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 me on a wander along canals and down laneways that have witnessed the passing of Knights, Emperors 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.