Description: Amsterdam is famous for its canal boats but they are also to be found in Groningen. A cruise through the waters in Groningen can be made from 8 euros per person.
Groningen is still a university town and was given a university in 1614, though mainly for training priests. Groningen in the Middle Ages was an important trading centre for many trade went through Groningen and there are many old warehouses on the docks. The different architectural styles over the years there have been found all over the town. But in art there is no shortage and there are also several additional images scattered around the city.
The cruise starts from a great location and you get on just across from the main train station which is 10 minutes walk from the city centre. I will not spoil anything but I will give you a few examples about you see when taking the cruise. When you depart from the train station you will first see ‘het Peerd van ome Loeks’ (the horse of uncle Loeks) which is the symbol of Groningen. You also get to see two famous towers called the Martini tower and the Dronkemanstoren (The drunk tower).
Further on you see a lot of statues as Blote Bet (naked Bet) as a symbol of agriculture and at ‘Kijk in 't Jatbrug’ you four images of a merchant, grain carrier, shipbuilder and a fish woman. Quiet interesting and during the cruise you get to hear all the history of these images and statues.
The boat is a standard canal boat as you also see in Amsterdam but since it wasn’t really warm when we were there the sunroof was closed preventing from being able to take good pictures. Also they expect you to sit at one table with sex people which is quiet tight.
You see in a relatively short time much of Groningen and also get much information about this beautiful city. During the tour you can have a coffee or drink. Coffee costs € 1.60 and the same for a glass of soda. For a beer you pay € 2.20 while a glass of wine costs € 2.40. These prices seem really reasonable to me. You also have about an hour to take a break from shopping.
If you're behind in the boat you've pretty much affected by the noise of the engine. If the people around you are talking a lot it will be difficult to understand the guide. For more information you can possibly have a look at rondvaartbedrijfkool.nl, here you can see the latest rates and any other options.
A nice "cheap" and certainly educational tour through Groningen. Really worth it if you're interested in art, architecture or history of this city.
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