You’ll find the street known as Martin Ovenweg in the Elinkwijk district of the Dutch city of Utrecht. If you hire a car here, you’ll find you’re already almost in the heart of the provincial capital Utrecht as it’s just a mile to the north-west of the city centre. It’s an area with a mix of modern housing and businesses on the north side of the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. The main arterial road, Amsterdamsestraatweg, leads to the old centre of the fourth largest city in the Netherlands in one direction and out to the A2 motorway in the other.
Utrecht is renowned for the historic buildings in its ancient city centre but even out on the north-western fringe you’ll find some interesting sights. It’s a short drive to Slot Zuylen, an 18th-century mansion and gardens packed with antiques and similarly close by is the KidZcity indoor children’s play and activity centre. Further afield it’s easy to tour other highlights, including the landmark Don Tower, whose 465 steps are the price to pay for a great view over the city. And don’t miss Utrecht’s collection of acclaimed museums of railways, history and musical instruments that play automatically.