Groningen

Netherlands

Groningen is the unofficial capital of the Dutch north (235,000), a student city of 60,000+ undergraduates around the 1614 Rijksuniversiteit, with the 96 m Martinitoren (tallest church tower in the Dutch north, 261 steps) on the Grote Markt, the Vismarkt fish-market square with the 1865 Korenbeurs, the Hoge der A canal quays and the Akerk, the 1830 Noorderplantsoen central park (large off-leash dog meadow, Noorderzon arts festival in August) and the 140-hectare Stadspark south of the centre, 2h05 from Amsterdam Centraal by NS Intercity, and the gateway to the Wadden Sea UNESCO coast (Schiermonnikoog island ferry 1h15 by Qbuzz bus 163 + Wagenborg crossing). Top spots for pets include the Martinikerkhof and Vismarkt squares under the 96 m Martinitoren, the Noorderplantsoen off-leash dog meadow, and the Schiermonnikoog Wadden island dog beach reached in 1h15 by Qbuzz bus + Wagenborg ferry, especially around the Centrum inside the diepenring around the Grote Markt and the Hoge der A, the Noorderplantsoen and the Centrum-Noord, and the Reitdiep canal walk north out of town.