MAASTRICHT, A CITY IN THE NETHERLANDS THAT IS ALWAYS FASCINATING

ME Travel - A few days off? Then definitely visit Maastricht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands.

It’s a city where you can taste the specific, vibrant culture that has been shaped over the centuries by Germanic and Romanesque influences. This extensive colour palette is the secret of its appeal, which keeps every visit fascinating.

Rich and compact

The cultural wealth of the city attracts visitors to the historic city centre and the varied museums. Maastricht tempts you to endless shopping with beautiful boutiques, and let you enjoy regional dishes. Moreover, what makes Maastricht special is its location in the Maas valley, centrally in a hilly landscape.

Youth hostel Stayokay Maastricht

The centre of Maastricht is very compact. Large parts of the city are a pedestrian zone and most highlights are within walking distance. The Servaasbrug connects the old centre with the trendy district "Wyck". And from the neighbouring "Céramique" via the "Hoeg Brögk" and the city park you will be back in the city centre in no time. On the edge of this city park you will find a nice youth hostel Stayokay Maastricht with a terrace on the banks of the Maas.

City along the Maas

Maastricht owes its existence to the river Maas. The bridge that the Romans built to cross the Maas created a settlement on the bank, which grew into the city that we now know. If you look at the city from the water, you will be introduced to a completely different Maastricht. From the centre you can sail to the historic inner harbour, along the Mount Saint Peter, in the direction of Liège or Visé in Belgium.

Meeting point caves of the Sint Pieters Mountain and at the background the inner harbour

Caves of the Mount Saint Peter

It's worthwhile to visit the caves - actually mines - under the Mount Saint Peter. This is an underground labyrinth with more than twenty thousand corridors that were created by marl extraction. Both 'block breakers' and 'artists' have left their traces behind, visible in sometimes old wall drawings. The caves also served as a hiding place during the siege of the city; some rooms from World War II are still partially intact.

Surprising collections

Art stimulates, seduces, surprises, emotions or shocks. Similarly, in the museums of Maastricht. But there's more. You can also taste the history and meet Bèr, the famous Mosasaurus in the Natural History Museum of Maastricht. Here you make a journey through time, from the coal age and the Cretaceous Sea with the Mosasaurus to the aquarium with fish that live in the Limburg streams today.

Limburg pie and coffee

Culinary.

Whatever you eat, it always tastes. The culinary offer in Maastricht overwhelms you at all levels. Cheeses, mustard, cave mushrooms or tender lamb. For centuries, Maastricht has benefited from the influences of the rich Belgian and French cuisines. Be sure to try a typical Maastricht dish, such as 'Zoervleis' (sour meat, a kind of stew dish), 'Huidvleis' or the strongly scented and tasty 'Rommedoe' cheese and a delicious piece of Limburg pie.

Hostel tip

Stayokay Maastricht

I slept already a few times in this hostel in Maastricht and can highly recommend it. For a very affordable price you can sleep on the banks of the river Maas in Maastricht.

Book this hostel very easy at agoda.com.

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TEXT & PICTURES
​Thierry Hanan Scheers

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​Netherlands, travel, backpacking

Thierry Hanan Scheers

#traveller #backpacker #storyteller

Thierry Hanan loves to travel without something to plan in advance and let everything just be what it is. Thierry Hanan has no fears to leave just on foot or by hitchhiking. Destination? Somewhere, nowhere and everywhere.

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