Utrecht

Ahhhh Utrecht...

I spent a year in this beautiful little city, and never really wrote a guide to the place.

1. Getting around/ Arrival/ Orient yourself
2. Kayaking
3. Museums/ Culture
4. Food
5. Cafes (Bars) - go to Cafe Belgie and 't Oude Pothuys. Please.
6. Coffeshops (Marijuana)
7. Nightlife

GETTING AROUND/ ARRIVAL/ ORIENT YOURSELF
Getting around the city center of Utrecht is very easy by foot, though the winding streets may be confusing on first glance. The main parts of town are extremely walkable, and a majority of the interesting places will be located along the Oudegracht (the large canal that runs through the center of the town). Nevertheless, we owned bikes the whole year, which were very handy.

If you go directly from the airport or from Amsterdam Centraal, you will take the train towards "Eindhoven" and it's two or three stops to "Utrecht Centraal". There is a large mall connected to the train station (called Hoog Catharijne), and if you walk straight through that you'll end up at a large plaza. Walk straight out from there and you'll hit the central canal in about 5 minutes. There are bars and food and stuff all over.

For the most part, the Oudegracht runs north-south. The streets were basically built outwards from there, which accounts for the winding side-streets. Here's a basic map (taken from a free tourist one, I believe). Most of Utrecht's city center is surrounded by that ring of blue canals, and everything in purple. Luckily, the Domtoren can be seen from just about anywhere in case you get lost.

KAYAKING: If you have the time and the weather is decent, I recommend kayaking the canals with this company to get a unique view of the city. If I remember correctly it takes maybe 2 hours to complete the dotted line you see on the map, but try to do the Oudegracht/Nieuwgracht loop through the heart of the city for a little less time and a little neater views. If you'd like, make sure to bring some store-bought beers along to make it a fully-dutch experience.

MUSEUMS/CULTURE:

The Dom Tower (Domtoren) is the massive church spire you see in the middle of the city. It is located in the center of Utrecht from 2000 years ago, is about 600 years old, and was built to show Utrecht's power. It costs money to walk up the 465 steps, but if you're craving a view of the city from above, go for it. At one point the tower was attached to the nearby cathedral (free to visit, check out the garden courtyard if you'd like), however a huge storm took down the connecting nave, and you can still see the imprint of where those walls used to be. Use the Dom if you get lost.

The Centraal Museum is located at the bottom of the Oudegracht (there will be signs down there), and is pretty neat if you'd like to know more about the history of Utrecht.

FOOD
I usually describe Dutch food as being smashed to hell, and then dropped in a fryer. Dutch cuisine itself is not the best thing in the world, as they apparently never learned anything from their Indian spice trade. The main item of food I will recommend that you try is Pannenkoeken at De Oude Muntkelder. I also recommend frittes from Manneken Pis, and stroopwafels, poffertjes, and kibbeling from street vendors.

Pannenkoeken, basically flat Dutch pancakes with any sort of insides. I enjoy the apple and bacon ones, but there are dozens of combinations of all sorts of foods.

Pannenkoekenrestaurant 'De Oude Muntkelder' is going to be your best bet for delicious pannenkoeken in the heart of Utrecht with a beautiful setting. It is located beneath and to the left of the McDonalds by the Oudegracht. You can sit right next to the Oudegracht, or inside under the curved ceilings.

Theehuis Rhijnauwen, however, would be a really cool place to enjoy your first pannenkoeken. Unfortunately this restaurant is in De Uithof, in addition to a kilometer bike ride from the school. If you have a friend in Utrecht with a car or are willing to pay for a taxi, it's a very neat location. Located along a canal in the middle of some woods, the setting is magical.

Frites are Belgian french fries, and if you end up in Brussels, that will be a good place for these as well. Nevertheless, the Mannekenpis locations in Utrecht have the best frites in town. You will get a massive cone full of them, and make sure you grab one of the wooden forks to eat them with. I recommend trying them with one of the three 'classic' sauces: Pinda (peanut), fritesaus (like a more-flavorful mayonaise), or curry. I became a huge fan of fritesaus by the end of the year :)

Street vendor food is not always available, and will most likely be available on Saturdays or Sundays in the large square outside of Hoog Catharijne. But if you get the chance, discover something Dutch you wouldn't have tried before.
Stroopwafels are sugary, pastry, caramel deliciousness that most vendors will sell fresh and large as "superwafels", however you can also get the delicious broken bits in bags as well. If you cannot find fresh stroopwafels, go buy some store ones and heat them up over your morning coffee or tea.

