Saddle up for best kept secret

Think of Holland for a break and the first place that comes to mind is bustling Amsterdam renowned for discovering all about Rembrandt or for its 'nightlife' and cafe culture!

It may be you think of Delft and its beautiful pottery. But what about Utrecht? Yes Utrecht, not necessarily known as a tourist magnet for UK visitors, but one which will steal your heart away if you ever visit.

Museums, wonderful architecture, spectacular churches, music – and this year also the start of the Tour de France 2015. And don't forget the friendly folk who live and work there.

Utrecht's inner city is small enough to explore on foot quite comfortably, with beautiful canals lined with wharf cellars once used as warehouses for goods carried by water and now offices, shops and cafes and bars. There is also superb shopping in its medieval streets which escaped the bombing damage of so many places across Europe during the Second World War. There are many museums and my favourite has to be Museum Speelklok Its collection contains carillon clocks, musical boxes, Flötenuhren, pianolas, an amazing singing nightingale, and street, fairground and dance organs which thunder out when demonstrated. Guided tours set out through Museum Speelklok (www.museumspeelklok.nl) every hour.

A very different museum is that of Dick Bruna House (www.centraalmuseum.nl), completely dedicated to author and illustrator, Dick Bruna and his creation Miffy. The stories about the little rabbit have been translated into 40 languages and over 85 million copies of the books have been sold worldwide. Perfect for, but not exclusively for, children!

At the city's heart is the Dom Tower, which you can see from any point in Utrecht and is an easy way of checking just where you are and not getting lost. It is the highest and oldest church tower in Holland. You can combine a visit to the Dom Tower with the Gothic-style cathedral with 15th century wall paintings. Dom is 367 feet high and open to the public offering excellent views of Utrecht and the surrounding area. But before you can enjoy the view you have to climb 465 stairs! If going all that way without oxygen seems too much try to get up to the bell tower. The centuries-old bells are so big they can only be rung once a year to prevent the tower from being damaged. But a modern magic set of bells, played a little like a piano, ring out the chimes instead. Apparently a woman who plays them rang out a medley of the hits by the Rolling Stones when they toured Holland.

Whatever you do don't miss going 'underground' – a museum under the square outside the tower, the Dom Under (domunder.nl) which reveals the Roman foundation of the city, dating back to 47AD. This was another place I could have stayed in for at least a couple of hours. It is a superb exhibition where you use smart torches to shine lights on sensors to start up a commentary in headphones to guide you round what appears to be an archaeological dig, complete with images of what the city used to look like, pottery pieces and skeletons.

There are plenty of cafes and restaurants but a must visit is Graaf Floris (www.graaffloris.nl) in Vismarkt if only to sample the home made apple dumplings with a mug of hot chocolate. Others worth a visit include Den Draeck (www.den-draeck.nl) for traditional food on an historical wharf, Stan and Co for more American-style eating and for the healthy eating option Sector3 (www.sector-3.nl).

A short taxi ride outside is Castle de Haar (kasteeldehaar.nl) – think of Downton but at its heyday in the 1960s and 70s. One thing to watch out for though, are the cyclists. Forget the cyclists in Amsterdam who will generally try and avoid you – in Utrecht they never stop. The Dutch love of cycling is appropriate for Utrecht as this year the Tour de France starts tomorrow in the city.

So how do you get there? Start your trip with a mini overnight cruise from Harwich to the Hook of Holland and then take the train on to Utrecht if you don't fancy taking the car. The Stena Line superferries on the route are the best. Stena Hollandica and its sister Stena Britannica, are the biggest ferries currently operating anywhere in the world. There are 1,376 beds in 538 luxury state-of-the-art cabins, more like a cruise ship than a basic ferry. You have to have a cabin for the overnight crossings but they are extremely good value for money, spacious and very well equipped. Start your cruise with a meal, as I did in the Hollandica's Metropolitan Restaurant, and dine very well indeed for £30 for three courses.

By Sharon Walters

Stena Line www.stenaline.co.uk. 'Rail and Sail' prices start from £45pp one way. Sailings with a car start from £59pp one way for an adult and car. Cabins (required on overnight sailings) start from £15pp each way, based on two sharing.

For more information on Utrecht and Holland visit www.holland.com

The Court Hotel, located in the former Utrecht Courthouse, central, close to the Dom Tower and in the museum quarter of the city. Doubles from £90 per night room only. Address: Korte Nieuwstraat 14, Utrecht visit the website at www.courthotel.nl