1 Situated on the banks of the Maas River is the wonderful Bonnefantenmuseum, designed by Italian architect Aldo Rossi. Shaped like a wheat silo, the museum’s interior space is beautifully light and airy, with the ground floor devoted to Dutch masters and medieval sculpture and the area under the dome featuring a single, large installation.
2 Maastricht’s proximity between Belgium and Germany has afforded the town a rich gastronomic traditon which is celebrated annually during its four-day Preuvenemint Festival. This year, the festival runs from August 25-28.
3 Underneath a small hill just outside town is a curious maze of tunnels hollowed out of soft sandstone known as the Caves of Mount St Pieter. Dating back to Roman times, the tunnel walls are covered with graffiti and signatures, one of which supposedly belongs to Napoleon. Warning: get lost in here and you’ve little chance of getting out alive, so be sure to hire one of the experienced guides from the Maastricht tourist office.
4 With some 52 churches, Maastricht doesn’t exactly live up to the licentious reputation of other Dutch cities. Although many of these churches are now out of service, St Servaas remains a magnet for pilgrims who pour into the town every seven years for Heiligdomsvaart: a centuries-old tradition which celebrates Maastricht’s first bishop, St Servaas, who has been buried in a tomb in the church since the year AD384.
5 Given that it has one pub for every 300 inhabitants, as well as three breweries, Maastricht is unsurprisingly renowned for its relaxed al fresco café culture. And like all Dutch cities, Maastricht has a smattering of ‘coffee shops’ for those who are so inclined to get stoned.
the essentials
Time from London 3 hours
Getting there Basiq Air operates regular flights to Rotterdam. From there the train takes approximately two hours.
What to say Waar zijn er veel Coffeeshops? Where can I find somewhere to smoke dope?
Price of a beer €1.50
