Adventurous like the Admiraal, you may want to explore Utrecht and its surroundings. Utrecht is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands, with a population close to 300,000. Its ancient city-centre features many buildings and structures from its earliest origins onwards. There is evidence of inhabitation in the bronze age, but the history of the city is usually traced back to the Roman castellum that was built in 47 CE. The world-famous canals date back to 1000 CE. On its borders, storage wharfs were built that are nowadays used as restaurants, night clubs, shops, offices, apartments, ateliers, and much more. History and bustling city life blend perfectly around the Oudegracht (‘old canal’). The 1713 Peace of Utrecht treaty can be seen as the foundation for the European Union.

Utrecht is host to Utrecht University, the largest university of the Netherlands, as well as several other institutes for higher education. The University campus is an inspiring showcase of modern architecture, only 10 minutes away from De Admiraal. Next to architecture, Utrecht has a tradition in design with fascinating shops and events.
The Centraal Museum and the Rietveld-Schröder-house (a Unesco-monument) testify to this tradition.
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