Utrecht is the small but densely populated region in the centre of the Netherlands mainland. It is centred around the old city of Utrecht which was established by the Romans in 47AD and is one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands. It has several bustling cities as well as picturesque villages, castles and residences to enjoy from a self-catering holiday base in this area.
The beautiful countryside around the well-located Utrecht holiday rentals is ideal for walking and cycling. Horseback riding and canal boat trips are also a popular way to enjoy the countryside whilst Utrecht is a pleasant city for sightseeing. As with most places in the Netherlands, sampling the local cheeses is a real pleasure, especially the mature Edam and Gouda cheeses along with local Dutch favourites.
The main city of Utrecht has an old center with a Medieval cathedral tower which dominates the skyline and several canals. There is also the Centraal Museum and a Museum of Modern Design, now called the Rietveld-Schroder-Huis Museum with many design exhibits. The smaller towns of Loenen, Wijk bij Duurstede and Amerongen are all well worth spending time visiting. There are several old castles around your Utrecht holiday rentals including the Kasteel Loenersloot in Loenen, Slot Zuylen and the well-known neo-Gothic architecture Kasteel De Haar. The city of Amersfoort has a well-preserved historic centre with small shops and markets which give a taste of provincial life in the Utrecht region.
Utrecht has a typical temperate climate with warm damp summers and mild winters which remain largely above freezing. Temperatures generally reach 22°C (72°F) in mid summer and drop to an average 5°C (41°F) in the winter. The Utrecht area can be rainy at any time of year, with around 4-6cm of rainfall.
The nearest airport to your holiday rental in the Utrecht region is Schipol (AMS) Airport which is in the capital city of Amsterdam. It is approximately 35km from the centre of Utrecht. Rotterdam (RTM) Airport also has regular flights from all over Europe and is 49km from the centre of the region.