The city of Groningen is one of the most northern cities in the Netherlands. The slogan of the city is “er gaat niets boven Groningen”, which translates to "nothing goes above Groningen" in English. This can be interpreted as "nothing is better than Groningen." Groningen is known as one of the many student cities in the Netherlands, which gives the city its character. Additionally, it is renowned as one of the best cities for a night out in the Netherlands. Therefore, a pub crawl is a must when visiting or living in the city. Groningen boasts beautiful traditional Dutch architecture, and the big market is the centre of the city, housing the best clubs and bars. Besides all the pubs and bars, Groningen has a few breweries. Examples include Baxbier, Martinus (named after the Martini Tower), and Hooghoudt. These beers are served in various pubs throughout the city, so be sure to check the beer menu for these offerings.
We hope that you enjoy the pub crawl and let us know what you think via our social media channels.
The pubs
Café de oude wacht
This pub was once crowned the best pub in Groningen and in the province of Groningen. Besides that, the pub ranked number 22 in the Netherlands. The owner thinks that this is due to the fact that the pub has maintained its appearance for more than 70 years. The owner says that due to this, the pub has retained its own identity and uniqueness over the decades. Furthermore, there is a great selection of whiskies and beers available. So be sure to try some.
de pintelier
De Pintelier is one of the most typical Dutch pubs you will ever set foot in. It showcases the definition of a traditional Dutch pub with its brown coloring and coziness. It has a beautiful wooden bar with loads of decorations behind it featuring different beer brands. So if you want a taste of Dutch pub culture, you should definitely visit De Pintelier.
Café der witz
After arriving at Café der Witz, you will not have to walk much further to complete the pub crawl. So rest assured, because the long walks of the pub crawl are ancient history. You will only have to take a few steps to go from pub to pub. But first, it is time to quench your thirst at Café der Witz. Café der Witz uses brighter colors and textures in their interior as well as their exterior, which makes the pub feel open and welcoming. All in all, a great place for a good drink.
Grand café hooghoudt
The Grand Cafe Hooghoudt is a large pub with plenty of seats available, located on the Grote Markt of Groningen, just like Café der Witz and De Drie Gezusters. The bar boasts a great beer menu with many beers from local breweries like Baxbier and, of course, Hooghoudt, as we talked about before. Furthermore, if you visit on Monday or Tuesday, every second craft beer is half price.
De drie gezusters
De Drie Gezusters is one of the most famous bars in Groningen and the surrounding areas. You will find the pub in an old traditional Dutch building on the Grote Markt of Groningen. The pub consists of different pubs put together, which gives you the option to do a pub crawl within one building! If you are in a group, it is also possible to participate in various activities. An example is a beer tasting flight. For other activities, look on the pub's website.