After the Utrecht Marathon: Kasteel de Haar

The Route: Utrecht → Haarzuilens → Utrecht Logistics: Bus from Utrecht Centraal, about 30 minutes each way. Check the current timetable and the stop, because the service is not frequent on Sundays. Marathon Month: May Duration: Day trip

Utrecht Centraal ──(bus, about 30 min)──> Haarzuilens
        ^                                      │
        └───────(bus, about 30 min)────────────┘

Kasteel de Haar looks like a Gothic fairy tale, and it is mostly a nineteenth-century creation. The medieval castle burned down and lay in ruins until Baron Étienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt, a Rothschild by marriage, had it rebuilt in the 1890s by the architect Pierre Cuypers, who also designed the Rijksmuseum. The baron then moved the whole village of Haarzuilens to make room for the park, and the new village has a village green and a church built to match.

Pay for the bus with a contactless card or OVpay, and check the timetable on the day.

May in Haarzuilens: highs of 17°C to 20°C, with sun and showers. The park paths are flat, but the grass is soft after rain. Check opening days, because the castle has restricted hours and guided tours only on some days.

Day Trip: Kasteel de Haar

The castle interior is visited on a guided tour, with a fee of around €15, and prices vary, so use the figure as a guide only. The tour involves several floors of stairs, so check the access arrangements. The park is open separately and is free or low-cost, with level paths and benches. Check the current opening days at the castle's website.

The bridge across the moat is flat and gives the best view of the facade. The gardens, with ponds, a rose garden and woods, are best for a slow loop of about 2 kilometres.

The village has a café and a small restaurant, so lunch is simple. Order a sandwich or a bowl of soup, and sit outside if the weather is dry.

Take the bus back in the afternoon and check the last departure. If you plan to stay longer, a taxi is a backup.

Getting to Schiphol Airport (AMS)

From Utrecht Centraal to Schiphol takes about 30 minutes by train. Check the NS planner. Airport station is beneath Schiphol Plaza, with lifts to the terminal.