Poffertjes are like little round fluffy pancakes. Also usually sweet. Fantastic with any sort of jams, syrups, or powdered sugars that the vendor provides. Strawberries, Nutella, Blueberries, or just powdered sugar, the choices are yours. These are also sometimes available in restaurants.

Kibbeling is one of my favorite Dutch street foods. Just fried pieces of fish, but they are so juicy and delectable, especially with garlic sauce... mmmmmmmm...... I had this once per week while the markets were open.

CAFES (Bars)

MUST VISITS (in order of personal favorites):
Kafe Belgie: GO HERE. Located against the Oudegracht about 1.5 blocks down from the Dom, on first glance this place is not exceptional, but that's because it doesn't use gimmicks to be great. It's loaded with over a dozen Belgian beers on tap, a fantastic chill atmosphere, and is simply an all-around great bar. We ended up here a LOT, and hung out here a LOT. Just GO HERE.

Muziekcafe 't Oude Pothuys: Located two bridges down from Kafe Belgie on the opposite side of the Oudegracht, this place immediately goes down some stairs, under the street, and into curved brick rooms, usually playing live music. It also has seating against the canals outside. Beer selection is slightly more limited that Cafe Belgie, but is solid with a few rotating taps. We usually sat in the room adjacent to the music so that we could actually talk (can be rather loud). Great place for good vibes.

Neude Square: Pronounced "Now-deh", this is not actually the name of a place. Instead, it is the name of a square where (if the weather is warm enough) there are tables set up outside, and is great for people watching. Good for daytime, located down the street from the McDonalds by the Oudegracht. If the weather is not warm enough to sit outside, feel free to skip this place. Otherwise, take a seat here and order a beer or wine from a place like De Beurs (the red building in the picture below) and watch the world go by.

Restaurant Walden: Located in the square by the Dom Tower, this place has comfortable, eclectic seating (couches, etc.) and a very cozy vibe. If it's not full, it's a great place to chill with whoever you're with and have a drink.

Cafe Olivier (Maria Minor): Built in an old church, this bar is basically like having some classy beers in a large old church. Seems simple enough. Located down the street from Hoog Catharijne, Olivier is a cool place to check out, even if you don't get anything to drink.

COFFEESHOPS (MARIJUANA)
I did not smoke weed while I was in the Netherlands, so these recommendations will be second hand. Nevertheless, the MOST popular place was the Culture Boat, and for good reason. This is a coffeeshop located on a boat on a canal in Utrecht. Surrounded by water and trees and a nice Dutch day, what more could you ask for to enjoy a joint?

Second choice would be Coffeeshop Andersom, which is at the base of the Dom, next to the Oudegracht. Hard to miss. The hosts are friendly, there is seating downstairs, and it's a solid classic coffeeshop for Utrecht. One of my friends loved the vibes of this place so much that she often chose to study or read a book here during the day.

NIGHTLIFE:
Nightlife in Utrecht is dominated by university students. Most of which will be active on Thursdays because it's free for students basically anywhere on that evening. If you don't check these clubs out, no worries, but De Beurs is probably easiest to get into, usually free, and can be a lot of fun no matter the crowd. Tivoli was is probably your second best bet, and will probably give you a better image of "real" Dutch club nightlife.

Tivoli: The largest club in Utrecht, this place hosts concerts and has two dance floors. Located on the opposite side of the Oudegracht from Kafe Belgie and one bridge down, you'll get a true feel for the bizarre taste of Dutch DJs here. You can also stand on the curved balcony above the main dance floor and watch the lights and crowd below. A great place to stumble upon when you're tipsy. It's also where I saw 3OH!3 :)

De Beurs: Located in Neude square, De Beurs is a prime example of a cafe-turned-club-in-the-evenings. De Beurs is a multi-tiered venue with a few dance floors and two bars. Coat check is downstairs, music is pumping any time after 9 or 10, and make sure you have your ID (they can sometimes be stringent on that). Solid nights out at De Beurs.

