There’s so much to do in Groningen that you really need a guide to help you uncover the city’s hidden gems. UKrant’s student editors share their cultural agenda with you. What’s their favourite venue and which events are absolutely not to be missed?
Hangout: Cat café Op z’n Kop
With the exam season coming up, the cafés are beginning to fill up with hardworking, frazzled students. After studying for multiple hours a day for weeks, their usual study spots become places of stress and dread. The solution? Cat café Op z’n Kop, a place with amazing coffee and delicious lunches that’s full of cats.
I find the cat café is an excellent place to get work done and also, in between study breaks, let go of some of my stress by playing with the cats – there are at least ten to choose from.
Even with one leg missing, you can see Benny jumping and climbing on the many different cat trees throughout the café
All the cats that live here were adopted from a shelter and given a home at the café. Each one has their own personality and backstory. For example, Benny, despite being deaf and only having three legs due to a fall, has overcome his disabilities by being one of the most playful cats. Even with one leg missing, you can see him jumping and climbing on the many different cat trees throughout the café.
My favorite cat there is Lily, a beautiful all-white cat with blue eyes. She usually hangs out either in one of the many cat beds or on the massive cat tree in the back. During my last exam season she was my support cat, always there for me during my study breaks, right beside or above me. I owe her for my exam success.
This is one of my favorite spots in Groningen and if you aren’t convinced, just think, would you rather study with other stressed-out students or among ten of the cutest cats in the entire city? The decision seems obvious to me.
Cat café Op z’n Kop
Oude Ebbingestraat 57
Open daily 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where you’ll find me the coming weeks:
Frietwinkel
When: daily 11.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m.
Price: €3.60 for regular fries, €4.60 for large fries
If I need a quick, delicious snack in between classes, this is the perfect place, located at Folkingestraat 63. Their fries are crispy, delicious, and come with lots of different sauces to choose from. My favorite is the special curry ketchup because it reminds me of the currywurst sauce popular in Berlin.
Oost | KopjeK Idioterie Indoor
When: 28 March, 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Price: early bird ticket €17, regular ticket €19
Oost is one of my favorite clubs in Groningen, and when I saw that they were doing a special guest event, I knew where I would be on the night of the 28th. If you’re a techno fan or just like to party, this event is for you.
Las Sabrozas
When: Wednesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Price: arepas cost around €10
If you’re looking for a delicious dinner, I can only recommend Venezuelan restaurant Las Sabrozas. They started out as a food truck at Grote Markt and now have opened their own place at the Oosterstraat 28. Do try their speciality arepas, stuffed corn buns.
Pathé
When: daily
Price: €13 for a ticket
This week I’m planning on watching September 5. I really like the Pathé cinema as it’s the biggest in Groningen, with a huge selection of movies to choose from along with great snacks. Whenever a new movie comes out, Pathé is where I’m going to watch it.
Pool café Streetlife
When: open daily from 2 p.m.
Price: a pool table is €8 an hour
I frequently go to the pool café, especially on Friday and Saturday nights with friends. It is a perfect starting place for a night out. You can grab a few drinks and play some pool as well as air hockey and table football. If you have friends visiting or are looking for a fun date spot, I can heartily recommend this place.