From Wikitravel

Groningen is in The Netherlands. Groningen is the northernmost state in the Netherlands. It consist of merely one big city also called Groningen. Outside the city the countryside is very flat. It is not a spectacular region, but it is quite different from the rest of busy the Netherlands.

Contents 1 Cities 2 Understand 3 Talk 4 Get in 5 Get around 6 See 7 Do 8 Eat 9 Drink 10 Stay safe 11 Get out

Cities

• Delfzijl - Small city with busy port and industrial area.
• Groningen - Vibrant student city. Historical buildings and modern architecture go hand in hand.

==Other destinations== - The Ommelanden - The countryside north and east of Groningen (city). Small little towns, little fishing communities, little castles ("borgen") and windmills. Good area to explore, by car or on bike.

Recommended places:

Appingedam - Small medieval town in the north-east of the province. Can be reached by train from Groningen (trains leave every half hour). The town has very picturesque canals with the famous "hanging kitchens".

Bourtange - An old Dutch fort. Very interesting and popular.

Pieterburen - The "zeehondencrèche" or seal hospital looks after sick and weak seals. Apart from being a hospital for seals it offers a small visitor's centre, guided tours and film. During the summer months a special bus connects Groningen with the seal hospital.

Uithuizen - Small town (can be reached by train from Groningen, hourly connection). Famous for the Menkemaborg, a small castle with labyrinth and beautiful gardens. The town also has a large museum dedicated to World War II.

Warffum - Charming village (can be reached by train from Groningen, hourly connection) with an open air museum.

Understand

Groningen is on of the poorest regions in the Netherlands. Agriculture is one of its mainstays. In the past peat was being dug. Many villages have not really grown in the last century giving them a nice charm. If you have a few days to spare, try to explore. Buy fresh fish, eat smoked ales in Bourtange, take a stroll along a large (9 meters tall) Leninstatue in Tjuchem. This is the last stronghold of the communistparty in the Netherlands.

Apart from agriculture there is an unsightly industrial area near the city of Delfzijl. In 1959 one of the largest natural gas fields in Europe was discovered near the village of Slochteren.

Talk

Locals talk a dialect called Gronings. It is closely related to Germanic languages. English is of course widely spoken, as well as German. Especially on markets and fairs, many traders will be German.

Get in

Easiest to arrive in Groningen is by train south from Utrecht. Trains run also to Leeuwarden. Longdistance buses to Lelystad are also available. Also regular connections to Emmen and Assen.

Get around

Best way to get around the province is by car or bike. As the province is quite spread out, take a car if you have not much time to spare. Buses and trains also cross the countryside, but tend to be slow and far in between. Trains all originate in Groningen City and offer regular connections to Delfzijl, Roodeschool and Winschoten. Some buses in the country side require prior reservation ("bel bus"). Another option is the so called "treintaxi", a cab that operates as a mini-bus and connects trainstations with private addresses (even in nearby villages) for just a few euro.

See

Do

When in Groningen province why not try wadlopen (walking through the mud during low tide). It is a great way to experience the Waddenzee an area of great natural beauty full of seabirds and some seals. For more experienced "wadlopers" there are even trips to the island of Schiermonnikoog.

Eat

Go and get to eat some fresh fish, for instance in Noordpolderzijl or Termunterzijl. Or get yourself a pancake in Eenrum

Drink

Stay safe

Get out

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