Club Poema (pronounced "Puma"): Roughly the second largest club in Utrecht, and definitely the grungiest. Located between Hoog Catharijne and the Oudegracht (the only place with a crowd there after 11pm). If you were drunk going into Tivoli, you might need to be truly smashed to truly enjoy this dank, dingy, scummy, thumping, loud, fantastical place. Many a memory were had in this underground cesspit. Have a blast!

A few more places with decent nightlife are Havana, Stairway to Heaven, and Winkel van Sinkel. However, I did not have many experiences with these places due to competitive entry, expensive covers, or less-than-satisfactory vibes. Who knows, maybe your nights could fare better.

There are also a couple Irish bars in Utrecht. Mick O'Connells is a hack/ knockoff, but in terms of Irish legitimacy, O'Leary's is pretty great!

Janskerkof (pronounced "yawns-care-cough"):
This is not a bar, it is the area where the dutch frat houses are located, and has a "younger" crowd. By that I mean like 18 years old - just starting to drink. Not my personal favorite, but if you are in the mood, ask around for Janskerkof church and step into any of the bars around there or further down Nobelstraat. Ultimately, you should really just skip this area and keep your class. Nevertheless, my order of personal favorites: Cafe Rex, Cafe Jaloezie, Stadscafe Heerenplein, Wooloomooloo, Filemon, then t'Pakhuis. And while Cafe Broers is actually nice, it is expensive.

Budapest

I've written advice to people about different cities in Europe in Microsoft word, and realized this might be a better medium. I can post links/pics/etc.

Anyways. Advice concerning Budapest (or as literally everyone other country in the world calls it- "Budapesht".)

Budapest is my favorite city in Europe. The history, the gorgeous people, the nightlife, the day life, the Danube river. Wow. I'm actually getting chills typing that out.

Format of this post:
1. Arrival, getting around, and first night
2. Notable sights to see (off the top of my head)
3. Baths
4. Nightlife
5. One of my best nights in Europe
...notable items are in bold.

I ARRIVED IN BUDAPEST, Hungary by train, and left by airplane. It's rather easy to get around, and all things considered it is a very walkable city. If you want to take a cab to get anywhere, just ask the guy what he thinks the price will be for a ride before getting in, and you shouldn't be ripped off. If you stay in a hostel, at an Airbnb place, or Couchsurfing, your host will probably have great advice about how much a ride should be. There are also trams that run all over the city for somewhat cheap.

There are five main "party" hostels in Budapest. I don't remember what four of them were called, but I stayed in the Hi 5 Hostel my first night. Apparently they partied almost literally every night. It was run mostly by Australians who had planned to travel around the world for months, but had fallen in love with the city and stayed. I don't know how their livers are still working. Anyways, I had initially planned to sleep my first night in Budapest, because I had traveled all day from my four days in Prague. They had other plans. Hi 5 told me they were going on a three story cruise vessel up and down the Danube (90% sure it was this thing), everyone got their own bottle of champagne getting on the boat, and it was followed by admission to the iSKOLA club. All for a little less than $20. Also, the party leaders mentioned that if you pass under a Danube bridge and do not kiss someone, you receive bad sex for 7 years. Proceed at your own risk.

So anyways, that night happened. The next day I was meeting friends from Utrecht, but I spent the day wandering the whole city using my guidebook to tell me where to go. As with every other city, I recommend taking a walking tour to get acquainted. 

A FEW NOTABLE THINGS TO SEE: Buda and Pest. The city is split into two halves, separated by the Danube river. Buda is the western side with the Buda Castle up on the hill, and historically the more wealthy side. Pest is the flat eastern side, with the Hungarian Parliament (Orszaghaz) building facing the river. Both of these attractions are very worth seeing during the night (and daytime of course). The lights are incredible on them. Exhibit A:

There is a neat little road with a few shops and food between Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion. Enjoy.
Next to the Buda Castle lies the seven towers of Fisherman's Bastion. This place has beautiful picturesque views and neat little corners to check out. Exhibit B: 

On the Pest side there lies a few neat things to check out as well. St. Stephen's Basilica is hard to miss and is very grand to look at. This is one of the walking streets that leads to it.

