Oudegracht Wharves
Oudegracht
A medieval double-level canal running through the old town, where the riverside wharves and underground wine cellars have been turned into restaurants and bars. It is the soul of Utrecht.
The Oudegracht was dug in the 12th and 13th centuries. Its most distinctive feature is the wharf level, which sits below street level. Merchants once unloaded goods on the riverbank and carried them straight into the cellars beneath the houses along the street. Today those vaulted cellars house cafés, restaurants and bars, and in summer the wharves are full of terrace seating. Street level is a lively shopping street. You can take a canal boat tour (about 1 hour, passing along the Oudegracht and Nieuwegracht) or rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard to explore on your own. Strolling along the canal is free, and it is about a 10-minute walk from Utrecht Centraal station. Terraces fill up in peak season, so it is worth booking dinner in advance.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Neude Library (Former Post Office)
- Museum Speelklok
- Stationsplein Bicycle Parking
- Dom Tower
- St. Martin's Cathedral & Pandhof
- DOMunder
- Museum Catharijneconvent
- Nieuwegracht