Audioguide tour of Utrecht: Castles, canals, and good folk
Audioguide tour of Utrecht: Castles, canals, and good folk
Are you planning to visit Utrecht, and need a guide?
Try our audioguide tour Castles, canals and good folk in Utrecht: An Utrecht walking tour
In partnership with VoiceMap, this walk is voice-recorded by Annette so you can listen to it on your mobile phone as you wander through the heart of old Utrecht. You can therefore focus on the stories rather than trying to read and navigate.
VoiceMap works by using GPS to trigger audio exactly when you need it as you travel, both for perfectly timed commentary about what you are seeing and for helpful walking directions. So, you can concentrate on the interesting things in Utrecht whilst the audio plays and you can be sure you won’t miss any turns.
You can take the tour at a time that suits you and at your own pace. You can also stop it at any point if you want to spend more time at a particular location or stop for coffee, then resume the tour when you’re ready. The adventure is yours!
This audio tour is brimful with history and culture stories, to enhance your Utrecht experience and help you discover more about this wonderful heritage city.
At the end of this webpage are VoiceMap Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
What is there to see in Utrecht?
Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, having started out in the 1st century as a Roman frontier fort. It has always been important, and has the scars and the achievements to prove it.
Join Annette on a wander along canals and down laneways that have witnessed the passing of Knights, Emperors, Judo Champions, University Students, and Beguines. We will explore the less familiar northern quarters of the old city, to castles, a war time bunker, poetry on high, lofty mansions and little cottages.
Utrecht is located in the centre of the country, and easy to get to from anywhere. You will come to understand the vitality of today's Utrecht more clearly through the layers of its near and distant past. There are also plenty of places to stop on the way to pull up a chair, order a coffee and watch the world walk, drift, or cycle by.
User reviews
Really enjoyable pace. Interesting. Helps you see details you would otherwise walk past - from the Cassidys
Great tour that takes you through the North and University part of Utrecht. My wife and I loved it! - from Zachary
Great tour, well-paced, knowledgeable guide and easy to follow instructions. Thoroughly recommend. - from Anonymous
Key details
Along the way, you’ll have the chance to:
Visit Oudaen, one of the most significant buildings in Utrecht. It was built around 1276 and is classified as a city castle
Go down some stairs to experience a little of Utrecht at water level
Discover the portrait sculpture of three-time judo world champion, Anton Geesink, who lived nearby
Find a memorial sculpture of Anne Frank
Explore the former mediaeval guesthouses that served as lodgings for pilgrims setting off for the Holy Land
Learn about the neighbourhood established for the Beguines in 1292
Spot the beaming face of a former Lord Mayor whose sculpted head is peeping out from under the eaves of a terrace house
Wander around the original Utrecht University neighbourhood established in 1636
Pass by King Louis Napoleon’s house, where well-known visitors included his brother Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his with Josephine.
Visit the Nederlands Volksbuurt Museum which explores the life and times of those who lived in this working-class neighbourhood in the tough times of the 1920s
Visit the former 1920s central post office at Neude square which is now the Utrecht Library. It’s an architectural masterpiece with fabulous early modern sculptures. Go inside and look for the kangaroo and the camel
There are also plenty of places to stop on the way to pull up a chair, order a coffee or a beer, and watch the world walk, or cycle, past.
How to purchase this tour
Currently available from VoiceMap for US$ 8.99
Product dimensions
This is a 2km walking tour
It takes an average of 60 mins to complete.
The starting point is Start: Hoog Catharijne, Godebaldkwartier 54, 3511 DX Utrecht
VoiceMap User FAQ
How do VoiceMap tours work?
VoiceMap’s audio tour app for iOS and Android uses your device’s GPS to play audio automatically, at the right time and place. Just install the app and download your tour, then go to the starting point and begin your walk.
Do I need to follow a route, or can I start the tour anywhere I like?
Tours have a fixed starting point and follow a route to a fixed end location. This allows us to provide turn-by-turn-directions and improves the accuracy of automatic playback. It also helps tour publishers tell a better story, greater than the sum of its parts. But the VoiceMap app does have a Resume option, and this allows you to pick up a tour from the closest location and carry on with it whenever you like.
Can I use tours more than once?
You can listen to your tours as often as you like using both the VoiceMap app and the VoiceMap website. Your access to tours doesn’t expire.
Can I listen to tours at home?
Yes! You don’t need to travel to a tour’s starting point to listen to it. In the VoiceMap app, just select Virtual mode on the screen that displays after you download the tour. You can also listen to the whole tour at voicemap.me.
Do I need mobile data to do a VoiceMap tour?
No, VoiceMap works entirely offline if there’s no data connection, so you don’t have to pay roaming fees. Just download the tour over WiFi before you get started.
Related partner
Copyright
Annette Welkamp
VoiceMap
