Indeed Groningen is a rather small city, but it is a very concentrated one. You have basically everything you could dream of within a three kilometer radius. Since I have been here, I have had the chance to discover multiple venues, even though at the end, we all have our go-to places where we spend most of our time. My goal is to try more and more to get out of my comfort zone and innovate by testing places I have never been before. Despite what we can hear about Groningen, there is plenty to do and there are always some spots to come upon! Here is my non-exhaustive list of my favorite spots in Groningen!
Restaurants
Lust
Lust is a really cosy place located in my favorite street of the city called Oude Kijk in Her Jastraat. Basically, let’s say that this street is the hipsterish one of the city. Vegan restaurants and thrift shops, a bit of everything I enjoy! There, you can find the best burgers I tried in Groningen. A lot of taste, high quality products, and for a really affordable price compared to most of the restaurants in town. Indeed, in my opinion, eating in a restaurant is way more expensive in Groningen than in Paris. That is why, the fact that Lust offers some very good burgers at nine euros is really cool, so for all the broke students like me, it’s the place to be.
Therefore, I highly recommend spending hours in Lust just taking time enjoying a burger and fries (and for 12€ in total, we're not going to miss out!)
Kombu street food and La Ca vietnamese food
Those two restaurants are extremely nice. Both of them are very close to the center, Kombu is located near Martini Tower whereas La Ca is in Oude Kijk in Her Jastraat. I greatly recommend you to try those two tiny places very well decorated, with friendly staff and what matters the most: really tasty warm typical asian meals that directly make you feel good! For less than 12 euros (yes you probably understood but 12€ is my psychological limit for a meal in a restaurant), you can have a great time there! I also advise you to make bookings, otherwise you won’t be able to find seats during the evening because unfortunately (or fortunately), I am not the only one who is in love with these spots!
Kombu street food & La Ca Vietnamese street food
Hemingway's
Hemingway's is the best restaurant in Groningen when it comes to delicious food that takes you directly to the Mediterranean. The music and the dimmed lighting transport us directly into another world and the atmosphere is very relaxing. I have been to this restaurant several times with friends. The prices are higher than in the restaurants I mentioned above, but the quality is excellent. So, whenever my friends and I have something to celebrate, we go to this restaurant and spend about 15 euros on exquisite tapas followed by long hours of conversation.
Cafés
MasMas
If there is one café where I spend most of my time, it is MasMas. My Indonesian friend introduced me to this place and it has quickly become one of my little havens here in Groningen. I love the decoration of the venue which is very artsy and colorful and the seats are comfortable with lots of cushions that make you feel good. Here you can enjoy a hot chocolate and spend the whole afternoon working on your computer or playing games in the café (I have lovely memories of playing chess here). At MasMas, it's all simple, just pleasure!
Food Matterz
Food Matterz is the closest café to where I live, the Student Hotel. In this café you can enjoy delicious cakes that will put you in a good mood at the first bite. Indeed, I have had breakfast there several times, with friends or even alone, and I have always loved the time spent there. Unlike MasMas, it is not possible to study in this café. Indeed, you are not taken to be on your computer. This practice was introduced in order to reduce the amount of time spent there by consumers. For a moment out of time, I definitely recommend you to try the cakes from Food Matterz!
Stores
As I only consume second-hand items, the shops listed will be exclusively places where you can buy second-hand or vintage items.
Thrift stores
Where do you think my favorite thrift shops are? Good answer, they are indeed located in the Oude Kijk in Het Jatstraat! If you like vintage fashion, just walk along the street and you'll find a lot of nice thrift shops. My favorites are Recessie and LILOS Vintage. Recessie is in my opinion the best authentic thrift shop in Groningen. The selection is very nice and I found a lot of little treasures that I wear a lot and at affordable prices. Everything is categorized and the shop is quite spacious and bright. In addition, there are three booths so you can try on clothes and be sure that they fit and are therefore worth it to buy!
The selection at LILOS Vintage is lovely. This thrift store is very small but beautifully decorated and it is very pleasant to look at the lovely pieces that have been tastefully selected. The prices are admittedly higher, but in terms of the design and quality of the pieces, I think they are fair.
Recessie & LILOS Vintage
Mamamini
Mamamini is the equivalent of Emmaus in Groningen. This chain of second-hand objects of all kinds is really great. I particularly like to hang out there and look at all the old tableware, vinyls and kitchen utensils. If you need to furnish your home, I think this is the place to go first! The prices are very low and you can buy a lot of things like frames, pans, flowerpots or even puzzles for a few euros or even less!
Study places
The Forum
The Forum is definitely the place where I spent the most time in Groningen. This huge library opened in 2019 and is the place where all students go to study. At the time I am writing these lines, I am currently there. This modern building is in the center of the city and everything is neat and comfortable. The walls are made of windows all along the building, which takes a panoramic view of Groningen from each floor. The only downside is that it is sometimes difficult to find a seat, especially when you are in the busiest time of day, such as 3pm on a Saturday. This is understandable, as the forum is the best place to study in Groningen! Inside, there are also cafes, a cinema and a place downstairs where it is nice to take a break from studying with friends.
TSH’s lobby
Living in the Student Hotel, it is obvious that I also spend a lot of time studying in the lobby. When I don't have the time (or the will) to go to the forum or to the university I go down to the student hotel's study area to work. There are several tables with plugs where you can comfortably sit and study. There is also a quiet room where about ten students can study quietly and be free from the music playing continuously in the lobby. The TSH lobby is the perfect place to study in the evenings, with the idea that I could have a game of ping pong after those intense revision sessions with a friend!
Parks
Groningen is blessed with beautiful parks where it is extremely pleasant to sit and have a picnic with friends or a drink! Spending time in the parks in any season is one of my favorite activities. In winter, I love having a little walk with friends with a hot chocolate and spending a summer evening with music and beers in a nice park will always be lovely. Of course, the atmospheres are different depending on their size and whether or not we are able to sit on the grass. However, the four parks I'm going to list below all bring back memories of times spent in Groningen.
Nooderplantsoen Park
Stadspark
Martinikerkhof
Prinsentuin (garden)
And here is the list of my favorite spots in Groningen! As I write this article, it is March 16th. So I still have several months to enjoy my Erasmus experience here and to fill this list with even more great places to hang out!