Stand on the Grote Markt and the Martini Tower rises directly above you, its brick bulk watching over a square that has been the heart of this city for centuries. Walk a few minutes south and the Vismarkt opens up, with the smell of market stalls and the sound of bicycles threading between them. Groningen is compact enough that you can cross its centre on foot in half an hour, yet dense enough that every street turns up something worth stopping for.
This guide suits anyone planning a short city break, whether you have a weekend or a single day. It covers the museums, architecture and historic heritage within and around the canal ring, with practical notes on when to go and what to combine.
Top things to do in Groningen
1. Martini Tower
Standing on the edge of the Grote Markt, the Martinitoren is the city's most significant landmark and its most visited attraction. It was built during the city's most influential period at the end of the 15th century, and it survived the destruction of the main square in April 1945.
Combine it with a walk around the Grote Markt itself, where the city hall and the Goudkantoor also came through the war undamaged. The square is also where the eastern side has been undergoing a major renewal, so expect a mix of historic and modern frontage.
2. Groninger Museum
Opposite the train and bus station, the Groninger Museum is known for its spectacular architecture and its contemporary art collection. Its changing exhibitions regularly draw visitors from across the country.
It is generally closed on Mondays, as are most museums in the city, so plan around that. Because it sits directly opposite the station, it works well as your first or last stop of a visit.
3. Grote Markt and Vismarkt
The heart of the city is formed around these two adjoining market squares. Together they anchor the centre, and the surrounding streets hold much of the city's cultural heritage and its laid-back atmosphere.
Start here to get your bearings, then follow the canal ring outward. The Martini Tower stands on the edge of the Grote Markt, so the two are naturally done together.
4. Forum Groningen
This large cultural complex on Nieuwe Markt opened in 2019 and contains the main public library, two restaurants, a cinema showing mostly arthouse films, exhibition spaces, the Storyworld museum and a rooftop bar.
The rooftop is freely accessible and gives great views of the surrounding landscape. It can be very crowded at weekends, so a weekday visit is calmer. The complex hosts events throughout the year, some aimed at children.
5. Historic heritage in the canal ring
Most of the historic heritage lies within the ring of canals. Strolling the centre you will pass former canal warehouses, the city hall, several churches, the former Gold Office and many other historic buildings. The city has worked to balance modern architecture with historic grandeur.
The most characteristic streets are Hoge and Lage der A, which run along the A canal and are known for their heritage sites, including outstanding medieval warehouses and a 17th-century brewery named Batavia. Note that several historic canals have been filled in and turned into streets, which is reflected in names such as Gedempte Zuiderdiep.
6. Der Aa-Kerk
This medieval church on Akerkhof has a remarkable yellow-painted tower that stands above the neighbouring Korenbeurs. Its tower was repeatedly destroyed and replaced, with the current one dating from 1711.
The building is no longer used for religious services but is open to visitors and regularly houses expositions. It sits within easy walking distance of the Vismarkt.
7. Guest houses (Gasthuizen)
Scattered through the centre are late-medieval guest houses whose picturesque courtyards can be visited free during daylight hours. The houses themselves are not open to the public, as residents enjoy their quiet and privacy.
Access is through gated doorways that are unlocked during the day and locked at night. The largest and oldest is the courtyard of the Pelstergasthuis in the Pelsterstraat, next to the Pelstergasthuis church, made up of several courtyards connected by archways. The Pepergasthuis in the Peperstraat, founded in 1405, still shows part of the medieval city wall from its courtyard. A city walk through many courtyards is available at the tourist information.
8. Universiteitsmuseum
A strange and wonderful little museum just off Oude Kijk in 't Jatstraat. Temporary exhibitions, often of a technological bent, are held on the first floor, while upstairs past an elaborate stained-glass window in the stairwell is an eclectic Victorian-style collection ranging from anatomical specimens and taxidermied animals to early scientific instruments.
It is generally closed on Mondays. Its small scale makes it an easy addition to a walk through the historic centre rather than a half-day in itself.
