Maastricht online travel guide
Winter or summer, Maastricht is always a city to dream about
07-01-2023 © Doris Leone
Online Travel Guide
In the southernmost tip of the Netherlands, you will find a beautiful city on the Meuse, in Dutch we call it ‘de Maas’, which is the origin of the cities name ‘Maastricht’. Whether you go in the summer and stroll through the nice shopping streets or go for a nice walk just outside the city centre, everything is possible here. In winter, you can enjoy the great Christmas market that settles in Maastricht, which turns into a small fairy tale. Have a look at my Maastricht online travel guide!
Transportation
Train or car, you can get here easily
The train station of Maastricht is located just outside the city centre, but is easily accessible by a nice route into the town. In addition, you can park by car literally in the heart of the city centre on the Vrijthof square, but if you are looking for a cheaper option, Park & Walk is a great option. Normally we know Park & Ride in the Netherlands, but in Maastricht you can easily get to the city on foot within 10 minutes from certain areas. The costs are a lot lower than the parking garage, which makes a difference. These are the Park & Walk areas in this Maastricht online travel guide:
- Park & Walk Stadspark Maastricht
- Park & Walk Noorderbrug Maastricht
- Park & Walk Cabergerweg Maastricht
- Park & walk Maastricht
A city full of rich history
Starting point from the train staion
If you arrive by train, walk straight from the station past several nice terraces and restaurants. From there, you cross the fantastically beautiful Sint Servaas bridge that guides you into the heart of the city centre. By the way, did you know that this is the oldest bridge in the Netherlands? The bridge was built in the year 1289, but the Saint Servatius Basilica (in Dutch: Sint Servaasbasiliek) is also the oldest church in the Netherlands and dates from the 6th century.
Neighbourhood of the Vrijthof
On the Vrijthof, which is the biggest square in the city, you will also find the Saint John’s Church (in Dutch: Sint-Janskerk) next to the Saint Servatius Basilica, which together form the church twins. You will also find the Hoofdwacht on the Vrijthof which used to serve as a military building. Take a good look around when you walk through this city, there is a lot to see in terms of history.
Cultural sights of the Maastricht online travel guide
Helpoort, the old city wall and the Bishop's Mill
A little bit more history, because the Helpoort (which literally means The Gate of Hell) was built in 1229, this big gate is connected to the city wall, which is the first city wall of Maastricht. In this area, you will also find the Bishop’s Mill, which you can visit with a guided tour. This is all located within the Jekerkwartier.
Rent a bike, like a Dutchie
Take the public transport bike or rent a bike with your stay. In the Netherlands people are used to cycling, that is basically what you do in the Netherlands and to be honest, this city is very pleasant to cycle in. Many accommodations also rent out bikes for a small fee, to use in the city.
Do you live in the Netherlands, or are you staying for a longer time?
In the Netherlands, the train transport network is called NS. Across the station, at the Stationsplein, you will find underground OV-bikes. OV, stands for ‘openbaar vervoer’, which means public transport. If you want to rent them, you will first need a personal OV card and connect to the OV-bike in your account. You can find the cycles via the NS-app called ‘in de buurt’. You can even rent two bikes with one subscription using your own OV-chipcard, also easy when joining a local.
Cycle towards casemates and caves
Kazematten
Cycle towards the Kazematten (casemates), because they are definitely worth a visit. Bring your thick jumper because winter or summer, it is always the same cool temperature inside. Visit the network of corridors dug out by humans. The city had to remain safe from the enemy, so the Maastricht people could approach the enemy from underground.
Grotten Noord & Zonneberg
The caves are also nice to visit, they are situated under the Sint-Pietersberg. You have to go up a hill, so if you are cycling or on foot, it is a bit of a challenge, but certainly doable. The Zonneberg Grotten (caves) consist of about 22,000 corridors and the Grotten Noord offer about 80 kilometres of corridors.
The landscape around Sint-Pietersberg
Take a scenic walk! Before or after your visit to the caves, on a wonderful day, you can go for a walk around the Sint-Pietersberg, from where you will have lovely views over the hills. You can make walks up to 15 kilometres, but also short walks of 20 minutes.
Take a nice bike ride! There are also several mountain bike routes ranging from 11 to 31 kilometres, which go through beautiful landscapes. There are also some cycling routes that take you past amazing castles, which are about 40 kilometres long.
The ENCI quarry
A little less natural, but still impressive, is the ENCI quarry. You can find geological structures here because of the excavations at the time, but not long ago they stopped extracting marl. Very impressive to see.
Vrijthof & Christmas Market
End your day with a drink at the Vrijthof
Enjoy your end of the day and have a drink at one of the terraces at the cosy and busy Vrijthof. Just relax and watch what is happening around you. Over here you will find all the beautiful historical buildings. During the month of December, you will find the Christmas Market here!
Christmas city Maastricht
As mentioned above, you will find the atmospheric Christmas market at the Vrijthof. From the moment you step out of the train station or drive into town, the city already gives you a magical feeling. Everywhere you look there are lovely lights and everything is in the theme of Christmas. At the Vrijthof you will find various fun stalls, a Big wheel and an ice rink. If you come by car, parking in the middle of the city is not the most convenient option, it is quickly filled up. To be sure of your spot and also save some money, just take the Park and Walk option. The walking time to the centre is then about 10 minutes.
Tips for good restaurants and bars
- NOVO New Dining, where you can enjoy delicious culinary delights, vegan options available
- Gastrobar 2H (De Twee Heeren), nice bar where you can get a good bite to eat, vegan options available
- Rumors, enjoy a delicious cocktail on the cosy Koestraat, vegetarian options available
- RestoClub Normandy, enjoy delicious French food, vegan options available
