Behind the Domtoren is a small vey pretty monastic garden walled off from the street so it is a quiet haven. Further along the road is the Pieterskirk, a Romanesque church which dates back to 1048. It is a really interesting ancient church which had been badly damaged in storms in the 1600’s and has been restored.

After leaving Utrecht we drove to the tiny hamlet of Haarzuilens to see Kasteel de Haar, an absolutely stunning castle. A real Cinderella castle with turrets and towers and a moat and big iron gates. It is gigantic and is situated on a huge estate with stunning gardens.

We took a guided tour through the castle. The inside is lavish with highly decorated walls and ceilings and many stained glass windows. In one room where these huge light fittings made of wrought iron with horses and knights in armour. The fittings each weigh 500kilograms. This was the sort of lavishness throughout the castle.

The castle is privately owned and lived in during the month of September every year. It is closed to the public when the family is in residence. The castle is owned by the descendants of the Baroness Rothchild.