In terms of holocaust history (a very important part of Hungarian history), there are a couple notable/memorable things. There are the cast-iron shoes along the banks of the Danube to remember Hungarian Holocaust victims pushed into the river during a fateful day. Along the same lines, there is the Holocaust Memorial Center: House of Horror. This building served as the home base for communist activity in Budapest. It has a different feeling than if you've been to concentration camps, and enables you to learn a lot about the history of Hungary under communist control. I recommend.

BATHS But back to the fun stuff. Right after the House of Horror, we went to the Széchenyi Thermal Bath  located in the large city park. It is the largest thermally-heated bath in Europe, and is pretty much a must-visit. Baths have been ingrained into the Budapest lifestyle for the last 600 years since Turkish rule. You just got off work? See you at the baths. You will see old men playing chess, large warm fountains, mud baths, and large saunas in the Szenchenyi establishment. This location is clothed and mixed-gender. Relax here from your days of travelling and enjoy yourself. You deserve it.

Some more on the Baths thing: I kindof wish that I had gone to a more "authentic" place for a more "traditional" experience while in Budapest. Luckily, I was finally able to get that when I was in Istanbul. If you desire to get that more traditional or intimate experience, I cannot recommend strongly enough to go seek out one of the smaller and less touristy baths. Hopefully your hostel can recommend a place, or just look them up on the internet yourself. Some places do not require swimwear or mixed gender. Whether or not you are traveling with a friend, I can guarantee the experience will almost certainly be fun, memorable, and genuinely fantastic. If you have the time and drive, I strongly encourage you to seek out such an experience.

NIGHTLIFE
So there's a part of Budapest that was heavily bombed during WWII (unsurprisingly, a majority of the poor Jewish section). The city has never really cleaned up everything since then, and has garnered a pretty awesome collection of "ruin bars". Our favorite, and many guide books favorite, is Szimpla. This place has benches made out of ruined bath tubs, scrap furniture, affordable drinks, bizarre decorations, graffiti'd walls, and sections of the bombed-out-walls covered by nothing but fabric. Check it out.

Oh yeah, and their "bar snacks" consisted of massive carrots. Surprisingly appropriate.

Another cool place is Instant, which is not a ruin bar, but has some incredible ambiance. Fantastic fairytale creatures wind up to the ceiling, colors are all over the walls, and the place starts to get packed closer to midnight. If you want a calm drink though, it is definitely still worth checking out in the daytime as well. Music and drinks will be provided all day long. I mention this because the place takes over two buildings, is three stories tall, has 23 rooms, and six bars. Budapest knows how to hang.

Fogashaz is supposed to be another cool ruin bar, but we didn't go there...
Other than that, I guess trust yourself to wander into a cool place.

NOW, FOR ONE OF MY FAVORITE NIGHTS IN EUROPE

I had mentioned before that my first night in Budapest was my only night I spent in a party hostel. Nevertheless, I was invited to go with the hostel to another one of their nightlife adventures, of which I had only heard "We're going to a water park." After the fun I had with them the first night, I really wanted my Utrecht friends to join in on that fun when they arrived. When Rachel and Danielle showed up in Budapest, I exclaimed to them that we needed to hurry because we were going to party in a water park that night. The looks they gave me were of confusion and thought I was really weird for wanting to do that in another country.

Nevertheless, we ended up at Aqua World, (I'm not sure if it was that specific party, but that's at least the place). It's basically a huge water park under a massive dome. Between the dance floors, DJs, connected indoor/outdoor pools, wave pool, 16 water slides, indoor surfing, and lazy river, it was incredible. Outside was near freezing, so the classic warm Budapest bath water would steam up heavily into the night sky. If your hostel is going, just go have fun. Get drunk, meet people, slide down slides, don't drown, and have a blast. The rest of this post is just pictures of that night...