Road trip through oost Groningen

A day’s holiday in Groningen – why not? You’ll find the most wonderful moments of happiness close to home. Meet the friendly villagers, sample Ommelander specialities and discover how winding, hidden lanes lead you to the most stunning views. A day on a road trip through Groningen is a day of adventure. Are you coming along?

From the Groninger Museum you pull into the inner city. You look up. Not just at the sky, but especially at the Forum's sloping walls. No matter which way you look at it, you are surprised by its futuristic design every time. So it is not for nothing that 'Groningen's living room' has been voted the most beautiful building in the country. Today, you set off on a route through the east of Groningen. Past places that will stay with you. Grab your gear and join the adventure.

Your first stop is Bedum. A picturesque village with a church tower that is a lot more crooked than the Forum. More crooked than the tower of Pisa even. No hordes of tourists all taking the same photo here. Here you will find peace and quiet. Knock on the door of Bladzij 20, an antiquarian bookshop with reading material for years. Specialising in Groningen books. And before you go to your next destination: pick some flowers at Pluktuin Lageweg, an oasis of fragrant flowers, dancing butterflies and buzzing bees.

With the scent of fresh flowers in your car, you continue northwards. The same natural splendour you have just picked will be seen again at the borg in Ewsum. Like the province's many borgen, this one has gardens that will make your green heart beat faster. Stroll through the historic vegetable garden, orchard, flower garden and picking garden. Or take a seat at the tearoom, and while the water is on the stove in front of you, take a moment for yourself. You flip open your newly bought book and drown in its pages. Around you only the sound of birds. Just recharge. In Groningen it is possible.

You've probably been to the Groninger Museum Museum. Grand and art as far as the eye can see. But it doesn't always have to be so elaborate. 'T Hoeske van Thais Joaptje in Rottum is the textbook example of small and powerful. Perhaps Groningen's smallest house hides a museum. Furnished in such a way that you go back in time almost two centuries. You can barely turn your ass around. Would you like to set up a museum at home too? Then drop by Boerma's Antiekhoeve in Uithuizen. A characteristic farm crammed with antiques and curiosities. The two enormous barns are almost literally filled to the brim with things from grandma's time and before. Hopefully you have some space left in your boot. You probably do.

On to the northernmost tip of the Dutch mainland: Noordkaap. How could it be otherwise. Overlooking water and mud flats. Enjoy the vast vistas the province is so famous for. And pay a visit to Hoogwatum, home to the self-proclaimed Wikster (Groningen word for witch) of the Wadden Sea. You can also just call her Pia, who likes to tell you about witchcraft and old religion in an approachable way.

The final stretch of the route takes you further south. When you arrive in Leermens , you ’ll come across the ancient Donatus Church . The blue-and-white church tower glistens in the warm summer light. Feel free to linger there for a while. Or pop inside for a look. Outside in the churchyard, you’ll find some unusual epitaphs. Well worth a read. Have you worked up an appetite? Or are you just feeling peckish? Then pop into fish restaurant De School for a fresh ‘lekkerbek’. Or something else tasty. Plenty of fish.

From one kitchen to another. On to Appingedam, with its canals and the famous ‘ hangende keukens ’. The village’s opulent appearance is a nod to its illustrious trading past. And to round off your trip, head out into the countryside, where nature embraces you and space abounds.

First, you’ll pass by the Schildmeer in Steendam. Surrounded by reeds. But there’s also a beach by the lake where you can have a spot of sunbathing. Put on your swimwear and clear your mind. Would you rather have a bit more nature? Then pop a little further on to 't Roegwold the lovely Schildwolde. Around 6,000 years ago, this spot was nothing but woodland; now you’ll also find a marsh here. Fortunately, the area still has plenty of trees, making for lovely walks. Or take a stroll along the famous ‘ Knuppelpad ’, a 750-metre-long wooden boardwalk that cuts straight through the marsh. It’s incredibly photogenic. Feel free to use up a whole roll of film. Print out your photo and hang it on the wall. A treasured memento of a lovely road trip through the province.