The conference will be held in HU University of Applied Sciences, Heidelberglaan 15, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Welcome to Utrecht, the beating heart of The Netherlands!
Utrecht is the most populous city of the province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation and is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. The people, language, and culture of the Netherands are referred to as “Dutch”.
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The Netherlands have a temperate maritime climate influenced by the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean, with cool summers and moderate winters. Daytime temperatures vary from 2°C-6°C in the winter and 17°C-20°C in the summer. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year with a dryer period from April to September.
The Netherlands is a small country, so many attractions and sights can be reached within a day trip from Utrecht. The capital Amsterdam is just 30 minutes away by train and is home to several famous museums such as the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijks Museum. If you are more into beaches then you are lucky because the country has a long coast line and the most famous beach at Zandvoort can be reached by train.
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Utrecht is the proud host of the Utrecht University which is the best ranked Dutch university and number 47 worldwide according the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2017.
The ancient city center has a lot of old buildings and structures (Early Middle Ages) which give Utrecht it’s own unique look. A small medieval city centre to be explored on foot.
Utrecht has also beautiful canals with amazing wharf cellars housing cafés and terraces by the water.
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Some Utrecht Attractions:
St Martin’s Cathedral – also known as Dom Church is an icon of the Medieval City of Utrecht. Built in 1254, this true Gothic style church originally designed as a Catholic church, is now a prominent Protestant church;
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Dom Tower of Utrecht – was built in the mid-14th century and is known as the tallest church tower in the country measuring at 112.5 meters. It is built in the same Gothic architectural style as St. Martin’s Cathedral but became a free standing structure when the cathedral’s nave was destroyed by a tornado in 1674. It is an icon of Utrecht representing the city’s rich history emanating from the dark ages.
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Castle De Haar – is a breathtaking castle considered Netherland’s largest castle. It sits on a lavish estate surrounded by ornate gardens and resembles the neo-gothic style of the early 20th century; |
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Museum Speelklok – Located in the center of Utrecht in an old vaulted church, the iconic Museum Speelklok is a true representative of classic Netherlands culture. It is a museum that houses all types of amazing self-playing musical instruments from as early as the 1500s. |
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Janskerkhof flower market – The markets of the Netherlands are a particularly strong aspect of the Dutch culture. The City of Utrecht prides itself on some very glamorous street markets found in the center of the city every day of the week. The flower market (also known as the Bloomenmarkt) takes place every Saturday in two separate locations. The largest and most popular market is the Janskerhof Flower Market. Located in the center of the city, and surrounded by old buildings in a beautiful square, you can see the same sights and hear the same sounds of the olden days. Every Saturday morning, over 50 different vendors congregate and display their wares in a very attractive manner. The combination of colors and smells that emanate from the market is a truly remarkable experience enjoyed by locals and tourists weekly.
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There are many different options for culture, entertainment and activities, please check the list of Things to Do in Utrecht that can be found at Lonely Planet or at Virtual Tourist. All of this practical and touristic information can also be found at Utrecht’s own website Visit Utrecht.
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How to get to Utrecht
The Netherlands is easily reachable from any country in the world through its main international transport hub: Schiphol Airport, which is located just outside of Amsterdam. For visitors from neighboring countries it is also possible to travel over land, either by train (Thalys from France & Belgium, ICE from Germany), or by car.
From Schiphol Airport it is a short 30 minute train ride to Utrecht Central Station. The train platform is located right underneath Schiphol Plaza. Trains run every 15 minutes. Train tickets cost approx. €8,- (one-way). As Utrecht Central Station is the heart of the railway network in the Netherlands it is also easily reachable from any other Dutch city.
Within the city of Utrecht, there are several options for getting around. The most convenient way to travel within the city is either by foot, bicycle or by bus. Busses in Utrecht are operated by U-OV and Connexxion. They run frequently and operate daily between approximately 6am until just after midnight.
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Useful links
– To have useful information about Utrecht you can download the Utrecht City app for iPhone or Android;
– Information about the current weather in Utrecht check AccuWeather.com;
– Find interesting sights and attractions at Wikitravel-page of the Netherlands;