Maastricht

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Overview

Lively and energetic, Maastricht has Roman history, a maze of tunnel-caves and historical buildings aplenty, plus a Burgundian sophistication to its dining, a bacchanalian delight to its drinking culture, and a student-friendly street-life out of all proportion to its size. The people are irreverent, shrugging off the shackles of Dutch restraint while speaking a dialect ('Mestreechs') that baffles Hollanders. No visit to the Netherlands is complete without a visit.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

St Servaasbasiliek

Maastricht

Built above and around the shrine of St Servaas (Servatius), the first bishop of Maastricht, the basilica presents an architectural pastiche whose…
Onze Lieve Vrouwebasiliek

Maastricht

Dominating an intimate cafe-filled square, this millennium-old basilica-church is a fabulous example of Mosan architecture, made 'extra authentic' through…
Maastricht Underground

Maastricht

Maastricht Underground runs spooky, amusing and fascinating tours into sections of the vast tunnel network beneath St-Pietersberg massif. Departures run…
Fort St Pieter

Maastricht

Set within a deep-cut dry moat, this hefty five-sided brick fort once formed the city's southern defence and is linked to a network of underground tunnels…
Zonneberg Caves

Maastricht

This gigantic network of quarry-tunnels date back centuries but are most intriguing for their occasional charcoal murals and the stories linked to their…
Helpoort

Maastricht

This rough-cut-stone tower-gateway dating from 1229 dominates the most impressive of several fragmentary sections of medieval city wall. You can look…
Centre Ceramique

Maastricht

Primarily a state-of-the-art library, this modern airy cube also has changing exhibitions in the spacious foyer area.
St Janskerk

Maastricht

This attractive 17th-century Gothic church has a soaring if relatively unadorned interior and a 43m limestone tower whose deep red hue was originally…