In Groningen, you will always discover something new, often off the beaten track. You will find art in unexpected places, buy bread from a circus wagon, meet a witch or stumble across the only hermit in the Netherlands. City and province are bursting with creativity and invite adventure. In this blog, we take you along 10 special places you will not soon forget.
Tante Til
Dorpsstraat 5 - If you are a real tea lover, then you should definitely visit Tante Til. In the owner's living room, in charming Enumatil, you stap a world of lace dresses, porcelain cups and old-fashioned cosiness. Here you can feast on home-baked poffert, tea from the Theefabriek in Houwerzijl and coffee from Groningen roastery TIK TAK. Tante Til is pure nostalgia with a nod to kitsch, as if you were visiting your favourite aunt but with much tastier treats.
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Tschumipaviljoen
Hereplein 3 - On Hereplein, there is a glass pavilion that is itself art. Not a museum, but a skewed, transparent space that is constantly changing. Artists fill it with light, video and installations that you can see day and night. It is a quirky stage that can unexpectedly touch you in the middle of the city, even if you are not looking for it.
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Stoet & Ainvoud
Hoofdstraat 107 - In the middle of Pieterburen, an old circus wagon shows off, now transformed into village bakery Stoet & Ainvoud. No more elephants or clowns, but a wood-fired oven that makes the whole village salivate on Thursdays and Fridays. The smell of currant buns, cheese-onion rolls and disembossed breads betrays: here people bake with guts and love. Everything is organic and local, as all ingredients come from the region. But beware: with only 60 loaves a day, it's first come, first served.
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Pickling Enzo
Teenstraweg 1a - Next to gemaal de Waterwolf, near the Frisian border, you will find Inmaken en Zo: a fragrant, colourful treasure trove full of homemade goodies. Everything comes from their own garden, such as jam, chutney, pickles, juice. Pure, without fuss. A pinch of sugar, a dash of vinegar, that's all it takes. Feeling hungry? Walk in on Friday or Sunday afternoons and taste for yourself.
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The church of Warfhuizen
Baron van Asbeckweg 13 - Also so beautiful, in the middle of the mound, is the church of Warfhuizen. Unlike many other churches, this Roman Catholic church is still in full service. Indeed, in the Catholic vault at the back of the church lives the only hermit in the Netherlands living in seclusion, Father Hugo. Upon entering, the smell of incense meets you. Inside, the small church is decorated with statues and silver and bronze hearts with red ribbons. Take a seat on the wooden benches and hear the wind rushing around the church.
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Café Bistro Kult
Steentilstraat 36-1 - Kult is just a little bit different than usual. In the café-bistro, the bright pink and green walls immediately catch your eye. Here you can eat and drink organic food at an affordable price. And everyone is welcome. They serve mostly vegan, but also vegetarian and meat and fish dishes. Sustainability is paramount at Kult. This is reflected in everything. Even the tableware is second-hand. A biscuit with your tea? Here you just get a whole tumbler.
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Cycling tour of churches
Along the cycle route from Groningen to Delfzijl, you will come across plenty of beautiful churches. The door is often already open, and otherwise the neighbour knows where the key is. Built of red-brown monastic bricks from their own clay and with centuries-old roots firmly planted on the mounds. Their towers are modest, but atop those mounds they stand out above everything else. Not quite finished yet? Then take a diversion.
The route
Wikster van het Wad
Hoogwatum 5 - Wikster is Gronings for witch, and such a witch really does exist. On the Wad near Bierum lives Pia, a witch who lives her life in harmony with nature. Her backyard is the sea, and the Wiksterstee is a resting place where you can discover the secrets of witchcraft or just unwind. Participation in magical rituals is possible, but everything is allowed, nothing must. Wiksterstee is a place for inspiration, without obligations. Do you dare to embrace the mystery? Don't worry, Pia travels with a plane ticket, not a broomstick.
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Wall House #2 | Free
Open from April to November, Wall House #2 combines unusual architecture with changing art exhibitions. Designed by American architect John Hejduk, the iconic building's striking design alone makes it an interesting place to stop by. Inside, exhibitions alternate, often featuring work by young or local artists. A great place for those who love architecture, art and surprising insights.
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Trimunt and Jilt Dijksheide
Trimunt - Trimunt is a forest full of young oaks and Scots pines, where you spot forest birds such as the nuthatch, crossbill and great spotted woodpecker. Right next door is the Jilt Dijksheide: the only remaining heathland in the region, and a rare piece of landscape for that very reason. Between the ice-age pingoes, you might just come across frogs, salamanders or a stoic Scottish highlander. These animals keep the landscape open, all you have to do is keep your eyes open
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