Utrecht Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Utrecht

The earliest settlers to the area now called Utrecht likely arrived millennia ago during the Stone Age. While there are also signs of inhabitation during the Bronze Age, scholars today credit the Romans with building what became the town.

They set up a castellum around the year 50 AD, a fort right at a crossing point on the river Rhine. The fortress marked Rome's northernmost point in their sphere of influence. A settlement grew around the fortress, then called Trajectum.

The Latin Trajectum morphed into the Dutch word Trecht, meaning "a crossing." Then the U was added, which denoted that it was downriver, differentiating it from Mass-trecht.

The fort survived for several hundred years, eventually getting stone walls. But the Romans left in the middle of the third century. It wasn't until 650 or so that missionaries arrived and used Utrecht as a base for Christianity in the region.

This history is apparent above and below ground as you start your tour in Dom Square, the central square of Utrecht. This is the original location of the Roman settlement, remains of which can be toured under the square as part of the DOMunder museum.

Domkerk, also known as the Cathedral of St. Martin, also stands here, as churches have since those first missionaries arrived. Across the square, you can climb the 465 steps to the top of Dom Tower for a panoramic view of the city.

The church and many areas of town were badly damaged in a severe summer thunderstorm in 1674. A possible tornado destroyed the church's nave. The space it left between the rest of the structure and the tower is now Dom Square.

The city history continues beyond Dom Square. Walk the shores of the Old Canal and see how shipping and trade helped build the modern city. And don't miss the many notable churches and structures, like Jan's Church and the Pope House.

Utrecht is a historic town full of fascinating cultural sites and Old World charm. Join us on our Utrecht Introduction Walking Tour to get a taste of this tourist-friendly and mesmerizing city.