Coming to and staying in Utrecht

Welcome to Utrecht!

We welcome you to the city of Utrecht, the Dom City: An historical city with a modern vibe, many idyllic canals, a medieval city center, and a large offer of restaurants and bars, shops, culture and heritage. The city of Utrecht has some incredible things to discover. Just some examples?

  • Climb the Dom tower or visit its cellars
  • Hire a boat to ride the canals, or enjoy a drink on its banks
  • Visit Miffy in the Miffy museum, the many different clocks in Museum Speelklok
  • Visit the Rietveld Schröder House, architectural highlight of De Stijl
  • Visit the Centraal Museum for modern and contemporary art, or visit Museum Catharijneconvent and wander the halls of this medieval monastery and be enchanted by the most beautiful collection of medieval art in the Netherlands
  • Take a stroll through the Utrecht University’s old and new botanical gardens, or one of the main city cemeteries: Kovelswade and Soestbergen
  • Visit one of the many cafes of Utrecht for a Dutch or Belgium beer (see our recommendations below on this website), and the famous Dutch bitterballen (fried meatballs, which also come in great vegetarian varieties). For lovers of craft beer, enjoy locally crafted beer at one of Utrecht’s brewery cafes: Kromme Haring, Oproer or VandeStreek
  • Taste a Domtorentje, Vocking worst, Botersprits, or Theerandjes
  • Visit one of Utrecht’s independent bookstores, such as De Boekenbar, Savannah Bay, or Bijleveld
  • Check TivoliVredenburg for all kinds of music and entertainment
  • And much more!

More information on Utrecht can be found at the tourist information center located at Dom Square, and UitAgendaUtrecht.nl.

But first, check out this page for our tips on how to get to our city, as well as the best places to stay, drink, and dine.

Travelling with accessibility needs

All conference venues will be accessible for all persons with accessibility needs. However, if you have any specific questions or concerns about accessibility or other access needs (such as visual impairment, or traveling with carers), please reach out to Maarten Bedert at ddd17@uu.nl. He is more than happy to think along to ensure your visit to DDD17 is both possible and inspiring.

Coming to the Netherlands

Utrecht has a centrally located station which is easily accessible by train from most other (West) European countries. The conference venues are a mere 12-minute walk from Utrecht Central Station.

Travelling via air to the Netherlands will bring participants to Schiphol, Eindhoven or Rotterdam Airport. Being a rather small country, the length of journey by train from the airports to Utrecht Central Station is respectively only 30 minutes, 90 minutes, or 75 minutes.

Train and plane tickets to the Netherlands are dependent on time of travel and time of booking. Considering the end of August is still the holiday season in the Netherlands, conference participants are advised to book their tickets well in advance.

Visa requirements

If you are travelling to the Netherlands from outside the country and/or do not have a residence permit for a Schengen country, you might need to apply for a visa. Whether you need a visa to visit the Netherlands depends on your nationality and your travel plans.

You can see on the Netherlands Worldwide website whether you need a visa or not. You can also read there how to apply for the visa.

Even if you do not need a visa, you must still meet certain conditions in order to visit the Netherlands. These can be found on the website of Netherlands Worldwide. All conference participants need to check whether they need a visa themselves; the conference organizing committee is not responsible for assuring entrance to the country.

Travel insurances and other documents

All conference participants are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary travel documents, including travel insurance, when coming to the Netherlands.

Traveling to and in Utrecht

Utrecht is easy to reach by train. Conference participants can take the train to Utrecht Central Station (Utrecht Centraal Station); the conference venue is a mere 12-minute walk from the station.

Train schedules and ticketing prices can be checked on the website of the Dutch Railway company, the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS). Trains usually run multiple times an hour between the major cities between 6am and 11pm; apart from during peak hours, there are usually enough seats available, also in second class compartments. National tickets (travelling in between cities and towns in the country) do not need to be booked in advance, as seats are generally not numbered (with the exception of international trains, which also pass by Utrecht) and reservations not possible.

When travelling by train, you need a ticket. This can be in the form of an individual ticket, which can be used for single train rides. You can easily purchase individual tickets online, and from the ticket machines at stations. Alternatively (and much easier), you can use your debit card to check into and out of train stations. You hold your debit card, credit card or mobile against the card reader and you are checked in. These card readers are located at stations (not in trains). Please note that this way of checking in and out only allows you to travel in second class compartments instead of first class.

Within Utrecht itself, there are plenty of buses and trams to move around the city. More information can be found on the website of U-OV (Utrecht public transport). Again, one can check in and out of this public transport using one’s debit or credit card. Checking in and out of buses is done inside the bus; for trams, one checks in and out on the tram station.

Or do as Utrechters do and ride a bike! Information on bike rentals can be found here.

Staying in Utrecht

While staying in Utrecht, there are plenty of options for accommodation to choose from, from B&Bs and AirBnBs to hotels, in all different price ranges. Below we offer some of our recommendations for hotels and other accommodations, all close to the conference venues, some of which can be booked with discount.

High end accommodation

Mid-range accommodation

Budget accommodation

Apart from these recommendations, many more hotels, hostels and b&bs can be found in and around Utrecht, for each person and budget. As August is still holiday season in Utrecht, conference participants are advised to book their stay as quickly as possible, to keep prices low.