9. Storyworld
A museum of visual storytelling covering comics, video games and animated film, located inside the Forum complex on Nieuwe Markt. It houses the collection of the former Nederlands Stripmuseum.
Because it shares a building with the Forum, you can pair the two in a single visit. Note that the Museumkaart is not accepted here.
10. Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum
The northern museum of water transport on Brugstraat, showing the history and role of transport over water until the 1970s. It is situated in the oldest residential building remaining in the city.
It is not accessible with a wheelchair or rollator, so plan accordingly. It sits close to the historic streets along the A canal, making a natural pairing with a heritage walk.
11. GRID Grafisch Museum Groningen
A museum about the graphic industry, art and design on Sint Jansstraat. Its collection is mainly drawn from the province of Groningen and has been put together over several decades.
It is generally closed on Mondays, like the city's other museums.
12. Reitdiep colourful houses
Scandinavian-looking colourful terraced houses built at the waterside, forming a striking composition. They are the kind of view you may have seen reproduced on social media.
Take Q-Link 11 to the bus stop P+R Reitdiep to reach them. This is a quick photo stop rather than a long visit, so pair it with something else in the northern part of the city.
13. Wall House II
A building in the south of the city on the banks of the Hoornsemeer lake, and one of the few realised designs by the American architect John Hejduk. It is organised around a central axis of horizontal and vertical planes, with a reinforced concrete wall and columns, a steel-framed corridor, wood stud walls and a stucco exterior.
It is open during exhibitions on Saturdays and Sundays from 13:00 to 17:00. Check before travelling, as access depends on the exhibition programme.
14. Dot
Originally known as Infoversum, this structure on Vrydemalaan was built as the only full-dome 3D theatre in the Netherlands before becoming a modern restaurant and cultural centre. It is located near the city beach.
In winter the building is decorated with thousands of lights, turning it into the largest Christmas decoration in the world. That makes the colder months the most rewarding time to see it.
15. Amsterdamse School architecture
Groningen has some wonderful edifices in the Amsterdamse School style, the Dutch architectural movement that arose from 1910 through about 1930, and is sometimes called the northern capital of the style.
Two worth walking past are Vensterschool Stadspark at Parkweg in the Grunobuurt district and Bureau Gemeentewerken at Gedempte Zuiderdiep 96. Both are exterior viewing, so fold them into a walk rather than a dedicated trip.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start on the Grote Markt, where the Martini Tower stands on the square's edge. Walk the short distance to the Vismarkt and continue into the canal ring, following Hoge and Lage der A for the medieval warehouses and the Batavia brewery building. If the timing suits, step into Der Aa-Kerk on Akerkhof.
Afternoon: Cross to the Groninger Museum opposite the station, then walk to Nieuwe Markt for Forum Groningen and Storyworld inside it. Finish the afternoon on the Forum rooftop, which is freely accessible and gives wide views over the surrounding landscape.
Evening: Return to the centre for the courtyards of the guest houses while daylight lasts, beginning with the Pelstergasthuis in the Pelsterstraat. Note that the gateways are locked in the evening, so this must come before dark.
Frequently asked questions
When are Groningen's museums closed?
As in many cities in Europe, Groningen's museums are generally closed on Mondays. The Groninger Museum, for example, is open Tuesday to Sunday.
Can I visit the guest house courtyards?
Yes, during daylight hours and free of charge. The houses themselves are not open to the public, and the gated doorways are unlocked during the day and locked at night. A city walk through many courtyards is available at the tourist information.
Is the Forum rooftop free to visit?
Yes. The rooftop is freely accessible and offers great views of the surrounding landscape. The building can be very crowded at weekends.
What should I know about the canals?
Numerous canals surround the city, locally called diep, and the major ones leaving the city are the Van Starkenborgh Canal, Eems Canal and Winschoterdiep. Several historic canals have been filled in and turned into streets, which is reflected in their names, such as Gedempte Zuiderdiep.
Pick your dates around the museum closures and the daylight hours for the courtyards, and you can plan a full Groningen visit from this page alone.