Escort Utrecht: from Amsterdam to the Dom city

The Domtoren, at over a hundred metres the tallest church tower in the Netherlands, is visible from nearly every street in the old town. Below it, the Oudegracht is unusual even by Dutch standards: the canal has two levels, with old wharf cellars at the waterline now turned into cafés and terraces. Neude square, the TivoliVredenburg music complex and the Centraal Museum are all within a short walk, and just outside the centre, the Rietveld Schröder House is a UNESCO-listed icon of modern design.

The intercity from Amsterdam Centraal to Utrecht Centraal takes about half an hour, and trains run frequently. By car on the A2 it can be forty minutes on a clear road and considerably longer in traffic. With the journey and the last stretch to your hotel, allow more notice than you would for Amsterdam itself. When you message us, name your hotel and the hour you have in mind; we come back with the time your companion can realistically be at the door. For late-night plans, the earlier you ask, the better.

Utrecht rewards a relaxed pace: dinner in a wharf cellar at water level, a drink on the Neude, a walk beneath the Dom. Karolina, with her taste for architecture walks and opera, fits the city's historic streets perfectly. Liana, graceful and gentle with a love of French literature, suits a quieter evening at the hotel. Lucy, dreamy and artistic with a soft spot for espresso culture, is made for the café terraces along the canal. Everyone else is waiting on the full roster.