the city
Groningen is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world, even by Dutch standards. More bicycle trips are made per capita in Groningen than anywhere else in the world. Taking a leisurely bike ride around the city is one of the best ways to spend a few hours in the city. And as Groningen is so small, you can also get outside the city into the countryside, which also has bike paths galore.
For renting a bike, head to Fietsverhuurgroningen (bike rental Groningen), the city’s premier bike rental service. You can rent a bike for the entire day for only 10 euros. Quite the deal these days!
Also check with your hotel, as many hotels offer bike rental service as well, though it’s unlikely to be cheaper than 10 euros per day.
Attend a football match
FC Groningen is Groningen’s professional football club. They played in the Dutch Eredivisie (first division) for ages before being relegated to the second division in 2023. Even though they’re not very good, it’s still fun to go to a game at the Euroborg Stadium at the edge of the city.
Matches are typically on weekend afternoons and tickets are pretty cheap. This isn’t an English Premier League match by any stretch of the imagination!
The Excalibur Climbing wall
You might not think of rock climbing when you think of the Netherlands. Fair enough; there are literally no mountains in the country. But up in Groningen you will find the Excalibur Climbing Wall, one of the most intense outdoor artificial rock climbing walls in the world.
The climbing wall extends 37 meters (121 ft) above the flat land below it and features an 11m (36 ft) overhang. The climbing wall is so challenging that you’re not even allowed to do it on your own (must have a climbing partner, of which they will help you find one if you don’t) and you need to have previous rock climbing experience or you’ll need to be supervised by one of the staff, which costs a bit more.
So basically, this is a fun thing to do in Groningen, but only really if you are an avid or aspiring rock climber.
Red Light District Groningen
While Amsterdam’s Red Light District might be the most famous in the world, it’s not the only red light district in the Netherlands. Groningen has a small red light district on Nieuwestad between Schoolholm and Folkingestraat.
It’s not a very exciting red light district, as it’s really more for actual customers than tourists. But if you’ve experienced the Red Light District in Amsterdam it might be worth stopping by just to compare it to Groningen’s version. Be prepared though: the Groningen Red Light District can be pretty depressing!
Is Groningen Worth Visiting?
So is Groningen worth visiting? Now that we have gone through all the things there are to do and see in Groningen, let’s have an open and honest discussion on if a visit to the capital of the North is worth it or not.
We have seen that there are some pretty fun things to do in the city. It’s a cheap place to visit compared to the more popular tourist destinations in the Netherlands and there are some decent restaurants. There is no doubt that Groningen is an attractive city with cute streets lined with quintessential Dutch architecture mixed with modern buildings with futuristic architecture.
But what Groningen lacks is a “wow” factor. While it’s a nice town, there isn’t really anything uniquely special about it. There are far more beautiful places to visit in the Netherlands that offer more historic and culturally significant attractions.
Verdict
So is it worth visiting Groningen? The answer here is a bit fat “it depends” with a strong leaning towards “not really”. It depends on a number of factors, including where you’re from, what your interests are, and how long you have in the Netherlands.
If you’re an American visiting the Netherlands for the first time, my recommendation is to skip Groningen and the entire northern part of the country. If you’re an avid European traveler and you’ve been to the Netherlands before then it could be exciting to see the northern part of the country, though.
If you are planning on a 10+ day trip to the Netherlands, then I’d say a day in Groningen would be worth it, as it’s easy to get to on the train. If you’re visiting for 10 days or less, however, there are better places to spend your time.
But in reality, I’m not here to tell you whether or not it is worth visiting Groningen. Hopefully after reading through this post you have a pretty good idea of what a visit to Groningen will entail and you can make that decision for yourself. If you do decide to visit Groningen I’m sure you will have a great time!
Groningen – Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Groningen famous?
Groningen is famous for not really being famous for anything. The city doesn’t really have any major characteristics it is domestically or internationally known for other than being the most bicycled city in the world. The Groningen province itself is probably most known for sitting on the largest natural gas reserve in Europe, though.
Do they speak English in Groningen?
The Dutch speak great English and those living in Groningen are no exception. It’s nice to know a few basic words in Dutch when visiting, but just about everyone you come by will be fluent in English.
How do you pronounce Groningen?
Most non-Dutch people really struggle to pronounce Groningen. It’s not how you sound it out in the English language. In Dutch, the “g” comes from the lower throat. It is pronounced more like “hur-own-ing-hen”. Have a listen here.
Is it expensive to live in Groningen?
It is not nearly as expensive to live in Groningen as it is in major European cities. The city has few high income expats and immigrants, which has helped keep costs down. It’s one of the most affordable Dutch cities to live in.
Final Word
So is Groningen worth visiting? You should be able to answer that for yourself by now. There are some cool things to do in the city, but it lacks curb appeal uniquely defining characteristics. Should you make it up to the north, however, I’m sure you’ll have a great time!
1 comment
Nice article and accurate. I have visited several other Dutch cities but I return to Groningen about twice each year. I find it to be a relaxing city where I can just wander without the pressure of tourism. The Corps de Garde Hotel is nicely located and they always make me feel welcome. Personally, I enjoy Groningen and the laid back ambience.