Conference venues

The conference will take place right in the middle of the historical city centre of Utrecht. All activities during the day will take place in venues located on or nearby the Dom square, all within 5-minute walking distance from each other. 

You can look at a map with the main conference venues here.

The main conference buildings are:

Academiegebouw (Domplein 29)

The Academy Building in the Dutch city of Utrecht is the main building of Utrecht University, located on a corner of Domplein. Since its founding in 1636, the university has occupied several annexes of the Dom Church, particularly the cloister and the chapter house. The chapter house, now connected to the Academy Building, serves as an auditorium.

Notably, on 23 January 1579, the Union of Utrecht—considered the foundation of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces—was signed in this room. It also holds historical significance as the place where the first female Dutch student attended lectures, seated in a screened-off box next to one of the two original lecture halls. She later became an influential humanist, linguist, theologian, poet, and artist.

During DDD17, the opening keynote and conference dinner will take place in this historic auditorium. The cloister will serve as the venue for our reception, while panel sessions will be held in smaller rooms throughout the building.

Huize Molenaar (Korte Nieuwstraat 6)

Huize Molenaar is a historic patrician house with a rich history that may interest scholars. Established in 1892 by Jacob Molenaar, a Frisian-born chef, it has been a prominent venue for private dining and events for over a century. The building itself dates back to the 18th century. Throughout its history, Huize Molenaar has hosted numerous significant events, including academic promotions and receptions, particularly for Utrecht University. In the early 20th century, it was customary for all promotion dinners and receptions to be held here. Initially, these events were exclusively for men, but over time, women were also included, first in separate rooms and later together with men. 

Today, Huize Molenaar continues to operate as a private dining establishment, maintaining its historical ambiance and significance. During our DDD17 conference, it will serve as venue for panel, roundtable and workshop sessions.

Instituto Cervantes (Domplein 3)

The Instituto Cervantes (named after the renowned author Miguel de Cervantes) is a Spanish public institution established in 1991 to promote the Spanish language and the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries worldwide. The Instituto Cervantes continues to play a role in fostering cultural and linguistic ties between Spain and the Netherlands, organising numerous events that celebrate and disseminate Spanish and Latin American cultures within the Dutch context. While Utrecht was historically a battleground between Spanish and Dutch interests (especially during the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule in the 16th century), the presence of Instituto Cervantes in the city today represents a shift from conflict to cooperation, but perhaps also serves as a symbol of Spain’s (soft power) commitment to international influence. During our DDD17 conference, it will serve as a venue for panel, roundtable and workshop sessions.

Instituto Cervantes will also serve as the social hub during our conference.

In addition to panel sessions, roundtables, and workshops, some other venues are also of importance to conference attendees. All these venues are within walking distance of the Dom square, but can also be reached by public transport:

Neude Library

The Bibliotheek Neude (Neude Library) is a vibrant cultural hub housed in a former 20th-century post office. Its grand halls, high ceilings, and intricate brickwork make it a striking venue. Today, the library is a dynamic space for learning, creativity, and community, featuring reading rooms, exhibition spaces, and a café where visitors can relax and connect. One of the plenary keynotes will be held at the theater hall of the library.

Geertekerk

Dating back to the 12th century, the Geertekerk is a beautifully preserved medieval church with a rich history. Over the centuries, the church has been a site of worship, first Catholic, later Protestant. The name comes from Saint Gertrude of Niveless, a 7th century abbess and saint, and patron saint of travelers, the poor, and hospices. Nowadays, the Geertekerk is amongst others an event venue, where during the DDD17 conference a plenary roundtable on the topic of euthanasia will be organized.

SOCIAL HUB

The DDD17 conference will be more than just a platform for exchanging research ideas and findings—it will also be an opportunity to network, connect over coffee or tea, and engage in inspiring discussions in smaller groups. In order to facilitate this, we’re dubbing part of the Instituto Cervantes building “social hub.” 

On the ground floor of the building, conference participants are invited to come together over coffee or tea and chat, or (on Thursday and Friday) join in a creative activity on designing sympathy cards. More information on this will follow.

In the basement of the building, we will set up a Book Market, where both international, academic publishing houses, and Utrecht local bookshops will display and sell some top-picks of interesting books on anything related to (the politics of) death. Some authors of books might also be present. 

In addition, conference participants will be invited to visit several art exhibitions in the basement of the building on Thursday and Friday. More information on this will follow.

Food and drinks

In all above mentioned venues, coffee, tea and water will be served throughout the day. As conference organizers, we do not provide food (with the exception of snacks during the reception and the conference dinner, for which conference participants are invited to register). 

However, being right in the middle of Utrecht, the city offers you plenty of opportunities to find lunch rooms, cafés and bars for a hearty or light lunch near the venues. Some suggestions are mentioned below. If more ideas are needed, please consult us during the conference – we are more than happy to share our hidden gems with you!

Great places close to the conference venues:

Some places a bit further away:

Places to work

Places to grab a coffee

Places to have lunch

Places to go for dinner

Places to go for a drink